Psalm 123–125

A Pilgrim Song

^1–4123I look to you, heaven-dwelling God,

look up to you for help.

Like servants, alert to their master’s commands,

like a maiden attending her lady,

We’re watching and waiting, holding our breath,

awaiting your word of mercy.

Mercy, God, mercy!

We’ve been kicked around long enough,

Kicked in the teeth by complacent rich men,

kicked when we’re down by arrogant brutes.

A Pilgrim Song of David

^1–5124If God hadn’t been for us

—all together now, Israel, sing out!—

If God hadn’t been for us

when everyone went against us,

We would have been swallowed alive

by their violent anger,

Swept away by the flood of rage,

drowned in the torrent;

We would have lost our lives

in the wild, raging water.

⁶Oh, blessed be God!

He didn’t go off and leave us.

He didn’t abandon us defenseless,

helpless as a rabbit in a pack of snarling dogs.

⁷We’ve flown free from their fangs,

free of their traps, free as a bird.

Their grip is broken;

we’re free as a bird in flight.

⁸God’s strong name is our help,

the same God who made heaven and earth.

A Pilgrim Song

^1–5125Those who trust in God

are like Zion Mountain:

Nothing can move it, a rock-solid mountain

you can always depend on.

Mountains encircle Jerusalem,

and God encircles his people—

always has and always will.

The fist of the wicked

will never violate

What is due the righteous,

provoking wrongful violence.

Be good to your good people, God,

to those whose hearts are right!

God will round up the backsliders,

corral them with the incorrigibles.

Peace over Israel!