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Psalm 120-132
New King James Version
Psalm 120-132
New King James Version
Plea for Relief from Bitter Foes
A Song of Ascents.
120 In (A)my distress I cried to the Lord,
And He heard me.
2 Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips
And from a deceitful tongue.
3 What shall be given to you,
Or what shall be done to you,
You false tongue?
4 Sharp arrows of the [a]warrior,
With coals of the broom tree!
5 Woe is me, that I dwell in (B)Meshech,
(C)That I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
6 My soul has dwelt too long
With one who hates peace.
7 I am for peace;
But when I speak, they are for war.
God the Help of Those Who Seek Him
A Song of Ascents.
121 I (D)will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
2 (E)My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
3 (F)He will not allow your foot to [b]be moved;
(G)He who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your [c]keeper;
The Lord is (H)your shade (I)at your right hand.
6 (J)The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord shall [d]preserve you from all evil;
He shall (K)preserve your soul.
8 The Lord shall (L)preserve[e] your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.
The Joy of Going to the House of the Lord
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
122 I was glad when they said to me,
(M)“Let us go into the house of the Lord.”
2 Our feet have been standing
Within your gates, O Jerusalem!
3 Jerusalem is built
As a city that is (N)compact together,
4 (O)Where the tribes go up,
The tribes of the Lord,
[f]To (P)the Testimony of Israel,
To give thanks to the name of the Lord.
5 (Q)For thrones are set there for judgment,
The thrones of the house of David.
6 (R)Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you.
7 Peace be within your walls,
Prosperity within your palaces.”
8 For the sake of my brethren and companions,
I will now say, “Peace be within you.”
9 Because of the house of the Lord our God
I will (S)seek your good.
Prayer for Relief from Contempt
A Song of Ascents.
123 Unto You (T)I lift up my eyes,
O You (U)who dwell in the heavens.
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters,
As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
(V)So our eyes look to the Lord our God,
Until He has mercy on us.
3 Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!
For we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
4 Our soul is exceedingly filled
With the scorn of those who are at ease,
With the contempt of the proud.
The Lord the Defense of His People
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
124 “If it had not been the Lord who was on our (W)side,”
(X)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 (Y)swallowed us alive,
When their wrath was kindled against us;
4 Then the waters would have overwhelmed us,
The stream would have [g]gone over our soul;
5 Then the swollen waters
Would have [h]gone over our soul.”
6 Blessed be the Lord,
Who has not given us as prey to their teeth.
7 (Z)Our soul has escaped (AA)as a bird from the snare of the [i]fowlers;
The snare is broken, and we have escaped.
8 (AB)Our help is in the name of the Lord,
(AC)Who made heaven and earth.
The Lord the Strength of His People
A Song of Ascents.
125 Those who trust in the Lord
Are like 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.
3 For (AD)the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
On the land allotted to the righteous,
Lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity.
4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
And to those who are upright in their hearts.
5 As for such as turn aside to their (AE)crooked ways,
The Lord shall lead them away
With the workers of iniquity.
(AF)Peace be upon Israel!
A Joyful Return to Zion
A Song of Ascents.
126 When (AG)the Lord brought back [j]the captivity of Zion,
(AH)We were like those who dream.
2 Then (AI)our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with singing.
Then they said among the [k]nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
And we are glad.
4 Bring back our captivity, O Lord,
As the streams in the South.
5 (AJ)Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.
6 He who continually goes [l]forth weeping,
Bearing [m]seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again [n]with (AK)rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him.
Laboring and Prospering with the Lord
A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.
127 Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless (AL)the Lord guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late,
To (AM)eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.
3 Behold, (AN)children are a heritage from the Lord,
(AO)The fruit of the womb is a (AP)reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
5 (AQ)Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;
(AR)They shall not be ashamed,
But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.
Blessings of Those Who Fear the Lord
A Song of Ascents.
128 Blessed (AS)is every one who fears the Lord,
Who walks in His ways.
2 (AT)When you eat the [o]labor of your hands,
You shall be happy, and it shall be (AU)well with you.
3 Your wife shall be (AV)like a fruitful vine
In the very heart of your house,
Your (AW)children (AX)like olive plants
All around your table.
