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.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
So the Lord surrounds His people
From this time forth and forever.

For (A)the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
On the land allotted to the righteous,
Lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity.

Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
And to those who are upright in their hearts.

As for such as turn aside to their (B)crooked ways,
The Lord shall lead them away
With the workers of iniquity.

(C)Peace be upon Israel!

A Joyful Return to Zion

A Song of Ascents.

126 When (D)the Lord brought back [a]the captivity of Zion,
(E)We were like those who dream.
Then (F)our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with singing.
Then they said among the [b]nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us,
And we are glad.

Bring back our captivity, O Lord,
As the streams in the South.

(G)Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.
He who continually goes [c]forth weeping,
Bearing [d]seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again [e]with (H)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 (I)the Lord guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late,
To (J)eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.

Behold, (K)children are a heritage from the Lord,
(L)The fruit of the womb is a (M)reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
(N)Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;
(O)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 (P)is every one who fears the Lord,
Who walks in His ways.

(Q)When you eat the [f]labor of your hands,
You shall be happy, and it shall be (R)well with you.
Your wife shall be (S)like a fruitful vine
In the very heart of your house,
Your (T)children (U)like olive plants
All around your table.
Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
Who fears the Lord.

(V)The Lord bless you out of Zion,
And may you see the good of Jerusalem
All the days of your life.
Yes, may you (W)see your children’s children.

(X)Peace be upon Israel!

Song of Victory over Zion’s Enemies

A Song of Ascents.

129 “Many a time they have (Y)afflicted[g] me from (Z)my youth,”
(AA)Let Israel now say—
“Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth;
Yet they have not prevailed against me.
The plowers plowed on my back;
They made their furrows long.”
The Lord is righteous;
He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked.

Let all those who hate Zion
Be put to shame and turned back.
Let them be as the (AB)grass on the housetops,
Which withers before it grows up,
With which the reaper does not fill his hand,
Nor he who binds sheaves, his [h]arms.
Neither let those who pass by them say,
(AC)“The blessing of the Lord be upon you;
We bless you in the name of the Lord!”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 126:1 Those of the captivity
  2. Psalm 126:2 Gentiles
  3. Psalm 126:6 to and fro
  4. Psalm 126:6 Lit. a bag of seed for sowing
  5. Psalm 126:6 with shouts of joy
  6. Psalm 128:2 Fruit of the labor
  7. Psalm 129:1 persecuted
  8. Psalm 129:7 armsful, lit. bosom

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