Psalm 120

A song of ascents.

I call on the Lord(A) in my distress,(B)
    and he answers me.
Save me, Lord,
    from lying lips(C)
    and from deceitful tongues.(D)

What will he do to you,
    and what more besides,
    you deceitful tongue?
He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows,(E)
    with burning coals of the broom bush.

Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek,
    that I live among the tents of Kedar!(F)
Too long have I lived
    among those who hate peace.
I am for peace;
    but when I speak, they are for war.

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven(G) and earth.(H)

He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches(I) over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over(J) you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun(K) will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm(L)
    he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.(M)

Psalm 122

A song of ascents. Of David.

I rejoiced with those who said to me,
    “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
Our feet are standing
    in your gates, Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built like a city
    that is closely compacted together.
That is where the tribes go up—
    the tribes of the Lord
to praise the name of the Lord
    according to the statute given to Israel.
There stand the thrones for judgment,
    the thrones of the house of David.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
    “May those who love(N) you be secure.
May there be peace(O) within your walls
    and security within your citadels.(P)
For the sake of my family and friends,
    I will say, “Peace be within you.”
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
    I will seek your prosperity.(Q)

Psalm 123

A song of ascents.

I lift up my eyes to you,
    to you who sit enthroned(R) in heaven.
As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master,
    as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord(S) our God,
    till he shows us his mercy.

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us,
    for we have endured no end of contempt.
We have endured no end
    of ridicule from the arrogant,
    of contempt from the proud.

Psalm 124

A song of ascents. Of David.

If the Lord had not been on our side—
    let Israel say(T)
if the Lord had not been on our side
    when people attacked us,
they would have swallowed us alive
    when their anger flared against us;
the flood(U) would have engulfed us,
    the torrent(V) would have swept over us,
the raging waters
    would have swept us away.

Praise be to the Lord,
    who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
We have escaped like a bird
    from the fowler’s snare;(W)
the snare has been broken,(X)
    and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name(Y) of the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven(Z) and earth.

Psalm 125

A song of ascents.

Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,(AA)
    which cannot be shaken(AB) but endures forever.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,(AC)
    so the Lord surrounds(AD) his people
    both now and forevermore.

The scepter(AE) of the wicked will not remain(AF)
    over the land allotted to the righteous,
for then the righteous might use
    their hands to do evil.(AG)

Lord, do good(AH) to those who are good,
    to those who are upright in heart.(AI)
But those who turn(AJ) to crooked ways(AK)
    the Lord will banish(AL) with the evildoers.

Peace be on Israel.(AM)

Psalm 126

A song of ascents.

When the Lord restored(AN) the fortunes of[a] Zion,
    we were like those who dreamed.[b]
Our mouths were filled with laughter,(AO)
    our tongues with songs of joy.(AP)
Then it was said among the nations,
    “The Lord has done great things(AQ) for them.”
The Lord has done great things(AR) for us,
    and we are filled with joy.(AS)

Restore our fortunes,[c](AT) Lord,
    like streams in the Negev.(AU)
Those who sow with tears(AV)
    will reap(AW) with songs of joy.(AX)
Those who go out weeping,(AY)
    carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
    carrying sheaves with them.

Psalm 127

A song of ascents. Of Solomon.

Unless the Lord builds(AZ) the house,
    the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches(BA) over the city,
    the guards stand watch in vain.
In vain you rise early
    and stay up late,
toiling for food(BB) to eat—
    for he grants sleep(BC) to[d] those he loves.(BD)

Children are a heritage from the Lord,
    offspring a reward(BE) from him.
Like arrows(BF) in the hands of a warrior
    are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
    whose quiver is full of them.(BG)
They will not be put to shame
    when they contend with their opponents(BH) in court.(BI)

Psalm 128

A song of ascents.

Blessed are all who fear the Lord,(BJ)
    who walk in obedience to him.(BK)
You will eat the fruit of your labor;(BL)
    blessings and prosperity(BM) will be yours.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine(BN)
    within your house;
your children(BO) will be like olive shoots(BP)
    around your table.
Yes, this will be the blessing(BQ)
    for the man who fears the Lord.(BR)

May the Lord bless you from Zion;(BS)
    may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem(BT)
    all the days of your life.
May you live to see your children’s children—(BU)
    peace be on Israel.(BV)

Psalm 129

A song of ascents.

“They have greatly oppressed(BW) me from my youth,”(BX)
    let Israel say;(BY)
“they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,
    but they have not gained the victory(BZ) over me.
Plowmen have plowed my back
    and made their furrows long.
But the Lord is righteous;(CA)
    he has cut me free(CB) from the cords of the wicked.”(CC)

May all who hate Zion(CD)
    be turned back in shame.(CE)
May they be like grass on the roof,(CF)
    which withers(CG) before it can grow;
a reaper cannot fill his hands with it,(CH)
    nor one who gathers fill his arms.
May those who pass by not say to them,
    “The blessing of the Lord be on you;
    we bless you(CI) in the name of the Lord.”

Psalm 130

A song of ascents.

Out of the depths(CJ) I cry to you,(CK) Lord;
    Lord, hear my voice.(CL)
Let your ears be attentive(CM)
    to my cry for mercy.(CN)

If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
    Lord, who could stand?(CO)
But with you there is forgiveness,(CP)
    so that we can, with reverence, serve you.(CQ)

I wait for the Lord,(CR) my whole being waits,(CS)
    and in his word(CT) I put my hope.
I wait for the Lord
    more than watchmen(CU) wait for the morning,
    more than watchmen wait for the morning.(CV)

Israel, put your hope(CW) in the Lord,
    for with the Lord is unfailing love(CX)
    and with him is full redemption.(CY)
He himself will redeem(CZ) Israel
    from all their sins.(DA)

Psalm 131

A song of ascents. Of David.

My heart is not proud,(DB) Lord,
    my eyes are not haughty;(DC)
I do not concern myself with great matters(DD)
    or things too wonderful for me.(DE)
But I have calmed and quieted myself,(DF)
    I am like a weaned child with its mother;
    like a weaned child I am content.(DG)

Israel, put your hope(DH) in the Lord
    both now and forevermore.(DI)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 126:1 Or Lord brought back the captives to
  2. Psalm 126:1 Or those restored to health
  3. Psalm 126:4 Or Bring back our captives
  4. Psalm 127:2 Or eat— / for while they sleep he provides for

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