Psalm 126-132
New King James Version
A Joyful Return to Zion
A Song of Ascents.
126 When (A)the Lord brought back [a]the captivity of Zion,
(B)We were like those who dream.
2 Then (C)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 (D)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 (E)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 (F)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 (G)eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.
3 Behold, (H)children are a heritage from the Lord,
(I)The fruit of the womb is a (J)reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
5 (K)Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;
(L)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 (M)is every one who fears the Lord,
Who walks in His ways.
2 (N)When you eat the [f]labor of your hands,
You shall be happy, and it shall be (O)well with you.
3 Your wife shall be (P)like a fruitful vine
In the very heart of your house,
Your (Q)children (R)like olive plants
All around your table.
4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
Who fears the Lord.
5 (S)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 (T)see your children’s children.
(U)Peace be upon Israel!
Song of Victory over Zion’s Enemies
A Song of Ascents.
129 “Many a time they have (V)afflicted[g] me from (W)my youth,”
(X)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 (Y)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,
(Z)“The blessing of the Lord be upon you;
We bless you in the name of the Lord!”
Waiting for the Redemption of the Lord
A Song of Ascents.
130 Out (AA)of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord;
2 Lord, hear my voice!
Let Your ears be attentive
To the voice of my supplications.
3 (AB)If You, Lord, should [i]mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could (AC)stand?
4 But there is (AD)forgiveness with You,
That (AE)You may be feared.
5 (AF)I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
And (AG)in His word I do hope.
6 (AH)My soul waits for the Lord
More than those who watch for the morning—
Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.
7 (AI)O Israel, hope in the Lord;
For (AJ)with the Lord there is mercy,
And with Him is abundant redemption.
8 And (AK)He shall redeem Israel
From all his iniquities.
Simple Trust in the Lord
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
131 Lord, my heart is not [j]haughty,
Nor my eyes [k]lofty.
(AL)Neither do I [l]concern myself with great matters,
Nor with things too [m]profound for me.
2 Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul,
(AM)Like a weaned child with his mother;
Like a weaned child is my soul within me.
3 (AN)O Israel, hope in the Lord
From this time forth and forever.
The Eternal Dwelling of God in Zion
A Song of Ascents.
132 Lord, remember David
And all his afflictions;
2 How he swore to the Lord,
(AO)And vowed to (AP)the Mighty One of Jacob:
3 “Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house,
Or go up to the comfort of my bed;
4 I will (AQ)not give sleep to my eyes
Or slumber to my eyelids,
5 Until I (AR)find a place for the Lord,
A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 Behold, we heard of it (AS)in Ephrathah;
(AT)We found it (AU)in the fields of [n]the woods.
7 Let us go into His tabernacle;
(AV)Let us worship at His footstool.
8 (AW)Arise, O Lord, to Your resting place,
You and (AX)the ark of Your strength.
9 Let Your priests (AY)be clothed with righteousness,
And let Your saints shout for joy.
10 For Your servant David’s sake,
Do not turn away the face of Your [o]Anointed.
11 (AZ)The Lord has sworn in truth to David;
He will not turn from it:
“I will set upon your throne (BA)the [p]fruit of your body.
12 If your sons will keep My covenant
And My testimony which I shall teach them,
Their sons also shall sit upon your throne forevermore.”
13 (BB)For the Lord has chosen Zion;
He has desired it for His [q]dwelling place:
14 “This(BC) is My resting place forever;
Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
15 (BD)I will abundantly bless her [r]provision;
I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16 (BE)I will also clothe her priests with salvation,
(BF)And her saints shall shout aloud for joy.
17 (BG)There I will make the [s]horn of David grow;
(BH)I will prepare a lamp for My [t]Anointed.
18 His enemies I will (BI)clothe with shame,
But upon Himself His crown shall flourish.”
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 130:3 take note of
- Psalm 131:1 Proud
- Psalm 131:1 Arrogant
- Psalm 131:1 Lit. walk in
- Psalm 131:1 difficult
- Psalm 132:6 Heb. Jaar, lit. Woods
- Psalm 132:10 Commissioned One, Heb. Messiah
- Psalm 132:11 offspring
- Psalm 132:13 home
- Psalm 132:15 supply of food
- Psalm 132:17 Government
- Psalm 132:17 Heb. Messiah
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.