Psalm 120:title–134:3
Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies
120 A song of ascents.a
1 In my distress I called to Yahweh,
and he answered me.
2 “Deliver my life, O Yahweh, from lying lips,
from a deceitful tongue.”
3 What shall be given to you,b
and what more shall be done to you,
deceitful tongue?
4 The sharpened arrows of a warrior,
with burning charcoals from broom trees.
5 Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech,
that I dwell among the tents of Kedar.
6 Too long my soul has had its dwelling
near one who hates peace.
7 I am for peace, but when I speak,
they are for war.
121 A song for the ascents.a
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains;
whence will my help come?
maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not allow your foot to be moved;
he who protects you will not slumber.
4 Look, he will not slumber and he will not sleep—
he who protects Israel.
Yahweh is your shade at your right hand.
6 The sun will not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 Yahweh will protect you from all evil;b
he will protect your life.
8 Yahweh will protect your going out and your coming in
from now until forever.
Jerusalem the Site of God’s Presence
122 A song of ascents. Of David.a
1 I rejoiced in those who said to me,
“Let us go to the houseb of Yahweh.”
within your gates, O Jerusalem—
as a city that is joined together,
the tribes of Yahc as a testimony for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of Yahweh.
5 For there the thrones sitd for judgment,
thrones of David’s house.
6 Praye for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May those who love you be at ease.
7 May peace be within your walls,
security within your palaces.”
8 For the sake of my brothers and my friends,
I will say, “Peace be within you.”
9 For the sake of the housef of Yahweh our God,
I will seek your good.
Prayer for Yahweh’s Action in the Face of Scorn
123 A song of ascents.a
the one enthronedb in the heavens.
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants
look to the hand of their master,c
as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to Yahweh our God,
until he is gracious to us.
3 Be gracious to us, O Yahweh, be gracious to us,
for long enough we have had our fill of contempt.
4 For long enough our soul has had its fill of
the derision of the self-confident,
the contempt of the arrogant.
Thanksgiving for Yahweh’s Help
124 A song of ascents. Of David.a
1 “If it had not been Yahweh who was on our side,”
do let Israel say,
2 “If it had not been Yahweh who was on our side,
when men rose up against us,
3 then they would have swallowed us alive,
when their anger was kindled against us.
4 Then the waters would have flooded over us,
the torrent would have passed over our soul.
5 Then over our soul would have passed
the raging waters.”
who has not madeb us prey for their teeth.
7 Our soul has escaped like a bird
from the snare of fowlers.
The snare is broken, and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of Yahweh,
maker of heaven and earth.
Confidence in Yahweh’s Protection
125 A song of ascents.a
are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved,
but abides forever.
2 As mountains are round about Jerusalem,
so Yahweh is round about his people,
from now until forever.
3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
on the ⌊land⌋b of the righteous,
lest the righteous stretch out
their hands to do wickedness.c
4 Do good, O Yahweh, to the good,
and to those upright in their hearts.
5 But regarding those who turn aside to their crooked ways,
Yahweh will lead them away with the evildoers.
Peace be upon Israel.
126 A song of ascents.a
1 When Yahweh restored the fortunesb of Zion,c
we were like dreamers.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
Then they said among the nations,
“Yahweh has done great things for these people.”
3 Yahweh has done great things for us;
we are glad.
4 Restore, O Yahweh, our fortunesd
like the streams in the Negeb.e
shall reap with rejoicing.
6 He who diligently goes out with weeping,
carrying the seed bag,
shall certainly come in with rejoicing,
carrying his sheaves.
A Prayer for Protection and Prosperity
127 A song of ascents. Of Solomon.a
1 Unless Yahweh builds a house,
its builders labor at it in vain.
Unless Yahweh guards a city,
a guard watches in vain.
2 It is in vain for you who rise early and sit late,
eating the bread of anxious toil,
when thus heb providesc for his beloved in his sleep.d
3 Look, childrene are the heritagef of Yahweh;
the fruit of the womb is a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
so are the childreng of one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them.h
They shall not be put to shame
when they speak with enemies at the gate.
