have become like a water-skin dried in smoke,
I have not neglected Your laws.
84How long has Your servant to live?
when will You bring my persecutors to judgment?
85The insolent have dug pits for me,
flouting Your teaching.
86All Your commandments are enduring;
I am persecuted without cause; help me!
87Though they almost wiped me off the earth,
I did not abandon Your precepts.
88As befits Your steadfast love, preserve me,
so that I may keep the decree You proclaimed.
89The LORD exists forever;
Your word stands firm in heaven.
90Your faithfulness is for all generations;
You have established the earth, and it stands.
91They stand this day to [carry out] Your rulings,
for all are Your servants.
92Were not Your teaching my delight
I would have perished in my affliction.
93I will never neglect Your precepts,
for You have preserved my life through them.
94I am Yours; save me!
For I have turned to Your precepts.
95The wicked hope to destroy me,
but I ponder Your decrees.
96I have seen that all things have their limit,
but Your commandment is broad beyond measure.
97O how I love Your teaching!
It is my study all day long.
98Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies;
they always stand by me.
99I have gained more insight than all my teachers,
for Your decrees are my study.
100I have gained more understanding than my elders,
for I observe Your precepts.
101I have avoided every evil way
so that I may keep Your word.
102I have not departed from Your rules,
for You have instructed me.
103How pleasing is Your word to my palate,
sweeter than honey.
104I ponder Your precepts;
therefore I hate every false way.
105Your word is a lamp to my feet,
a light for my path.
106I have firmly sworn
to keep Your just rules.
107I am very much afflicted;
O LORD, preserve me in accordance with Your word.
108Accept, O LORD, my freewill offerings;
teach me Your rules.
109Though my life is always in danger,
I do not neglect Your teaching.
110Though the wicked have set a trap for me,
I have not strayed from Your precepts.
111Your decrees are my eternal heritage;
they are my heart’s delight.
112I am resolved to follow Your laws
a-to the utmost-a forever.
113I hate men of divided heart,
but I love Your teaching.
114You are my protection and my shield;
I hope for Your word.
115Keep away from me, you evildoers,
that I may observe the commandments of my God.
116Support me as You promised, so that I may live;
do not thwart my expectation.
117Sustain me that I may be saved,
and I will always muse upon Your laws.
118You reject all who stray from Your laws,
for they are false and deceitful.
119You do away with the wicked as if they were dross;
rightly do I love Your decrees.
120My flesh creeps from fear of You;
I am in awe of Your rulings.
121I have done what is just and right;
do not abandon me to those who would wrong me.
122Guarantee Your servant’s well-being;
do not let the arrogant wrong me.
123My eyes pine away for Your deliverance,
for Your promise of victory.
124Deal with Your servant as befits Your steadfast love;
teach me Your laws.
125I am Your servant;
give me understanding,
that I might know Your decrees.
126It is a time to act for the LORD,
for they have violated Your teaching.
127Rightly do I love Your commandments
more than gold, even fine gold.
128Truly c-by all [Your] precepts I walk straight;-c
I hate every false way.
129Your decrees are wondrous;
rightly do I observe them.
130d-The words You inscribed give-d light,
and grant understanding to the simple.
131I open my mouth wide, I pant,
longing for Your commandments.
132Turn to me and be gracious to me,
as is Your rule with those who love Your name.
133Make my feet firm through Your promise;
do not let iniquity dominate me.
134Redeem me from being wronged by man,
that I may keep Your precepts.
135Show favor to Your servant,
and teach me Your laws.
136My eyes shed streams of water
because men do not obey Your teaching.
137You are righteous, O LORD;
Your rulings are just.
138You have ordained righteous decrees;
they are firmly enduring.
139I am consumed with rage
over my foes’ neglect of Your words.
140Your word is exceedingly pure,
and Your servant loves it.
141Though I am belittled and despised,
I have not neglected Your precepts.
142Your righteousness is eternal;
Your teaching is true.
143Though anguish and distress come upon me,
Your commandments are my delight.
144Your righteous decrees are eternal;
give me understanding, that I might live.
145I call with all my heart;
answer me, O LORD,
that I may observe Your laws.
146I call upon You; save me,
that I may keep Your decrees.
147I rise before dawn and cry for help;
I hope for Your word.
148My eyes greet each watch of the night,
as I meditate on Your promise.
149Hear my voice as befits Your steadfast love;
O LORD, preserve me, as is Your rule.
150Those who pursue intrigue draw near;
they are far from Your teaching.
151You, O LORD, are near,
and all Your commandments are true.
152I know from Your decrees of old
that You have established them forever.
153See my affliction and rescue me,
for I have not neglected Your teaching.
154Champion my cause and redeem me;
preserve me according to Your promise.
155Deliverance is far from the wicked,
for they have not turned to Your laws.
156Your mercies are great, O LORD;
as is Your rule, preserve me.
