Psalm 129-132

New International Version

Psalm 129

A song of ascents.

¹“They have greatly oppressed^(A) me from my youth,”^(B)
    let Israel say;^(C)
²“they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,
    but they have not gained the victory^(D) over me.
³Plowmen have plowed my back
    and made their furrows long.
⁴But the Lord is righteous;^(E)
    he has cut me free^(F) from the cords of the wicked.”^(G)

⁵May all who hate Zion^(H)
    be turned back in shame.^(I)
⁶May they be like grass on the roof,^(J)
    which withers^(K) before it can grow;
⁷a reaper cannot fill his hands with it,^(L)
    nor one who gathers fill his arms.
⁸May those who pass by not say to them,
    “The blessing of the Lord be on you;
    we bless you^(M) in the name of the Lord.”

Psalm 130

A song of ascents.

¹Out of the depths^(N) I cry to you,^(O) Lord;
² Lord, hear my voice.^(P)
Let your ears be attentive^(Q)
to my cry for mercy.^(R)

³If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
Lord, who could stand?^(S)
⁴But with you there is forgiveness,^(T)
so that we can, with reverence, serve you.^(U)

⁵I wait for the Lord,^(V) my whole being waits,^(W)
    and in his word^(X) I put my hope.
⁶I wait for the Lord
    more than watchmen^(Y) wait for the morning,
    more than watchmen wait for the morning.^(Z)

⁷Israel, put your hope^(AA) in the Lord,
    for with the Lord is unfailing love^(AB)
    and with him is full redemption.^(AC)
⁸He himself will redeem^(AD) Israel
    from all their sins.^(AE)

Psalm 131

A song of ascents. Of David.

¹My heart is not proud,^(AF) Lord,
    my eyes are not haughty;^(AG)
I do not concern myself with great matters^(AH)
    or things too wonderful for me.^(AI)
²But I have calmed and quieted myself,^(AJ)
    I am like a weaned child with its mother;
    like a weaned child I am content.^(AK)

³Israel, put your hope^(AL) in the Lord
both now and forevermore.^(AM)

Psalm 132^(AN)

A song of ascents.

¹Lord, remember David
and all his self-denial.^(AO)

²He swore an oath to the Lord,
    he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:^(AP)
³“I will not enter my house^(AQ)
    or go to my bed,
⁴I will allow no sleep to my eyes
    or slumber to my eyelids,
⁵till I find a place^(AR) for the Lord,
    a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

⁶We heard it in Ephrathah,^(AS)
    we came upon it in the fields of Jaar:^[a]^(AT)
⁷“Let us go to his dwelling place,^(AU)
    let us worship at his footstool,^(AV) saying,
⁸‘Arise, Lord,^(AW) and come to your resting place,
    you and the ark of your might.
⁹May your priests be clothed with your righteousness;^(AX)
    may your faithful people^(AY) sing for joy.’”

¹⁰For the sake of your servant David,
do not reject your anointed one.

¹¹The Lord swore an oath to David,^(AZ)
    a sure oath he will not revoke:
“One of your own descendants^(BA)
    I will place on your throne.
¹²If your sons keep my covenant^(BB)
    and the statutes I teach them,
then their sons will sit
    on your throne^(BC) for ever and ever.”

¹³For the Lord has chosen Zion,^(BD)
    he has desired it for his dwelling,^(BE) saying,
¹⁴“This is my resting place for ever and ever;^(BF)
    here I will sit enthroned,^(BG) for I have desired it.
¹⁵I will bless her with abundant provisions;
    her poor I will satisfy with food.^(BH)
¹⁶I will clothe her priests^(BI) with salvation,
    and her faithful people will ever sing for joy.^(BJ)

¹⁷“Here I will make a horn^[b] grow^(BK) for David
and set up a lamp^(BL) for my anointed one.^(BM)
¹⁸I will clothe his enemies with shame,^(BN)
but his head will be adorned with a radiant crown.”^(BO)

Footnotes

Psalm 132:6 Or heard of it in Ephrathah, / we found it in the fields of Jearim. (See 1 Chron. 13:5,6) (And no quotation marks around verses 7-9)
Psalm 132:17 Horn here symbolizes strong one, that is, king.