Psalm 120:1-124:8

Psalm 120 1A song of ascents. I call on the LORD in my distress, and he answers me.

2Save me, LORD, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues.

3What will he do to you, and what more besides, you deceitful tongue?

4He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows, with burning coals of the broom bush.

5Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek, that I live among the tents of Kedar!

6Too long have I lived among those who hate peace. 7I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.

Psalm 121 1A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?

2My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

3He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber;

4indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

5The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

6the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

7The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; 8the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Psalm 122 1A song of ascents. Of David. I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD .”

2Our feet are standing in your gates, Jerusalem.

3Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together.

4That is where the tribes go up— the tribes of the LORD — to praise the name of the LORD according to the statute given to Israel.

5There stand the thrones for judgment, the thrones of the house of David.

6Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure.

7May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.”

8For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.” 9For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your prosperity.

Psalm 123 1A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven.

2As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he shows us his mercy.

3Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy on us, for we have endured no end of contempt. 4We have endured no end of ridicule from the arrogant, of contempt from the proud.

Psalm 124 1A song of ascents. Of David. If the LORD had not been on our side— let Israel say—

2if the LORD had not been on our side when people attacked us,

3they would have swallowed us alive when their anger flared against us;

4the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us,

5the raging waters would have swept us away.

6Praise be to the LORD, who has not let us be torn by their teeth.

7We have escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped. 8Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.