Psalm 123–125

Psalm 123

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

¹I look up and pray to you.

Your throne is in heaven.

²Slaves depend on their masters.

Maids depend on the women they work for.

In the same way, we depend on the Lord our God.

We wait for him to show us his favor.

³Lord, show us your favor. Show us your favor,

because people have made so much fun of us.

⁴We have had to put up with a lot from those who are proud.

They were always laughing at us.

Psalm 124

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

¹Here is what Israel should say.

Suppose the Lord had not been on our side.

²Suppose the Lord had not been on our side

when our enemies attacked us.

³Suppose he had not been on our side

when their anger blazed out against us.

Then they would have swallowed us alive.

⁴They would have been like a flood that drowned us.

They would have swept over us like a rushing river.

⁵They would have washed us away

like a swollen stream.

⁶Give praise to the Lord.

He has not let our enemies chew us up.

⁷We have escaped like a bird

from a hunter’s trap.

The trap has been broken,

and we have escaped.

⁸Our help comes from the Lord.

He is the Maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 125

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

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

They will always be secure. They will last forever.

²Like the mountains around Jerusalem,

the Lord is all around his people

both now and forever.

³Evil people will not always rule

the land the Lord gave to those who do right.

If they did, those who do right

might do what is evil.

⁴Lord, do good to those who are good.

Do good to those whose hearts are honest.

⁵But what about those who have taken paths that are crooked?

The Lord will drive them out, along with those who do what is evil.

May Israel enjoy peace.