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120 (0) A song of ascents:

(1) I called to Adonai in my distress,
and he answered me.
Rescue me, Adonai, from lips that tell lies,
from a tongue full of deceit.

What has he in store for you, deceitful tongue?
What more will he do to you?
A warrior’s sharp arrows,
with red-hot coals from a broom tree.

How wretched I am, that I’m an alien in Meshekh,
that I must live among the tents of Keidar!
I have had to live far too long
with those who hate peace.
I am all for peace;
but when I speak, they are for war.

A Prayer of Someone Far from Home

A psalm ·for going up to worship [of ascents; C perhaps sung while traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate an annual religious festival like Passover].

120 When I was in ·trouble [distress], I called to the Lord,
    and he answered me.
Lord, ·save [protect] me from ·liars [L false lips]
    and from ·those who plan evil [L a deceptive tongue].

·You who plan evil [L O deceptive tongue], what will ·God do [L he give] to you?
    ·How will he punish [L What will he add to] you?
·He will punish you with the sharp arrows of a warrior
    and with burning coals of wood [L The sharp arrows of a warrior and the burning coals of a broom tree; C the broom tree produces excellent charcoal].

·How terrible it is for [L Woe to] me to ·live in the land of [L sojourn/wander in] Meshech [C by the Black Sea in Asia Minor; Gen. 10:2; Ezek. 38:2],
    to ·live [dwell; reside] among the ·people [L tents] of Kedar [C in the Arabian desert; Is. 21:16–17; Jer. 2:10; 49:28; Ezek. 27:21].
I have ·lived [dwelt; resided] too long
    with people who hate peace.
When I talk peace,
    they want war.

Plea for Relief from Bitter Foes

A Song of Ascents.

120 In (A)my distress I cried to the Lord,
And He heard me.
Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips
And from a deceitful tongue.

What shall be given to you,
Or what shall be done to you,
You false tongue?
Sharp arrows of the [a]warrior,
With coals of the broom tree!

Woe is me, that I dwell in (B)Meshech,
(C)That I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
My soul has dwelt too long
With one who hates peace.
I am for peace;
But when I speak, they are for war.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 120:4 mighty one

Psalm 120

A song of ascents.

I call on the Lord(A) in my distress,(B)
    and he answers me.
Save me, Lord,
    from lying lips(C)
    and from deceitful tongues.(D)

What will he do to you,
    and what more besides,
    you deceitful tongue?
He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows,(E)
    with burning coals of the broom bush.

Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek,
    that I live among the tents of Kedar!(F)
Too long have I lived
    among those who hate peace.
I am for peace;
    but when I speak, they are for war.