Praise for Rescue from Enemies.

A Song of Ascents, of David.

124 (A)Had it not been the Lord who was on our side,”
(B)Let Israel say,
“Had it not been the Lord who was on our side
When people rose up against us,
Then they would have (C)swallowed us alive,
When their (D)anger was kindled against us;
Then the (E)waters would have flooded over us,
The stream would have [a]swept over our souls;
Then the (F)raging waters would have [b]swept over our souls.”

Blessed be the Lord,
Who has not given us [c]to be (G)torn by their teeth.
Our souls have (H)escaped (I)like a bird from the trapper’s (J)snare;
The snare is broken and we have escaped.
Our (K)help is in the name of the Lord,
Who (L)made heaven and earth.

The Lord Surrounds His People.

A Song of Ascents.

125 Those who trust in the Lord
Are like Mount Zion, which (M)cannot be moved but (N)remains forever.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
So (O)the Lord surrounds His people
(P)From this time and forever.
For the (Q)scepter of wickedness will not rest upon the [d]land of the righteous,
So that the righteous (R)will not extend their hands to do wrong.

(S)Do good, Lord, to those who are good
And to those who are (T)upright in their hearts.
But as for those who (U)turn aside to their (V)crooked ways,
The Lord will lead them away with those who (W)practice injustice.
(X)Peace be upon Israel.

Thanksgiving for Return from Captivity.

A Song of Ascents.

126 When the Lord (Y)brought back [e]the captives of Zion,
We were (Z)like those who dream.
Then our (AA)mouth was filled with laughter
And our (AB)tongue with joyful shouting;
Then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has (AC)done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us;
We are (AD)joyful.

Restore our fortunes, Lord,
As the [f](AE)streams in the [g]South.
Those who sow in (AF)tears shall harvest with (AG)joyful shouting.
One who goes here and there weeping, carrying his bag of seed,
Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

Prosperity Comes from the Lord.

A Song of Ascents, of Solomon.

127 Unless the Lord (AH)builds a house,
They who build it labor in vain;
Unless the Lord (AI)guards a city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
It is futile for you to rise up early,
To [h]stay up late,
To (AJ)eat the bread of painful labor;
This is how He gives to His (AK)beloved (AL)sleep.

Behold, (AM)children are a [i]gift of the Lord,
The (AN)fruit of the womb is a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a (AO)warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
(AP)Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them;
(AQ)They will not be ashamed
When they (AR)speak with their enemies (AS)in the gate.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 124:4 Or passed over
  2. Psalm 124:5 Or passed over
  3. Psalm 124:6 Lit as a prey to
  4. Psalm 125:3 Lit lot
  5. Psalm 126:1 Or those who returned to
  6. Psalm 126:4 Lit stream-beds
  7. Psalm 126:4 Heb Negev
  8. Psalm 127:2 Lit sit late
  9. Psalm 127:3 Or heritage

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