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Psalm 125-129
New King James Version
Psalm 125-129
New King James Version
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.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
So the Lord surrounds His people
From this time forth and forever.
3 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.
4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
And to those who are upright in their hearts.
5 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.
2 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.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
And we are glad.
4 Bring back our captivity, O Lord,
As the streams in the South.
5 (G)Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.
6 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.
2 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.
3 Behold, (K)children are a heritage from the Lord,
(L)The fruit of the womb is a (M)reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
5 (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.
2 (Q)When you eat the [f]labor of your hands,
You shall be happy, and it shall be (R)well with you.
3 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.
4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
Who fears the Lord.
5 (V)The Lord bless you out of Zion,
And may you see the good of Jerusalem
All the days of your life.
6 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—
2 “Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth;
Yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 The plowers plowed on my back;
They made their furrows long.”
4 The Lord is righteous;
He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked.
5 Let all those who hate Zion
Be put to shame and turned back.
6 Let them be as the (AB)grass on the housetops,
Which withers before it grows up,
7 With which the reaper does not fill his hand,
Nor he who binds sheaves, his [h]arms.
8 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
- Psalm 126:1 Those of the captivity
- Psalm 126:2 Gentiles
- Psalm 126:6 to and fro
- Psalm 126:6 Lit. a bag of seed for sowing
- Psalm 126:6 with shouts of joy
- Psalm 128:2 Fruit of the labor
- Psalm 129:1 persecuted
- Psalm 129:7 armsful, lit. bosom
Psalm 125-129
New International Version
Psalm 125-129
New International Version
Psalm 125
A song of ascents.
1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,(A)
which cannot be shaken(B) but endures forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,(C)
so the Lord surrounds(D) his people
both now and forevermore.
3 The scepter(E) of the wicked will not remain(F)
over the land allotted to the righteous,
for then the righteous might use
their hands to do evil.(G)
4 Lord, do good(H) to those who are good,
to those who are upright in heart.(I)
5 But those who turn(J) to crooked ways(K)
the Lord will banish(L) with the evildoers.
Peace be on Israel.(M)
Psalm 126
A song of ascents.
1 When the Lord restored(N) the fortunes of[a] Zion,
we were like those who dreamed.[b]
2 Our mouths were filled with laughter,(O)
our tongues with songs of joy.(P)
Then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things(Q) for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things(R) for us,
and we are filled with joy.(S)
4 Restore our fortunes,[c](T) Lord,
like streams in the Negev.(U)
5 Those who sow with tears(V)
will reap(W) with songs of joy.(X)
6 Those who go out weeping,(Y)
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with them.
Psalm 127
A song of ascents. Of Solomon.
1 Unless the Lord builds(Z) the house,
the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches(AA) over the city,
the guards stand watch in vain.
2 In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food(AB) to eat—
for he grants sleep(AC) to[d] those he loves.(AD)
3 Children are a heritage from the Lord,
offspring a reward(AE) from him.
4 Like arrows(AF) in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.(AG)
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their opponents(AH) in court.(AI)
Psalm 128
A song of ascents.
1 Blessed are all who fear the Lord,(AJ)
who walk in obedience to him.(AK)
2 You will eat the fruit of your labor;(AL)
blessings and prosperity(AM) will be yours.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine(AN)
within your house;
your children(AO) will be like olive shoots(AP)
around your table.
4 Yes, this will be the blessing(AQ)
for the man who fears the Lord.(AR)
5 May the Lord bless you from Zion;(AS)
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem(AT)
all the days of your life.
6 May you live to see your children’s children—(AU)
peace be on Israel.(AV)
Psalm 129
A song of ascents.
1 “They have greatly oppressed(AW) me from my youth,”(AX)
let Israel say;(AY)
2 “they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,
but they have not gained the victory(AZ) over me.
3 Plowmen have plowed my back
and made their furrows long.
4 But the Lord is righteous;(BA)
he has cut me free(BB) from the cords of the wicked.”(BC)
5 May all who hate Zion(BD)
be turned back in shame.(BE)
6 May they be like grass on the roof,(BF)
which withers(BG) before it can grow;
7 a reaper cannot fill his hands with it,(BH)
nor one who gathers fill his arms.
8 May those who pass by not say to them,
“The blessing of the Lord be on you;
we bless you(BI) in the name of the Lord.”
Footnotes
- Psalm 126:1 Or Lord brought back the captives to
- Psalm 126:1 Or those restored to health
- Psalm 126:4 Or Bring back our captives
- Psalm 127:2 Or eat— / for while they sleep he provides for
Psalm 125-129
King James Version
Psalm 125-129
King James Version
125 They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.
2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.
3 For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.
4 Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.
5 As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel.
126 When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them.
3 The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.
4 Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south.
5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
127 Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
3 Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
128 Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways.
2 For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.
3 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.
4 Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.
5 The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.
6 Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel.
129 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say:
2 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows.
4 The Lord is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.
5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.
6 Let them be as the grass upon the housetops, which withereth afore it groweth up:
7 Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom.
8 Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we bless you in the name of the Lord.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.