Psalm 120–122

PSALM 120

A Song of Ascents.

¹In my distress I cry to the Lord,

that he may answer me:

²“Deliver me, O Lord,

from lying lips,

from a deceitful tongue.”

³What shall be given to you?

And what more shall be done to you,

you deceitful tongue?

⁴A warrior’s sharp arrows,

with glowing coals of the broom tree!

⁵Woe is me, that I sojourn in Meshech,

that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!

⁶Too long have I had my dwelling

among those who hate peace.

⁷I am for peace;

but when I speak,

they are for war!

PSALM 121

A Song of Ascents.

¹I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From whence does my help come?

²My help comes from the Lord,

who made heaven and earth.

³He will not let your foot be moved,

he who keeps you will not slumber.

⁴Behold, he who keeps Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵The Lord is your keeper;

the Lord is your shade

on your right hand.

⁶The sun shall not smite you by day,

nor the moon by night.

⁷The Lord will keep you from all evil;

he will keep your life.

⁸The Lord will keep

your going out and your coming in

from this time forth and for evermore.

PSALM 122

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

¹I was glad when they said to me,

“Let us go to the house of the Lord!”

²Our feet have been standing

within your gates, O Jerusalem!

³Jerusalem, built as a city

which is bound firmly together,

⁴to which the tribes go up,

the tribes of the Lord,

as was decreed for Israel,

to give thanks to the name of the Lord.

⁵There thrones for judgment were set,

the thrones of the house of David.

⁶Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

“May they prosper who love you!

⁷Peace be within your walls,

and security within your towers!”

⁸For my brethren and companions’ sake

I will say, “Peace be within you!”

⁹For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,

I will seek your good.