Psalms 120:1--123:4

Psalm 120

A song of ascents.

120:1 In my distress I cried out

to the Lord and he answered me.

120:2 I said, “O Lord, rescue me

from those who lie with their lips

and those who deceive with their tongue.

120:3 How will he severely punish you,

you deceptive talker?

120:4 Here’s how! With the sharp arrows of warriors,

with arrowheads forged over the hot coals.

120:5 How miserable I am!

For I have lived temporarily in Meshech;

I have resided among the tents of Kedar.

120:6 For too long I have had to reside

with those who hate peace.

120:7 I am committed to peace,

but when I speak, they want to make war.

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

121:1 I look up toward the hills.

From where does my help come?

121:2 My help comes from the Lord,

the Creator of heaven and earth!

121:3 May he not allow your foot to slip!

May your protector not sleep!

121:4 Look! Israel’s protector

does not sleep or slumber!

121:5 The Lord is your protector;

the Lord is the shade at your right hand.

121:6 The sun will not harm you by day,

or the moon by night.

121:7 The Lord will protect you from all harm;

he will protect your life.

121:8 The Lord will protect you in all you do,

now and forevermore.

Psalm 122

A song of ascents, by David.

122:1 I was glad because they said to me,

“We will go to the Lord’s temple.”

122:2 Our feet are standing

inside your gates, O Jerusalem.

122:3 Jerusalem is a city designed

to accommodate an assembly.

122:4 The tribes go up there,

the tribes of the Lord,

where it is required that Israel

give thanks to the name of the Lord.

122:5 Indeed, the leaders sit there on thrones and make legal decisions,

on the thrones of the house of David.

122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

May those who love her prosper!

122:7 May there be peace inside your defenses,

and prosperity inside your fortresses!

122:8 For the sake of my brothers and my neighbors

I will say, “May there be peace in you!”

122:9 For the sake of the temple of the Lord our God

I will pray for you to prosper.

Psalm 123

A song of ascents.

123:1 I look up toward you,

the one enthroned in heaven.

123:2 Look, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master,

as the eyes of a female servant look to the hand of her mistress,

so my eyes will look to the Lord, our God, until he shows us favor.

123:3 Show us favor, O Lord, show us favor!

For we have had our fill of humiliation, and then some.

123:4 We have had our fill

of the taunts of the self-assured,

of the contempt of the proud.