Psalm 120–134

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

120A song of ascents.^a

¹In my distress I called to Yahweh,

and he answered me.

²“Deliver my life, O Yahweh, from lying lips,

from a deceitful tongue.”

³What shall be given to you,^b

and what more shall be done to you,

deceitful tongue?

⁴The sharpened arrows of a warrior,

with burning charcoals from broom trees.

⁵Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech,

that I dwell among the tents of Kedar.

⁶Too long my soul has had its dwelling

near one who hates peace.

⁷I am for peace, but when I speak,

they are for war.

Trust in God’s Protection

121A song for the ascents.^a

¹I lift up my eyes to the mountains;

whence will my help come?

²My help is from Yahweh,

maker of heaven and earth.

³He will not allow your foot to be moved;

he who protects you will not slumber.

⁴Look, he will not slumber and he will not sleep—

he who protects Israel.

⁵Yahweh is your protector;

Yahweh is your shade at your right hand.

⁶The sun will not strike you by day,

nor the moon by night.

⁷Yahweh will protect you from all evil;^b

he will protect your life.

⁸Yahweh will protect your going out and your coming in

from now until forever.

Jerusalem the Site of God’s Presence

122A song of ascents. Of David.^a

¹I rejoiced in those who said to me,

“Let us go to the house^b of Yahweh.”

²Our feet are standing

within your gates, O Jerusalem—

³Jerusalem that is built

as a city that is joined together,

⁴where the tribes go up,

the tribes of Yah^c as a testimony for Israel,

to give thanks to the name of Yahweh.

⁵For there the thrones sit^d for judgment,

thrones of David’s house.

⁶Pray^e for the peace of Jerusalem:

“May those who love you be at ease.

⁷May peace be within your walls,

security within your palaces.”

⁸For the sake of my brothers and my friends,

I will say, “Peace be within you.”

⁹For the sake of the house^f of Yahweh our God,

I will seek your good.

Prayer for Yahweh’s Action in the Face of Scorn

123A song of ascents.^a

¹I lift up my eyes to you,

the one enthroned^b in the heavens.

²Behold, 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.

³Be gracious to us, O Yahweh, be gracious to us,

for long enough we have had our fill of contempt.

⁴For 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

124A 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,

³then they would have swallowed us alive,

when their anger was kindled against us.

⁴Then the waters would have flooded over us,

the torrent would have passed over our soul.

⁵Then over our soul would have passed

the raging waters.”

⁶Blessed be Yahweh,

who has not made^b us prey for their teeth.

⁷Our soul has escaped like a bird

from the snare of fowlers.

The snare is broken, and we have escaped.

⁸Our help is in the name of Yahweh,

maker of heaven and earth.

Confidence in Yahweh’s Protection

125A song of ascents.^a

¹Those who trust in Yahweh

are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved,

but abides forever.

²As mountains are round about Jerusalem,

so Yahweh is round about his people,

from now until forever.

³For 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

⁴Do good, O Yahweh, to the good,

and to those upright in their hearts.

⁵But regarding those who turn aside to their crooked ways,

Yahweh will lead them away with the evildoers.

Peace be upon Israel.

A Prayer for Restoration

126A song of ascents.^a

¹When Yahweh restored the fortunes^b of Zion,^c

we were like dreamers.

²Then 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.”

³Yahweh has done great things for us;

we are glad.

⁴Restore, O Yahweh, our fortunes^d

like the streams in the Negeb.^e

⁵Those who sow with tears

shall reap with rejoicing.

⁶He 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

127A song of ascents. Of Solomon.^a

¹Unless Yahweh builds a house,

its builders labor at it in vain.

Unless Yahweh guards a city,

a guard watches in vain.

²It is in vain for you who rise early and sit late,

eating the bread of anxious toil,

when thus he^b provides^c for his beloved in his sleep.^d

³Look, children^e are the heritage^f of Yahweh;

the fruit of the womb is a reward.

⁴Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,

so are the children^g of one’s youth.

⁵Blessed 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

128A song of ascents.^a

¹Blessed is everyone who fears Yahweh,

who walks in his ways.

²You will indeed eat of the labor of your hands;

you will be happy and it will be well with you.

³Your wife will be like a fruitful vine

within^b your house.

Your children^c will be like olive shoots

about your table.

⁴Look, for thus shall a man be blessed

who fears Yahweh.^d

⁵May Yahweh bless you from Zion,

that you may see the good of Jerusalem

all the days of your life,

⁶and that you may see your children’s children.

May peace be upon Israel.

Victory Over the Enemies of Zion

129A song of ascents.^a

¹“Too often^b they have attacked me from my youth.”

Let Israel say,

²“Too often^c they have attacked me from my youth,

yet they have not prevailed against me.

³On my back plowmen have plowed.

They have made their furrows^d long.”

⁴Yahweh is righteous.

He has cut the ropes^e of the wicked.

⁵Let all be put to shame and repulsed

who hate Zion.

⁶Let them be like grass on the housetops,

that withers before it grows up,

⁷with which a reaper cannot fill his hand,

nor the binder of sheaves his arms,^f

⁸so 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

130A song of ascents.^a

¹Out of the depths I call to you, O Yahweh.

²“O Lord, hear my voice.

Let your ears be attentive

to the voice of my supplications.

³If you, O Yah,^b should keep track of^c iniquities,

O Lord, who could stand?

⁴But with you is forgiveness,

so that you may be feared.”

⁵I await Yahweh; my soul awaits,

and I wait^d for his word.

⁶My soul waits for the Lord

more than watchmen for the morning.

Yes, more than watchmen for the morning.

⁷O Israel, wait^e for Yahweh.

For with Yahweh there is loyal love,

and with him there is abundant redemption.

⁸And he will redeem Israel

from all its iniquities.

Calm Trust in Yahweh

131A song of ascents. Of David.^a

¹O 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.

²Rather I have soothed and quieted my soul,

like a weaned child with its mother,

like the weaned child is my soul with me.

³O Israel, hope in Yahweh

from now until forever.

Yahweh Dwells in Zion

132A song of ascents.^a

¹O Yahweh, remember with regard to David

all his affliction.^b

²How he swore to Yahweh,

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,

⁴I will give no sleep to my eyes,

no slumber to my eyelids,

⁵until I find a place for Yahweh,

a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

⁶Look, we heard of it in Ephrathah;

we found her in the fields of Jaar.^c

⁷Let us go to his dwelling places;^d

Let us worship at his footstool.

⁸Arise, O Yahweh, to your resting place,

you and your mighty ark.

⁹Let your priests clothe themselves with righteousness,

and let your faithful sing for joy.

¹⁰For the sake of your servant David,

do not turn away the face of your anointed one.

¹¹Yahweh 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.

¹²If your sons will heed my covenant

and my testimonies that I will teach them,

their sons also forever

will sit on your throne.”

¹³For 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.

¹⁵I will bless its provisions abundantly;

I will satisfy its poor with bread.

¹⁶I will also clothe its priests with salvation,

and its faithful will shout exuberantly for joy.

¹⁷There I will cause a horn to grow for David;

I will set a lamp for my anointed one.

¹⁸I will clothe his enemies with shame,

but on him his crown will flourish.”^f

The People of God Dwell in Unity

133A song of ascents. Of David.^a

¹Look, how good and how pleasant it is

when brothers dwell together in unity.

²It 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.

³It 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

134A song of ascents.^a

¹Look, bless Yahweh, all you the servants of Yahweh,

who serve^b in the house^c of Yahweh by night.

²Lift up your hands in the sanctuary

and bless Yahweh.

³May Yahweh bless you from Zion,

he who made heaven and earth.