Psalm 122-125

English Standard Version

Let Us Go to the House of the Lord

A Song of ^(A)Ascents. Of David.

122 I was glad when they said to me,
^(B)“Let us go to the house of the Lord!”
²Our feet have been standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem!

³Jerusalem—^(C)built as a city
    that is ^(D)bound firmly together,
⁴to which the tribes ^(E)go up,
    the tribes of the Lord,
as was ^(F)decreed for^[a] Israel,
    to give thanks to the name of the Lord.
⁵There ^(G)thrones for judgment were set,
    the thrones of the house of David.

⁶^(H)Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
    “May they be secure who love you!
⁷Peace be within your ^(I)walls
    and security within your ^(J)towers!”
⁸For my brothers and companions' sake
    I will say, ^(K)“Peace be within you!”
⁹For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
    I will ^(L)seek your good.

Our Eyes Look to the Lord Our God

A Song of ^(M)Ascents.

123 To you I ^(N)lift up my eyes,
    O you who are ^(O)enthroned in the heavens!
²Behold, as the eyes of servants
    look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maidservant
    to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
    till he has mercy upon us.

³^(P)Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
    for we have had more than enough of ^(Q)contempt.
⁴Our soul has had more than enough
    of ^(R)the scorn of ^(S)those who are at ease,
    of the contempt of ^(T)the proud.

Our Help Is in the Name of the Lord

A Song of ^(U)Ascents. Of David.

124 ^(V)If it had not been the Lord who was on our side—
    ^(W)let Israel now say—
²if it had not been the Lord who was on our side
    when people rose up against us,
³then they would have ^(X)swallowed us up alive,
    when their anger was kindled against us;
⁴then ^(Y)the flood would have ^(Z)swept us away,
    the torrent would have gone ^(AA)over us;
⁵then over us would have gone
    the raging waters.

⁶Blessed be the Lord,
    who has not given us
    as prey to their teeth!
⁷We have escaped like a bird
    from ^(AB)the snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken,
    and we have escaped!

⁸^(AC)Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.

The Lord Surrounds His People

A Song of ^(AD)Ascents.

125 Those who ^(AE)trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
    which ^(AF)cannot be moved, but abides forever.
²As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
    so ^(AG)the Lord surrounds his people,
    from this time forth and forevermore.
³For ^(AH)the scepter of wickedness shall not ^(AI)rest
    on ^(AJ)the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous ^(AK)stretch out
    their hands to do wrong.
⁴^(AL)Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
    and to those who are ^(AM)upright in their hearts!
⁵But those who ^(AN)turn aside to their ^(AO)crooked ways
    the Lord will lead away with ^(AP)evildoers!
    ^(AQ)Peace be upon Israel!