Psalm 123-128

English Standard Version

Our Eyes Look to the Lord Our God

A Song of ^(A)Ascents.

123 To you I ^(B)lift up my eyes,
    O you who are ^(C)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^(D)Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
    for we have had more than enough of ^(E)contempt.
⁴Our soul has had more than enough
    of ^(F)the scorn of ^(G)those who are at ease,
    of the contempt of ^(H)the proud.

Our Help Is in the Name of the Lord

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

124 ^(J)If it had not been the Lord who was on our side—
    ^(K)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 ^(L)swallowed us up alive,
    when their anger was kindled against us;
⁴then ^(M)the flood would have ^(N)swept us away,
    the torrent would have gone ^(O)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 ^(P)the snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken,
    and we have escaped!

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

The Lord Surrounds His People

A Song of ^(R)Ascents.

125 Those who ^(S)trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
    which ^(T)cannot be moved, but abides forever.
²As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
    so ^(U)the Lord surrounds his people,
    from this time forth and forevermore.
³For ^(V)the scepter of wickedness shall not ^(W)rest
    on ^(X)the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous ^(Y)stretch out
    their hands to do wrong.
⁴^(Z)Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
    and to those who are ^(AA)upright in their hearts!
⁵But those who ^(AB)turn aside to their ^(AC)crooked ways
    the Lord will lead away with ^(AD)evildoers!
    ^(AE)Peace be upon Israel!

Restore Our Fortunes, O Lord

A Song of ^(AF)Ascents.

126 When the Lord ^(AG)restored the fortunes of Zion,
    we were like those who ^(AH)dream.
²Then our ^(AI)mouth was filled with laughter,
    and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
    ^(AJ)“The Lord has done great things for them.”
³The Lord has done great things for us;
    we are glad.

⁴Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
    like streams in the Negeb!
⁵^(AK)Those who sow in tears
    shall reap with shouts of joy!
⁶He who goes out weeping,
    bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
    bringing his sheaves with him.

Unless the Lord Builds the House

A Song of ^(AL)Ascents. Of Solomon.

127 Unless the Lord builds the house,
    those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord ^(AM)watches over the city,
    the watchman stays awake in vain.
²It is in vain that you rise up early
    and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious ^(AN)toil;
    for he gives to his ^(AO)beloved ^(AP)sleep.

³Behold, ^(AQ)children are a heritage from the Lord,
    ^(AR)the fruit of the womb a reward.
⁴Like arrows in the hand of ^(AS)a warrior
    are the children^[a] of one's youth.
⁵Blessed is the man
    who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
    when he speaks with his enemies ^(AT)in the gate.^[b]

Blessed Is Everyone Who Fears the Lord

A Song of ^(AU)Ascents.

128 ^(AV)Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
who ^(AW)walks in his ways!
²You ^(AX)shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.

³Your wife will be like ^(AY)a fruitful vine
    within your house;
your children will be like ^(AZ)olive shoots
    around your table.
⁴Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
    who fears the Lord.

⁵^(BA)The Lord bless you ^(BB)from Zion!
    May you see ^(BC)the prosperity of Jerusalem
    all the days of your life!
⁶May you see your ^(BD)children's children!
    ^(BE)Peace be upon Israel!