4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
Who fears the Lord.
5 (AY)The Lord bless you out of Zion,
And may you see the good of Jerusalem
All the days of your life.
6 Yes, may you (AZ)see your children’s children.
(BA)Peace be upon Israel!
Song of Victory over Zion’s Enemies
A Song of Ascents.
129 “Many a time they have (BB)afflicted[p] me from (BC)my youth,”
(BD)Let Israel now say—
2 “Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth;
Yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 The plowers plowed on my back;
They made their furrows long.”
4 The Lord is righteous;
He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked.
5 Let all those who hate Zion
Be put to shame and turned back.
6 Let them be as the (BE)grass on the housetops,
Which withers before it grows up,
7 With which the reaper does not fill his hand,
Nor he who binds sheaves, his [q]arms.
8 Neither let those who pass by them say,
(BF)“The blessing of the Lord be upon you;
We bless you in the name of the Lord!”
Waiting for the Redemption of the Lord
A Song of Ascents.
130 Out (BG)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 (BH)If You, Lord, should [r]mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could (BI)stand?
4 But there is (BJ)forgiveness with You,
That (BK)You may be feared.
5 (BL)I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
And (BM)in His word I do hope.
6 (BN)My soul waits for the Lord
More than those who watch for the morning—
Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.
7 (BO)O Israel, hope in the Lord;
For (BP)with the Lord there is mercy,
And with Him is abundant redemption.
8 And (BQ)He shall redeem Israel
From all his iniquities.
Simple Trust in the Lord
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
131 Lord, my heart is not [s]haughty,
Nor my eyes [t]lofty.
(BR)Neither do I [u]concern myself with great matters,
Nor with things too [v]profound for me.
2 Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul,
(BS)Like a weaned child with his mother;
Like a weaned child is my soul within me.
3 (BT)O Israel, hope in the Lord
From this time forth and forever.
The Eternal Dwelling of God in Zion
A Song of Ascents.
132 Lord, remember David
And all his afflictions;
2 How he swore to the Lord,
(BU)And vowed to (BV)the Mighty One of Jacob:
3 “Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house,
Or go up to the comfort of my bed;
4 I will (BW)not give sleep to my eyes
Or slumber to my eyelids,
5 Until I (BX)find a place for the Lord,
A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 Behold, we heard of it (BY)in Ephrathah;
(BZ)We found it (CA)in the fields of [w]the woods.
7 Let us go into His tabernacle;
(CB)Let us worship at His footstool.
8 (CC)Arise, O Lord, to Your resting place,
You and (CD)the ark of Your strength.
9 Let Your priests (CE)be clothed with righteousness,
And let Your saints shout for joy.
10 For Your servant David’s sake,
Do not turn away the face of Your [x]Anointed.
11 (CF)The Lord has sworn in truth to David;
He will not turn from it:
“I will set upon your throne (CG)the [y]fruit of your body.
12 If your sons will keep My covenant
And My testimony which I shall teach them,
Their sons also shall sit upon your throne forevermore.”
13 (CH)For the Lord has chosen Zion;
He has desired it for His [z]dwelling place:
14 “This(CI) is My resting place forever;
Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
15 (CJ)I will abundantly bless her [aa]provision;
I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16 (CK)I will also clothe her priests with salvation,
(CL)And her saints shall shout aloud for joy.
17 (CM)There I will make the [ab]horn of David grow;
(CN)I will prepare a lamp for My [ac]Anointed.
18 His enemies I will (CO)clothe with shame,
But upon Himself His crown shall flourish.”
