Psalm 120–122

Psalm 120

A song for those who go up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord.

¹I call out to the Lord when I’m in trouble,

and he answers me.

²Lord, save me from people whose lips tell lies.

Save me from people whose tongues don’t tell the truth.

³What will the Lord do to you, you lying tongue?

And what more will he do?

⁴He will punish you with the sharp arrows of a soldier.

He will punish you with burning wood from a desert tree.

⁵How terrible it is for me to live in the tents of the people of Meshech!

How terrible to live in the tents of the people of Kedar!

⁶I have lived too long

among those who hate peace.

⁷I want peace.

But when I speak, they want war.

Psalm 121

A song for those who go up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord.

¹I look up to the hills.

Where does my help come from?

²My help comes from the Lord.

He is the Maker of heaven and earth.

³He won’t let your foot slip.

He who watches over you won’t get tired.

⁴In fact, he who watches over Israel

won’t get tired or go to sleep.

⁵The Lord watches over you.

The Lord is like a shade tree at your right hand.

⁶The sun won’t harm you during the day.

The moon won’t harm you during the night.

⁷The Lord will keep you from every kind of harm.

He will watch over your life.

⁸The Lord will watch over your life no matter where you go,

both now and forever.

Psalm 122

A song for those who go up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord. A psalm of David.

¹I was very glad when they said to me,

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

²Jerusalem, our feet are standing

inside your gates.

³Jerusalem is built like a city

where everything is close together.

⁴The tribes of the Lord go there to praise his name.

They do it in keeping with the law he gave to Israel.

⁵The thrones of the family line of David are there.

That’s where the people are judged.

⁶Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Say,

“May those who love you be secure.

⁷May there be peace inside your walls.

May your people be kept safe.”

⁸I’m concerned for my family and friends.

So I say to Jerusalem, “May you enjoy peace.”

⁹I’m concerned about the house of the Lord our God.

So I pray that things will go well with Jerusalem.