Psalm 120:title–134:3

Psalm 120

A Cry for Truth and Peace

A * song of ascents.

1 In my distress I called to the Lord,

and He answered me. l

2 “Lord, deliver me from lying lips

and a deceitful tongue.” m

3 What will He give you,

and what will He do to you,

you deceitful tongue? n

4 A warrior’s sharp arrows

with burning charcoal! o p

5 What misery that I have stayed in Meshech, q r

that I have lived among the tents of Kedar! s t

6 I have lived too long

with those who hate peace. u

7 I am for peace; but when I speak,

they are for war. v

Psalm 121

The Lord Our Protector

A * song of ascents.

1 I lift my eyes toward the mountains.

Where will my help come from? w

2 My help comes from the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth. x

3 He will not allow your foot to slip;

your Protector will not slumber. y

4 Indeed, the Protector of Israel

does not slumber or sleep. z

5 The Lord protects you;

the Lord is a shelter right by your side. a b

6 The sun will not strike you by day

or the moon by night. c

7 The Lord will protect you from all harm;

He will protect your life. d

8 The Lord will protect your coming and going

both now and forever. e

Psalm 122

A Prayer for Jerusalem

A Davidic * song of ascents.

1 I rejoiced with those who said to me,

“Let us go to the house of the Lord.” f

2 Our feet are standing

within your gates, Jerusalem g—

3 Jerusalem, built as a city should be,

solidly joined together, h

4 where the tribes, * Yahweh’s tribes, go up

to give thanks to the name of Yahweh. i

(This is an ordinance for Israel. j)

5 There, thrones for judgment are placed,

thrones of the house of David. k

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

“May those who love you prosper; l

7 may there be peace within your walls,

prosperity within your fortresses.” m

8 Because of my brothers and friends,

I will say, “Peace be with you.” n

9 Because of the house of the Lord our God,

I will seek your good. o

Psalm 123

Looking for God’s Favor

A * song of ascents.

1 I lift my eyes to You,

the One enthroned in heaven. p

2 Like 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. q

3 Show us favor, Lord, show us favor,

for we’ve had more than enough contempt. r

4 We’ve had more than enough

scorn from the arrogant

and contempt from the proud. s

Psalm 124

The Lord Is on Our Side

A Davidic * song of ascents.

1 If the Lord had not been on our side—

let Israel say—

2 If the Lord had not been on our side t

when men attacked us, u

3 then they would have swallowed us alive

in their burning anger against us. v

4 Then the waters would have engulfed us;

the torrent would have swept over us;

5 the raging waters would have swept over us. w

6 Praise the Lord,

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

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

the net is torn, and we have escaped. y

8 Our help is in the name of * Yahweh,

the Maker of heaven and earth. z

Psalm 125

Israel’s Stability

A * song of ascents.

1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount * Zion.

It cannot be shaken; it remains forever. a

2 Jerusalem—the mountains surround her.

And the Lord surrounds His people,

both now and forever. b

3 The scepter of the wicked will not remain

over the land allotted to the righteous,

so that the righteous will not apply their hands to injustice. c

4 Do what is good, Lord, to the good,

to those whose hearts are upright. d

5 But as for those who turn aside to crooked ways,

the Lord will banish them with the evildoers. e

Peace be with Israel. f

Psalm 126

Zion’s Restoration

A * song of ascents.

1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of * Zion, g

we were like those who dream. h

2 Our mouths were filled with laughter then, i

and our tongues with shouts of joy. j

Then they said among the nations,

“The Lord has done great things for them.” k

3 The Lord had done great things for us;

we were joyful. l

4 Restore our fortunes, m Lord,

like watercourses in the * Negev. n

5 Those who sow in tears

will reap with shouts of joy. o

6 Though one goes along weeping,

carrying the bag of seed,

he will surely come back with shouts of joy,

carrying his sheaves. p

Psalm 127

The Blessing of the Lord

A Solomonic * song of ascents.

1 Unless the Lord builds a house,

its builders labor over it in vain; q

unless the Lord watches over a city,

the watchman stays alert in vain. r

2 In vain you get up early and stay up late,

working hard to have enough food—

yes, He gives sleep to the one He loves. s t

3 Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord,

children, a reward. u

4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior

are the sons born in one’s youth. v

5 Happy is the man who has filled his quiver with them. w

Such men will never be put to shame

when they speak with their enemies at the city * gate. x

Psalm 128

Blessings for Those Who Fear God

A * song of ascents.