Footnotes
- Psalm 120:4 mighty one
- Psalm 121:3 slip
- Psalm 121:5 protector
- Psalm 121:7 keep
- Psalm 121:8 keep
- Psalm 122:4 Or As a testimony to
- Psalm 124:4 swept over
- Psalm 124:5 swept over
- Psalm 124:7 Persons who catch birds in a trap or snare
- Psalm 126:1 Those of the captivity
- Psalm 126:2 Gentiles
- Psalm 126:6 to and fro
- Psalm 126:6 Lit. a bag of seed for sowing
- Psalm 126:6 with shouts of joy
- Psalm 128:2 Fruit of the labor
- Psalm 129:1 persecuted
- Psalm 129:7 armsful, lit. bosom
- Psalm 130:3 take note of
- Psalm 131:1 Proud
- Psalm 131:1 Arrogant
- Psalm 131:1 Lit. walk in
- Psalm 131:1 difficult
- Psalm 132:6 Heb. Jaar, lit. Woods
- Psalm 132:10 Commissioned One, Heb. Messiah
- Psalm 132:11 offspring
- Psalm 132:13 home
- Psalm 132:15 supply of food
- Psalm 132:17 Government
- Psalm 132:17 Heb. Messiah
Psalm 120-132
New International Version
Psalm 120-132
New International Version
Psalm 120
A song of ascents.
1 I call on the Lord(A) in my distress,(B)
and he answers me.
2 Save me, Lord,
from lying lips(C)
and from deceitful tongues.(D)
3 What will he do to you,
and what more besides,
you deceitful tongue?
4 He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows,(E)
with burning coals of the broom bush.
5 Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek,
that I live among the tents of Kedar!(F)
6 Too long have I lived
among those who hate peace.
7 I am for peace;
but when I speak, they are for war.
Psalm 121
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven(G) and earth.(H)
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches(I) over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord watches over(J) you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun(K) will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm(L)—
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.(M)
Psalm 122
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 I rejoiced with those who said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
2 Our feet are standing
in your gates, Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem is built like a city
that is closely compacted together.
4 That 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.
5 There stand the thrones for judgment,
the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May those who love(N) you be secure.
7 May there be peace(O) within your walls
and security within your citadels.(P)”
8 For the sake of my family and friends,
I will say, “Peace be within you.”
9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek your prosperity.(Q)
Psalm 123
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to you,
to you who sit enthroned(R) in heaven.
2 As 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(S) our God,
till he shows us his mercy.
3 Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us,
for we have endured no end of contempt.
4 We have endured no end
of ridicule from the arrogant,
of contempt from the proud.
Psalm 124
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 If the Lord had not been on our side—
let Israel say(T)—
2 if the Lord had not been on our side
when people attacked us,
3 they would have swallowed us alive
when their anger flared against us;
4 the flood(U) would have engulfed us,
the torrent(V) would have swept over us,
5 the raging waters
would have swept us away.
6 Praise be to the Lord,
who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
7 We have escaped like a bird
from the fowler’s snare;(W)
the snare has been broken,(X)
and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name(Y) of the Lord,
the Maker of heaven(Z) and earth.
Psalm 125
A song of ascents.
1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,(AA)
which cannot be shaken(AB) but endures forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,(AC)
so the Lord surrounds(AD) his people
both now and forevermore.
3 The scepter(AE) of the wicked will not remain(AF)
over the land allotted to the righteous,
for then the righteous might use
their hands to do evil.(AG)
4 Lord, do good(AH) to those who are good,
to those who are upright in heart.(AI)
5 But those who turn(AJ) to crooked ways(AK)
the Lord will banish(AL) with the evildoers.
Peace be on Israel.(AM)
Psalm 126
A song of ascents.
1 When the Lord restored(AN) the fortunes of[a] Zion,
we were like those who dreamed.[b]
2 Our mouths were filled with laughter,(AO)
our tongues with songs of joy.(AP)
Then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things(AQ) for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things(AR) for us,
and we are filled with joy.(AS)
4 Restore our fortunes,[c](AT) Lord,
like streams in the Negev.(AU)
5 Those who sow with tears(AV)
will reap(AW) with songs of joy.(AX)
6 Those who go out weeping,(AY)
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with them.
Psalm 127
A song of ascents. Of Solomon.
1 Unless the Lord builds(AZ) the house,
the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches(BA) over the city,
the guards stand watch in vain.
2 In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food(BB) to eat—
for he grants sleep(BC) to[d] those he loves.(BD)
3 Children are a heritage from the Lord,
offspring a reward(BE) from him.
4 Like arrows(BF) in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.(BG)
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their opponents(BH) in court.(BI)
Psalm 128
A song of ascents.
