Psalm 123–125

Psalm 123

Looking for God’s Favor

A song of ascents.

¹I lift my eyes to You,

the One enthroned in heaven. ^p

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. ^q

³Show us favor, Lord, show us favor,

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

⁴We’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.

¹If the Lord had not been on our side—

let Israel say—

²If the Lord had not been on our side ^t

when men attacked us, ^u

³then they would have swallowed us alive

in their burning anger against us. ^v

⁴Then the waters would have engulfed us;

the torrent would have swept over us;

⁵the raging waters would have swept over us. ^w

⁶Praise the Lord,

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

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

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

⁸Our help is in the name of Yahweh,

the Maker of heaven and earth. ^z

Psalm 125

Israel’s Stability

A song of ascents.

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

It cannot be shaken; it remains forever. ^a

²Jerusalem—the mountains surround her.

And the Lord surrounds His people,

both now and forever. ^b

³The 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

⁴Do what is good, Lord, to the good,

to those whose hearts are upright. ^d

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

the Lord will banish them with the evildoers. ^e

Peace be with Israel. ^f