Blessed Is Everyone Who Fears Yahweh
128 A song of ascents.a
1 Blessed is everyone who fears Yahweh,
who walks in his ways.
2 You will indeed eat of the labor of your hands;
you will be happy and it will be well with you.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
⌊within⌋b your house.
Your childrenc will be like olive shoots
about your table.
4 Look, for thus shall a man be blessed
⌊who fears Yahweh⌋.d
5 May Yahweh bless you from Zion,
that you may see the good of Jerusalem
all the days of your life,
6 and that you may see your children’s children.
May peace be upon Israel.
Victory Over the Enemies of Zion
129 A song of ascents.a
1 “Too oftenb they have attacked me from my youth.”
Let Israel say,
2 “Too oftenc they have attacked me from my youth,
yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 On my back plowmen have plowed.
They have made their furrowsd long.”
He has cut the ropese of the wicked.
5 Let all be put to shame and repulsed
who hate Zion.
6 Let them be like grass on the housetops,
that withers before it grows up,
7 with which a reaper cannot fill his hand,
nor the binder of sheaves his ⌊arms⌋,f
8 so that passersby do not say,
“The blessing of Yahweh be upon you.
We bless you in the name of Yahweh.”
Hope for the Redemption of Yahweh
130 A song of ascents.a
1 Out of the depths I call to you, O Yahweh.
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplications.
3 If you, O Yah,b should ⌊keep track of⌋c iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you is forgiveness,
so that you may be feared.”
5 I await Yahweh; my soul awaits,
and I waitd for his word.
more than watchmen for the morning.
Yes, more than watchmen for the morning.
7 O Israel, waite for Yahweh.
For with Yahweh there is loyal love,
and with him there is abundant redemption.
from all its iniquities.
131 A song of ascents. Of David.a
1 O Yahweh, my heart is not haughty nor my eyes ⌊arrogant⌋.b
And I do not ⌊concern myself⌋c
with things too great and difficult for me.
2 Rather I have soothed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother,
like the weaned child is my soul with me.
from now until forever.
132 A song of ascents.a
1 O Yahweh, remember with regard to David
all his affliction.b
he vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:
3 “I will not enter into the tent of my house,
I will not go up to the couch of my bed,
4 I will give no sleep to my eyes,
no slumber to my eyelids,
5 until I find a place for Yahweh,
a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 Look, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
we found her in the fields of Jaar.c
7 Let us go to his dwelling places;d
Let us worship at his footstool.
8 Arise, O Yahweh, to your resting place,
you and your mighty ark.
9 Let your priests clothe themselves with righteousness,
and let your faithful sing for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David,
do not turn away the face of your anointed one.
11 Yahweh swore in truth to David;
he will not turn back from it.
“One from the fruit of your ⌊body⌋e
I will set on your throne.
12 If your sons will heed my covenant
and my testimonies that I will teach them,
their sons also forever
will sit on your throne.”
13 For Yahweh has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his habitation.
14 “This is my resting place forever;
here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
15 I will bless its provisions abundantly;
I will satisfy its poor with bread.
16 I will also clothe its priests with salvation,
and its faithful will shout exuberantly for joy.
17 There I will cause a horn to grow for David;
I will set a lamp for my anointed one.
18 I will clothe his enemies with shame,
but on him his crown will flourish.”f
The People of God Dwell in Unity
133 A song of ascents. Of David.a
1 Look, how good and how pleasant it is
when brothers dwell together in unity.
2 It is like the fragrant oil upon the head,
running down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron,
that runs down upon the edges of his robes.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon that runs down
upon the mountains of Zion,
because there Yahweh commanded the blessing—
life forever.
Praising Yahweh in the Temple at Night
134 A song of ascents.a
1 Look, bless Yahweh, all you the servants of Yahweh,
who ⌊serve⌋b in the housec of Yahweh by night.
2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary
and bless Yahweh.
3 May Yahweh bless you from Zion,
he who made heaven and earth.