NAS - Psalms 120 to 132

Psalm 120

Prayer for Deliverance from the Treacherous.

Song of Ascents.

¹In my trouble I cried to the LORD, And He answered me. ²Deliver my soul, 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? ⁴ Sharp arrows of the warrior, With the burning coals of the broom tree.

⁵Woe is me, for I sojourn in Meshech, For I dwell among the tents of Kedar! ⁶Too long has my soul had its dwelling With those who hate peace. ⁷I am for peace, but when I speak, They are for war.

Psalm 121

The LORD the Keeper of Israel.

Song of Ascents.

¹I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come? ²My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. ³He will not allow your foot to slip; 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 will not smite you by day, Nor the moon by night. ⁷The LORD will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. ⁸ The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in From this time forth and forever.

Psalm 122

Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem.

Song of Ascents, of David.

¹I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD." ²Our feet are standing Within your gates, O Jerusalem, ³Jerusalem, that is built As a city that is compact together; ⁴ To which the tribes go up, even the tribes of the LORD-- An ordinance for Israel-- To give thanks to the name of the LORD. ⁵For there thrones were set for judgment, The thrones of the house of David.

⁶Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you. ⁷"May peace be within your walls, And prosperity within your palaces." ⁸For the sake of my brothers and my friends, I will now say, "May peace be within you." ⁹ For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good.

Psalm 123

Prayer for the LORD'S Help.

Song of Ascents.

¹To You I lift up my eyes, O You who are enthroned in the heavens! ²Behold, 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 is gracious to us.

³Be gracious to us, O LORD, be gracious to us, For we are greatly filled with contempt. ⁴ Our soul is greatly filled With the scoffing of those who are at ease, And with the contempt of the proud.

Psalm 124

Praise for Rescue from Enemies.

Song of Ascents, of David.

¹"Had it not been the LORD who was on our side," Let Israel now say, ²"Had it not been the LORD who was on our side When men rose up against us, ³Then they would have swallowed us alive, When their anger was kindled against us; ⁴ Then the waters would have engulfed us, The stream would have swept over our soul; ⁵ Then the raging waters would have swept over our soul."

⁶Blessed be the LORD, Who has not given us to be torn by their teeth. ⁷Our soul has escaped as a bird out of the snare of the trapper; The snare is broken and we have escaped. ⁸ Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 125

The LORD Surrounds His People.

Song of Ascents.

¹Those who trust in the LORD Are as 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. ³For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest upon the land of the righteous, So that the righteous will not put forth their hands to do wrong.

⁴Do good, O LORD, to those who are good And to those who are upright in their hearts. ⁵ But as for those who turn aside to their crooked ways, The LORD will lead them away with the doers of iniquity. Peace be upon Israel.

Psalm 126

Thanksgiving for Return from Captivity.

Song of Ascents.

¹When the LORD brought back the captive ones of Zion, We were like those who dream. ² Then our mouth was filled with laughter And our tongue with joyful shouting; Then they said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." ³The LORD has done great things for us; We are glad.

⁴Restore our captivity, O LORD, As the streams in the South. ⁵Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. ⁶ He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

Psalm 127

Prosperity Comes from the LORD.

Song of Ascents, of Solomon.

¹Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain. ² It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.

³Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. ⁴ Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. ⁵ How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They will not be ashamed When they speak with their enemies in the gate.

Psalm 128

Blessedness of the Fear of the LORD.

Song of Ascents.

¹How blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, Who walks in His ways. ²When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands, You will be happy and it will be well with you. ³ Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine Within your house, Your children like olive plants Around your table. ⁴ Behold, for thus shall the man be blessed Who fears the LORD.

⁵The LORD bless you from Zion, And may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life. ⁶ Indeed, may you see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel!

Psalm 129

Prayer for the Overthrow of Zion's Enemies.

Song of Ascents.

¹"Many times they have persecuted me from my youth up," Let Israel now say, ² "Many times they have persecuted me from my youth up; Yet they have not prevailed against me. ³ "The plowers plowed upon my back; They lengthened their furrows." ⁴ The LORD is righteous; He has cut in two the cords of the wicked.

⁵May all who hate Zion Be put to shame and turned backward; ⁶Let them be like grass upon the housetops, Which withers before it grows up; ⁷With which the reaper does not fill his hand, Or the binder of sheaves his bosom; ⁸ Nor do those who pass by say, "The blessing of the LORD be upon you; We bless you in the name of the LORD."

Psalm 130

Hope in the LORD'S Forgiving Love.

Song of Ascents.

¹Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD. ² Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive To the voice of my supplications. ³ If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? ⁴But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.

⁵I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, And in His word do I hope. ⁶My soul waits for the Lord More than the watchmen for the morning; Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning. ⁷ O Israel, hope in the LORD; For with the LORD there is lovingkindness, And with Him is abundant redemption. ⁸And He will redeem Israel From all his iniquities.

Psalm 131

Childlike Trust in the LORD.

Song of Ascents, of David.

¹O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; Nor do I involve myself in great matters, Or in things too difficult for me. ² Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; Like a weaned child rests against his mother, My soul is like a weaned child within me. ³ O Israel, hope in the LORD From this time forth and forever.

Psalm 132

Prayer for the LORD'S Blessing upon the Sanctuary.

Song of Ascents.

¹Remember, O LORD, on David's behalf, All his affliction; ²How he swore to the LORD And vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob, ³ "Surely I will not enter my house, Nor lie on my bed; ⁴I will not give sleep to my eyes Or slumber to my eyelids, ⁵Until I find a place for the LORD, A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob."

⁶Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah, We found it in the field of Jaar. ⁷Let us go into His dwelling place; Let us worship at His footstool. ⁸Arise, O LORD, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength. ⁹ Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, And let Your godly ones sing for joy.

¹⁰For the sake of David Your servant, Do not turn away the face of Your anointed. ¹¹ The LORD has sworn to David A truth from which He will not turn back: "Of the fruit of your body I will set upon your throne. ¹² "If your sons will keep My covenant And My testimony which I will teach them, Their sons also shall sit upon your throne forever."

¹³For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation. ¹⁴"This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it. ¹⁵ "I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her needy with bread. ¹⁶ "Her priests also I will clothe with salvation, And her godly ones will sing aloud for joy. ¹⁷ "There I will cause the horn of David to spring forth; I have prepared a lamp for Mine anointed. ¹⁸ "His enemies I will clothe with shame, But upon himself his crown shall shine."