1 How happy is everyone who * fears the Lord,

who walks in His ways! y

2 You will surely eat

what your hands have worked for. z

You will be happy,

and it will go well for you. a

3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine

within your house,

your sons, like young olive trees

around your table. b

4 In this very way

the man who fears the Lord

will be blessed. c

5 May the Lord bless you from * Zion,

so that you will see the prosperity of Jerusalem

all the days of your life d

6 and will see your children’s children!

Peace be with Israel. e

Psalm 129

Protection of the Oppressed

A * song of ascents.

1 Since my youth they have often attacked me—

let Israel say—

2 Since my youth they have often attacked me,

but they have not prevailed against me. f

3 Plowmen plowed over my back;

they made their furrows long. g

4 The Lord is righteous;

He has cut the ropes of the wicked. h

5 Let all who hate * Zion

be driven back in disgrace. i

6 Let them be like grass on the rooftops,

which withers before it grows up j k

7 and can’t even fill the hands of the reaper

or the arms of the one who binds sheaves. l

8 Then none who pass by will say,

“May the Lord’s blessing be on you.”

We bless you in the name of * Yahweh. m

Psalm 130

Awaiting Redemption

A * song of ascents.

1 Out of the depths I call to You, * Yahweh! n

2 Lord, listen to my voice;

let Your ears be attentive

to my cry for help. o

3 Yahweh, if You considered sins,

Lord, who could stand? p

4 But with You there is forgiveness,

so that You may be revered. q

5 I wait for Yahweh; I wait

and put my hope in His word. r

6 I wait for the Lord

more than watchmen for the morning—

more than watchmen for the morning. s

7 Israel, put your hope in the Lord. t

For there is faithful love with the Lord,

and with Him is redemption in abundance. u

8 And He will redeem Israel

from all its sins. v

Psalm 131

A Childlike Spirit

A Davidic * song of ascents.

1 Lord, my heart is not proud;

my eyes are not haughty. w

I do not get involved with things

too great or too difficult for me. x

2 Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself

like a little weaned child with its mother;

I am like a little child. y

3 Israel, put your hope in the Lord,

both now and forever. z

Psalm 132

David and Zion Chosen

A * song of ascents.

1 Lord, remember David

and all the hardships he endured, a

2 and how he swore an oath to the Lord,

making a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob: b

3 “I will not enter my house c

or get into my bed, d

4 I will not allow my eyes to sleep

or my eyelids to slumber e

5 until I find a place for the Lord,

a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.” f

6 We heard of the ark in Ephrathah; g h

we found it in the fields of Jaar. i j

7 Let us go to His dwelling place;

let us worship at His footstool. k

8 Rise up, Lord, come to Your resting place,

You and Your powerful ark. l

9 May Your priests be clothed with righteousness,

and may Your godly people shout for joy. m

10 Because of Your servant David,

do not reject Your anointed one. n o

11 The Lord swore an oath to David,

a promise He will not abandon:

“I will set one of your descendants p

on your throne. q

12 If your sons keep My covenant

and My decrees that I will teach them,

their sons will also sit on your throne forever.” r

13 For the Lord has chosen * Zion;

He has desired it for His home: s

14 “This is My resting place forever;

I will make My home here

because I have desired it. t

15 I will abundantly bless its food;

I will satisfy its needy with bread. u

16 I will clothe its priests with salvation,

and its godly people will shout for joy. v

17 There I will make a * horn grow for David; w

I have prepared a lamp for My anointed one. x

18 I will clothe his enemies with shame, y

but the crown he wears z will be glorious.” a

Psalm 133

Living in Harmony

A Davidic * song of ascents.

1 How good and pleasant it is

when brothers live together in harmony! b

2 It is like fine oil on the head,

running down on the beard,

running down Aaron’s beard

onto his robes. c

3 It is like the dew of Hermon d

falling on the mountains of * Zion. e

For there the Lord has appointed the blessing—

life forevermore. f

Psalm 134

Call to Evening Worship

A * song of ascents.

1 Now praise the Lord,

all you servants of the Lord

who stand in the Lord’s house at night! g

2 Lift up your hands in the holy place

and praise the Lord! h

3 May the Lord,

Maker of heaven and earth,

bless you from * Zion. i