Psalm 123–126
Prayer for Relief from Contempt
A Song of Ascents.
1 Unto You aI lift up my eyes,
O You bwho dwell in the heavens.
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters,
As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
cSo our eyes look to the Lord our God,
Until He has mercy on us.
3 Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!
For we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
4 Our soul is exceedingly filled
With the scorn of those who are at ease,
With the contempt of the proud.
The Lord The Defense of His People
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
1 “If it had not been the Lord who was on our aside,”
bLet Israel now say—
2 “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,
When men rose up against us,
3 Then they would have cswallowed us alive,
When their wrath was kindled against us;
4 Then the waters would have overwhelmed us,
The stream would have 1gone over our soul;
Would have 2gone over our soul.”
Who has not given us as prey to their teeth.
7 dOur soul has escaped eas a bird from the snare of the 3fowlers;
The snare is broken, and we have escaped.
8 fOur help is in the name of the Lord,
gWho made heaven and earth.
The Lord The Strength of His People
A Song of Ascents.
Are like Mount Zion,
Which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
So the Lord surrounds His people
From this time forth and forever.
3 For athe scepter of wickedness shall not rest
On the land allotted to the righteous,
Lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity.
4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
And to those who are upright in their hearts.
5 As for such as turn aside to their bcrooked ways,
The Lord shall lead them away
With the workers of iniquity.
cPeace be upon Israel!
A Song of Ascents.
1 When athe Lord brought back 1the captivity of Zion,
bWe were like those who dream.
2 Then cour mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with singing.
Then they said among the 2nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
And we are glad.
4 Bring back our captivity, O Lord,
As the streams in the South.
5 dThose who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.
6 He who continually goes 3forth weeping,
Bearing 4seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again 5with erejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him.