1 Blessed are all who fear the Lord,(BJ)
who walk in obedience to him.(BK)
2 You will eat the fruit of your labor;(BL)
blessings and prosperity(BM) will be yours.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine(BN)
within your house;
your children(BO) will be like olive shoots(BP)
around your table.
4 Yes, this will be the blessing(BQ)
for the man who fears the Lord.(BR)
5 May the Lord bless you from Zion;(BS)
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem(BT)
all the days of your life.
6 May you live to see your children’s children—(BU)
peace be on Israel.(BV)
Psalm 129
A song of ascents.
1 “They have greatly oppressed(BW) me from my youth,”(BX)
let Israel say;(BY)
2 “they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,
but they have not gained the victory(BZ) over me.
3 Plowmen have plowed my back
and made their furrows long.
4 But the Lord is righteous;(CA)
he has cut me free(CB) from the cords of the wicked.”(CC)
5 May all who hate Zion(CD)
be turned back in shame.(CE)
6 May they be like grass on the roof,(CF)
which withers(CG) before it can grow;
7 a reaper cannot fill his hands with it,(CH)
nor one who gathers fill his arms.
8 May those who pass by not say to them,
“The blessing of the Lord be on you;
we bless you(CI) in the name of the Lord.”
Psalm 130
A song of ascents.
1 Out of the depths(CJ) I cry to you,(CK) Lord;
2 Lord, hear my voice.(CL)
Let your ears be attentive(CM)
to my cry for mercy.(CN)
3 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
Lord, who could stand?(CO)
4 But with you there is forgiveness,(CP)
so that we can, with reverence, serve you.(CQ)
5 I wait for the Lord,(CR) my whole being waits,(CS)
and in his word(CT) I put my hope.
6 I wait for the Lord
more than watchmen(CU) wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.(CV)
7 Israel, put your hope(CW) in the Lord,
for with the Lord is unfailing love(CX)
and with him is full redemption.(CY)
8 He himself will redeem(CZ) Israel
from all their sins.(DA)
Psalm 131
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 My heart is not proud,(DB) Lord,
my eyes are not haughty;(DC)
I do not concern myself with great matters(DD)
or things too wonderful for me.(DE)
2 But I have calmed and quieted myself,(DF)
I am like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child I am content.(DG)
Psalm 132(DJ)
A song of ascents.
1 Lord, remember David
and all his self-denial.(DK)
2 He swore an oath to the Lord,
he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:(DL)
3 “I will not enter my house(DM)
or go to my bed,
4 I will allow no sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
5 till I find a place(DN) for the Lord,
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 We heard it in Ephrathah,(DO)
we came upon it in the fields of Jaar:[e](DP)
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place,(DQ)
let us worship at his footstool,(DR) saying,
8 ‘Arise, Lord,(DS) and come to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.
9 May your priests be clothed with your righteousness;(DT)
may your faithful people(DU) sing for joy.’”
10 For the sake of your servant David,
do not reject your anointed one.
11 The Lord swore an oath to David,(DV)
a sure oath he will not revoke:
“One of your own descendants(DW)
I will place on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant(DX)
and the statutes I teach them,
then their sons will sit
on your throne(DY) for ever and ever.”
13 For the Lord has chosen Zion,(DZ)
he has desired it for his dwelling,(EA) saying,
14 “This is my resting place for ever and ever;(EB)
here I will sit enthroned,(EC) for I have desired it.
15 I will bless her with abundant provisions;
her poor I will satisfy with food.(ED)
16 I will clothe her priests(EE) with salvation,
and her faithful people will ever sing for joy.(EF)
Footnotes
- Psalm 126:1 Or Lord brought back the captives to
- Psalm 126:1 Or those restored to health
- Psalm 126:4 Or Bring back our captives
- Psalm 127:2 Or eat— / for while they sleep he provides for
- Psalm 132:6 Or heard of it in Ephrathah, / we found it in the fields of Jearim. (See 1 Chron. 13:5,6) (And no quotation marks around verses 7-9)
- Psalm 132:17 Horn here symbolizes strong one, that is, king.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.