Psalm 120–124

Psalm 120

A CRY FOR TRUTH AND PEACE

A song of ascents.

¹In my distress I called to the Lord,

and he answered me.^as

²“Lord, rescue me from lying lips

and a deceitful tongue.”^at

³What will he give you,

and what will he do to you,

you deceitful tongue?^au

⁴A warrior’s sharp arrows

with burning charcoal!^Aav

⁵What misery that I have stayed in Meshech,^Baw

that I have lived among the tents of Kedar!^Cax

⁶I have dwelt too long

with those who hate peace.^a

⁷I am for peace; but when I speak,

they are for war.^b

Psalm 121

THE LORD OUR PROTECTOR

A song of ascents.

¹I lift my eyes toward the mountains.

Where will my help come from?^c

²My help comes from the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth.^d

³He will not allow your foot to slip;

your Protector will not slumber.^e

⁴Indeed, the Protector of Israel

does not slumber or sleep.^f

⁵The Lord protects you;

the Lord is a shelter right by your side.^Dg

⁶The sun will not strike you by day

or the moon by night.^h

⁷The Lord will protect you from all harm;

he will protect your life.ⁱ

⁸The Lord will protect your coming and going

both now and forever.^j

Psalm 122

A PRAYER FOR JERUSALEM

A song of ascents. Of David.

¹I rejoiced with those who said to me,

“Let’s go to the house of the Lord.”^k

²Our feet were standing

within your gates, Jerusalem^l—

³Jerusalem, built as a city should be,

solidly united,^m

⁴where the tribes, the Lord’s tribes, go up

to give thanks to the name of the Lord.ⁿ

(This is an ordinance for Israel.^o)

⁵There, thrones for judgment are placed,

thrones of the house of David.^p

⁶Pray for the well-being^A of Jerusalem:

“May those who love you be secure;^q

⁷may there be peace within your walls,

security within your fortresses.”^r

⁸Because of my brothers and friends,

I will say, “May peace be in you.”^Bs

⁹Because of the house of the Lord our God,

I will pursue your prosperity.^t

Psalm 123

LOOKING FOR GOD’S FAVOR

A song of ascents.

¹I lift my eyes to you,

the one enthroned in heaven.^u

²Like a servant’s eyes on his master’s hand,

like a servant girl’s eyes on her mistress’s hand,

so our eyes are on the Lord our God

until he shows us favor.^v

³Show us favor, Lord, show us favor,

for we’ve had more than enough contempt.^w

⁴We’ve had more than enough

scorn from the arrogant

and contempt from the proud.^x

Psalm 124

THE LORD IS ON OUR SIDE

A song of ascents. Of David.

¹If the Lord had not been on our side—

let Israel say—

²if the Lord had not been on our side^y

when people attacked us,^z

³then they would have swallowed us alive

in their burning anger against us.^aa

⁴Then the water would have engulfed us;

the torrent would have swept over us;

⁵the raging water would have swept over us.^ab

⁶Blessed be the Lord,

who has not let us be ripped apart by their teeth.^ac

⁷We have escaped like a bird from the hunter’s net;

the net is torn, and we have escaped.^ad

⁸Our help is in the name of the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth.^ae