Psalm 120
A Song of Ascents.
1 In my distress, I cried to the LORD.
He answered me.
2 Deliver my soul, LORD, from lying lips,
from a deceitful tongue.
3 What will be given to you, and what will be done more to you,
you deceitful tongue?
4 Sharp arrows of the mighty,
with coals of juniper.
5 Woe is me, that I live in Meshech,
that I dwell amongst the tents of Kedar!
6 My soul has had her dwelling too long
with him who hates peace.
7 I am for peace,
but when I speak, they are for war.
Psalm 121
A Song of Ascents.
1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills.
Where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not allow your foot to be moved.
He who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD is your keeper.
The LORD is your shade on your right hand.
6 The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all evil.
He will keep your soul.
8 The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in,
from this time forward, and forever more.
Psalm 122
A Song of Ascents. By David.
1 I was glad when they said to me,
“Let’s go to the LORD’s house!”
2 Our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem!
3 Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together,
4 where the tribes go up, even the LORD’s tribes,
according to an ordinance for Israel,
to give thanks to the LORD’s name.
5 For there are set thrones for judgement,
the thrones of David’s house.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Those who love you will prosper.
7 Peace be within your walls,
and prosperity within your palaces.
8 For my brothers’ and companions’ sakes,
I will now say, “Peace be within you.”
9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
I will seek your good.
Psalm 123
A Song of Ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to you,
you who sit in the heavens.
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the LORD, our God,
until he has mercy on us.
3 Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy on us,
for we have endured much contempt.
4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scoffing of those who are at ease,
with the contempt of the proud.
Psalm 124
A Song of Ascents. By David.
1 If it had not been the LORD who was on our side,
let 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 swallowed us up alive,
when their wrath was kindled against us,
4 then the waters would have overwhelmed us,
the stream would have gone over our soul.
5 Then the proud waters would have gone over our soul.
6 Blessed be the LORD,
who has not given us as a prey to their teeth.
7 Our soul has escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare.
The snare is broken, and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the LORD’s name,
who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 125
A Song of Ascents.
1 Those who trust in the LORD are as Mount Zion,
which can’t be moved, but remains forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the LORD surrounds his people from this time forward and forever more.
3 For the sceptre of wickedness won’t remain over the allotment of the righteous,
so that the righteous won’t use their hands to do evil.
4 Do good, LORD, to those who are good,
to those who are upright in their hearts.
5 But as for those who turn away to their crooked ways,
the LORD will lead them away with the workers of iniquity.
Peace be on Israel.
Psalm 126
A Song of Ascents.
1 When the LORD brought back those who returned to Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with singing.
Then they said amongst the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
3 The LORD has done great things for us,
and we are glad.
4 Restore our fortunes again, LORD,
like the streams in the Negev.
5 Those who sow in tears will reap in joy.
6 He who goes out weeping, carrying seed for sowing,
will certainly come again with joy, carrying his sheaves.
Psalm 127
A Song of Ascents. By Solomon.
1 Unless the LORD builds the house,
they who build it labour in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchman guards it in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early,
to stay up late,
eating the bread of toil,
for he gives sleep to his loved ones.
3 Behold, children are a heritage of the LORD.
The fruit of the womb is his reward.
4 As arrows in the hand of a mighty man,
so are the children of youth.
5 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.
They won’t be disappointed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.
Psalm 128
A Song of Ascents.
1 Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,
who walks in his ways.
2 For you will eat the labour of your hands.
You will be happy, and it will be well with you.
3 Your