Psalm 124-127
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Psalm 124
The Lord Is on Our Side
A Davidic song of ascents.
1 If the Lord had not been on our side—
let Israel say—
2 If the Lord had not been on our side(A)
when men attacked us,(B)
3 then they would have swallowed us alive
in their burning anger against us.(C)
4 Then the waters would have engulfed us;
the torrent would have swept over us;
5 the raging waters would have swept over us.(D)
6 Praise the Lord,
who has not let us be ripped apart by their teeth.(E)
7 We have escaped like a bird from the hunter’s net;
the net is torn, and we have escaped.(F)
8 Our help is in the name of Yahweh,
the Maker of heaven and earth.(G)
Psalm 125
Israel’s Stability
A song of ascents.
1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion.
It cannot be shaken; it remains forever.(H)
2 Jerusalem—the mountains surround her.
And the Lord surrounds His people,
both now and forever.(I)
3 The scepter of the wicked will not remain
over the land allotted to the righteous,
so that the righteous will not apply their hands to injustice.(J)
4 Do what is good, Lord, to the good,
to those whose hearts are upright.(K)
5 But as for those who turn aside to crooked ways,
the Lord will banish them with the evildoers.(L)
Peace be with Israel.(M)
Psalm 126
Zion’s Restoration
A song of ascents.
1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,[a]
we were like those who dream.(N)
2 Our mouths were filled with laughter then,(O)
and our tongues with shouts of joy.(P)
Then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”(Q)
3 The Lord had done great things for us;
we were joyful.(R)
4 Restore our fortunes,[b] Lord,
like watercourses in the Negev.(S)
5 Those who sow in tears
will reap with shouts of joy.(T)
6 Though one goes along weeping,
carrying the bag of seed,
he will surely come back with shouts of joy,
carrying his sheaves.(U)
Psalm 127
The Blessing of the Lord
A Solomonic song of ascents.
1 Unless the Lord builds a house,
its builders labor over it in vain;(V)
unless the Lord watches over a city,
the watchman stays alert in vain.(W)
2 In vain you get up early and stay up late,
working hard to have enough food—
yes, He gives sleep to the one He loves.[c](X)
3 Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord,
children, a reward.(Y)
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the sons born in one’s youth.(Z)
5 Happy is the man who has filled his quiver with them.(AA)
Such men will never be put to shame
when they speak with their enemies at the city gate.(AB)
Footnotes
- Psalm 126:1 Or Lord returned those of Zion who had been captives
- Psalm 126:4 Or Return our captives
- Psalm 127:2 Or yes, He gives such things to His loved ones while [they] sleep
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