Restore Our Fortunes, O Lord

A Song of (A)Ascents.

126 When the Lord (B)restored the fortunes of Zion,
    we were like those who (C)dream.
Then our (D)mouth was filled with laughter,
    and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
    (E)“The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us;
    we are glad.

Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
    like streams in the Negeb!
(F)Those who sow in tears
    shall reap with shouts of joy!
He who goes out weeping,
    bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
    bringing his sheaves with him.

Unless the Lord Builds the House

A Song of (G)Ascents. Of Solomon.

127 Unless the Lord builds the house,
    those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord (H)watches over the city,
    the watchman stays awake in vain.
It is in vain that you rise up early
    and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious (I)toil;
    for he gives to his (J)beloved (K)sleep.

Behold, (L)children are a heritage from the Lord,
    (M)the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of (N)a warrior
    are the children[a] of one's youth.
Blessed is the man
    who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
    when he speaks with his enemies (O)in the gate.[b]

Blessed Is Everyone Who Fears the Lord

A Song of (P)Ascents.

128 (Q)Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
    who (R)walks in his ways!
You (S)shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
    you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.

Your wife will be like (T)a fruitful vine
    within your house;
your children will be like (U)olive shoots
    around your table.
Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
    who fears the Lord.

(V)The Lord bless you (W)from Zion!
    May you see (X)the prosperity of Jerusalem
    all the days of your life!
May you see your (Y)children's children!
    (Z)Peace be upon Israel!

They Have Afflicted Me from My Youth

A Song of (AA)Ascents.

129 “Greatly[c] have they (AB)afflicted me (AC)from my youth”—
    (AD)let Israel now say—
“Greatly have they (AE)afflicted me (AF)from my youth,
    (AG)yet they have not prevailed against me.
(AH)The plowers plowed (AI)upon my back;
    they made long their furrows.”
The Lord is righteous;
    he has cut (AJ)the cords of the wicked.
May all who hate Zion
    be (AK)put to shame and turned backward!
Let them be like (AL)the grass on the housetops,
    which (AM)withers before it grows up,
with which the reaper does not fill his hand
    nor the binder of sheaves his arms,
nor do those who pass by say,
    (AN)“The blessing of the Lord be upon you!
    We (AO)bless you in the name of the Lord!”

My Soul Waits for the Lord

A Song of (AP)Ascents.

130 Out of (AQ)the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
    O Lord, hear my voice!
(AR)Let your ears be attentive
    to (AS)the voice of my pleas for mercy!

If you, O Lord, should (AT)mark iniquities,
    O Lord, who could (AU)stand?
But with you there is (AV)forgiveness,
    (AW)that you may be feared.

I (AX)wait for the Lord, (AY)my soul waits,
    and (AZ)in his word I hope;
my soul (BA)waits for the Lord
    more than (BB)watchmen for (BC)the morning,
    more than watchmen for the morning.

O Israel, (BD)hope in the Lord!
    For (BE)with the Lord there is steadfast love,
    and with him is plentiful redemption.
And he will (BF)redeem Israel
    from all his iniquities.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 127:4 Or sons
  2. Psalm 127:5 Or They shall not be put to shame when they speak with their enemies in the gate
  3. Psalm 129:1 Or Often; also verse 2

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