157Many are my persecutors and foes;
I have not swerved from Your decrees.
158I have seen traitors and loathede them,
because they did not keep Your word in mind.
159See that I have loved Your precepts;
O LORD, preserve me, as befits Your steadfast love.
160Truth is the essence of Your word;
Your just rules are eternal.
161Princes have persecuted me without reason;
my heart thrills at Your word.
162I rejoice over Your promise
as one who obtains great spoil.
163I hate and abhor falsehood;
I love Your teaching.
164I praise You seven times each day
for Your just rules.
165Those who love Your teaching enjoy well-being;
they encounter no adversity.
166I hope for Your deliverance, O LORD;
I observe Your commandments.
167I obey Your decrees
and love them greatly.
168I obey Your precepts and decrees;
all my ways are before You.
169May my plea reach You, O LORD;
grant me understanding according to Your word.
170May my petition come before You;
save me in accordance with Your promise.
171My lips shall pour forth praise,
for You teach me Your laws.
172My tongue shall declare Your promise,
for all Your commandments are just.
173Lend Your hand to help me,
for I have chosen Your precepts.
174I have longed for Your deliverance, O LORD;
Your teaching is my delight.
175Let me live, that I may praise You;
may Your rules be my help;
176I have strayed like a lost sheep;
search for Your servant,
for I have not neglected Your commandments.
120 A song of ascents.a
In my distress I called to the LORD
and He answered me.
2O LORD, save me from treacherous lips,
from a deceitful tongue!
3What can you profit,
what can you gain,
O deceitful tongue?
4A warrior’s sharp arrows,
with hot coals of broom-wood.
5Woe is me, that I live with Meshech,
that I dwell among the clans of Kedar.
6Too long have I dwelt with those who hate peace.
7I am all peace;
but when I speak,
they are for war.
121 A song for ascents.
I turn my eyes to the mountains;
from where will my help come?
2My help comes from the LORD,
maker of heaven and earth.
3He will not let your foot give way;
your guardian will not slumber;
4See, the guardian of Israel
neither slumbers nor sleeps!
5The LORD is your guardian,
the LORD is your protection
at your right hand.
6By day the sun will not strike you,
nor the moon by night.
7The LORD will guard you from all harm;
He will guard your life.
8The LORD will guard your going and coming
now and forever.
122 A song of ascents. Of David.
I rejoiced when they said to me,
“We are going to the House of the LORD.”
2Our feet stood inside your gates, O Jerusalem,
3Jerusalem built up, a city knit together,
4to which tribes would make pilgrimage,
the tribes of the LORD,
—as was enjoined upon Israel—
to praise the name of the LORD.
5There the thrones of judgment stood,
thrones of the house of David.
6Pray for the well-being of Jerusalem;
“May those who love you be at peace.
7May there be well-being within your ramparts,
peace in your citadels.”
8For the sake of my kin and friends,
I pray for your well-being;
9for the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
I seek your good.
123 A song of ascents.
To You, enthroned in heaven,
I turn my eyes.
2As the eyes of slaves follow their master’s hand,
as the eyes of a slave-girl follow the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes are toward the LORD our God,
awaiting His favor.
3Show us favor, O LORD,
show us favor!
We have had more than enough of contempt.
4Long enough have we endured
the scorn of the complacent,
the contempt of the haughty.
124 A song of ascents. Of David.
Were it not for the LORD, who was on our side,
let Israel now declare,
2were it not for the LORD, who was on our side
when men assailed us,
3they would have swallowed us alive
in their burning rage against us;
4the waters would have carried us off,
the torrent would have swept over us;
5over us would have swept
the seething waters.
6Blessed is the LORD, who did not let us
be ripped apart by their teeth.
7We are like a bird escaped from the fowler’s trap;
the trap broke and we escaped.
8Our help is the name of the LORD,
maker of heaven and earth.
125 A song of ascents.
Those who trust in the LORD
are like Mount Zion
that cannot be moved,
enduring forever.
2Jerusalem, hills enfold it,
and the LORD enfolds His people
now and forever.
3a-The scepter of the wicked shall never rest
upon the land allotted to the righteous,
that the righteous not set their hand to wrongdoing.-a
4Do good, O LORD, to the good,
to the upright in heart.
5a-But those who in their crookedness act corruptly,-a
let the LORD make them go the way of evildoers.
May it be well with Israel!
126 A song of ascents.
When the LORD restores the fortunes of Zion
—a-we see it as in a dream-a—
2our mouths shall be filled with laughter,
our tongues, with songs of joy.
Then shall they say among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them!”
3The LORD will do great things for us
and we shall rejoice.
4Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like watercourses in the Negeb.
5They who sow in tears
shall reap with songs of joy.
6Though he goes along weeping,
carrying the seed-bag,
he shall come back with songs of joy,
carrying his sheaves.
127 A song of ascents. Of Solomon.
Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders