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Book of Common Prayer

Daily Old and New Testament readings based on the Book of Common Prayer.

Duration: 861 days

Psalm 120-127

The Songs of Ascents and Great Hallel—Pss 120–136^[a]

Psalm 120^[b]

A Complaint against Treacherous Tongues

¹A song of ascents.

Whenever I am in distress,
    I cry out to the Lord and he answers me.
²Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips
    and from deceitful tongues.^[c]
³What will he^[d] inflict upon you,
    and what more will he add to it,
    O deceitful tongue?
⁴He has prepared a warrior’s sharp arrows
    and red-hot coals^[e] of the broom tree.
⁵Why have I been doomed as an exile in Meshech
    and forced to dwell among the tents of Kedar?^[f]
⁶Far too long have I lived
    among people who despise peace.^[g]
⁷When I proclaim peace,
    they shout for war.^[h]

Psalm 121^[i]

God, Guardian of His People

¹A song of ascents.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains;^[j]
    from where will I receive help?
²My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.^[k]
³He will not permit your foot to stumble;
    he who guards you will not fall asleep.^[l]
⁴Indeed, the one who guards Israel
    never slumbers, never sleeps.^[m]
⁵^[n]The Lord serves as your guardian;
    he is at your right hand to serve as your shade.
⁶The sun will not strike you during the day,
    nor the moon during the night.
⁷^[o]The Lord will protect you against all evil;
    he will watch over your life.
⁸The Lord will watch over your coming and your going
    both now and forevermore.

Psalm 122^[p]

The Pilgrim’s Greeting to the Holy City

¹A song of ascents. Of David.

^[q]I rejoiced when they said to me,
    “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
²And finally our feet are standing
    at your gates, O Jerusalem.
³Jerusalem is built as a city
    that is firmly bound together^[r] in unity.
⁴There the tribes go up,
    the tribes of the Lord,
as it was decreed for Israel
    to celebrate the name of the Lord.^[s]
⁵For there the thrones of judgment^[t] were established,
    the thrones of the house of David.
⁶Pray for the peace^[u] of Jerusalem:
    “May those who love you rest secure.
⁷May there be peace within your walls
    and security in your palaces.”
⁸^[v]Out of love for my relatives and friends,
    I will say, “May peace be within you.”
⁹Out of love for the house of the Lord, our God,
    I will pray for your well-being.

Psalm 123^[w]

Prayer in Time of Spiritual Need

¹A song of ascents.

I lift up my eyes to you,
    to you who are enthroned in heaven.^[x]
²Behold, as the eyes of servants^[y]
    are on the hand of their master,
or as the eyes of a maid
    focus on the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes are on the Lord, our God,
    as we wait for him to show us his mercy.
³Show us your mercy, O Lord, show us your mercy,
    for we have suffered more than our share of contempt.^[z]
⁴We have had to suffer far too long
    the insults of the haughty^[aa]
    and the contempt of the arrogant.

Psalm 124^[ab]

Thanksgiving for the Lord’s Help

¹A song of ascents. Of David.

^[ac]If the Lord had not been on our side—
    let Israel now proclaim—^[ad]
²if the Lord had not been on our side
    when our enemies attacked^[ae] us,
³^[af]then they would have swallowed us alive
    as their wrath was kindled against us.
⁴^[ag]The waters would have washed us away,
    the torrent would have swept over us,
⁵and we would have drowned
    in the raging waters.
⁶Blessed be the Lord,
    who did not give us as prey to their teeth.
⁷We have escaped like a bird
    from the snare of the fowlers;
the snare was broken,
    and we escaped.^[ah]
⁸Our help is in the name of the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.^[ai]

Psalm 125^[aj]

God, Protector of His People

¹A song of ascents.

Those who put their trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
    which cannot be shaken but stands fast forever.^[ak]
²As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
    so the Lord surrounds his people
    both now and forevermore.^[al]
³The scepter of the wicked will not prevail
    over the land allotted to the righteous,
so that the righteous will not be tempted
    to turn their hands to evil.^[am]
⁴^[an]Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
    to those who are upright of heart.^[ao]
⁵But the Lord will assign to the ranks of the evildoers
    those who turn their hearts to wickedness.^[ap]
May peace be granted to Israel.

Psalm 126^[aq]

God, Our Joy and Our Hope

¹^[ar]A song of ascents.

When the Lord brought home the captives to Zion,
    we seemed to be dreaming.^[as]
²Our mouths were filled with laughter
    and our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
    “The Lord has done great things for them.”^[at]
³The Lord has indeed done great deeds for us,
    and we are overflowing with joy.^[au]
⁴^[av]Once again restore our fortunes,^[aw] O Lord,
    as you did for the streams in the Negeb.
⁵Those who sow in tears^[ax]
    will reap with songs of joy.
⁶Those who go forth weeping,
    carrying the seeds to be sown,^[ay]
will return with shouts of joy,
    carrying their sheaves.

Psalm 127^[az]

Need of Divine Assistance

¹A song of ascents. Of Solomon.

^[ba]If the Lord does not build the house,^[bb]
    those who construct it labor in vain.
If the Lord does not guard the city,
    those who keep watch over it do so in vain.
²It is useless for you to rise earlier
    and delay taking your rest at night,
    toiling relentlessly for the bread you eat;
for while those he loves sleep,
    he provides all of this for them.^[bc]
³^[bd]Behold, children are a gift from the Lord,
    a reward of the fruit of the womb.
⁴Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
    are the children born in one’s youth.^[be]
⁵Blessed is the man
    who has filled his quiver with them.
He will never be forced to retreat
    when he is confronted by his enemies at the city gate.^[bf]

Footnotes

Psalm 120:1 Human beings are born to be pilgrims in search of the absolute, on a journey to God. We advance by way of stages, from the difficulties of life to the certitudes of hope, from the dispersion of cares to the joyous encounter with God, from daily diversions to inner recollection. The “Songs of Ascents” (Pss 120–134) are prayers for the path we travel as human beings.
This group of psalms, which forms a major part of the Great Hallel (Pss 120–136: see notes on Pss 113–118), served as a kind of handbook for pilgrims as they went up to the holy city for the great annual feasts (see Ex 23:17; Deut 16:16; 1 Ki 12:28; Mt 20:17; Lk 2:41f). Two other explanations are offered but are regarded as less likely: namely, that they were sung by the returning exiles when they “went up” to Jerusalem from Babylon (see Ezr 7:9), or that they were sung by the Levites on the fifteen steps by which they ascended from the Court of the Women to the Court of the Israelites in the temple. The latter would account for the name “Gradual Psalms” or “Psalms of the Steps” by which they also are known. The name “gradual” may also be assigned to them because of their rhythm, in which every other verse continues the thought of the preceding verse.
Psalm 120:1 Ill at ease in a hostile environment, often detested and calumniated because his faith and his law place him apart—such is the pious Jew situated far from Palestine. Sometimes he gets the feeling of living among the savage peoples of the Caucuses and the Syrian Desert (v. 5: “Meshech” and “Kedar”). We can appreciate his desire to return to Jerusalem, the city of his God.
We Christians have the same kind of feeling of nostalgia to be with God (see 2 Cor 5). Without belonging to the world from which Christ’s call has taken us (see Jn 15:19), we are sent by him into the world. It is in this hostile environment that we must live while continually journeying toward the Father (see Jn 17:15, 18, 24). Thus, we can in all truth make this psalm our prayer when suffering distress caused by the continuous hostile pressure of this world.
Psalm 120:2 Lying lips . . . deceitful tongues: see note on Ps 5:10.
Psalm 120:3 He: i.e., the Lord. What more will he add to it: the full curse formula was: “May the Lord do such and such to you and add still more to it” (see Ru 1:17; 1 Sam 3:17; 14:44; 25:22; 2 Sam 3:35; 1 Ki 2:23).
Psalm 120:4 Sharp arrows . . . red-hot coals: the evil tongue is like a sharp arrow (see Pss 57:4; 64:3; Prov 25:18; Jer 9:8) and a scorching fire (see Prov 16:27; Jas 3:6); but the enemies of the psalmist will be destroyed by the far more potent shafts of God’s arrows of truth (see Ps 64:8) and coals of judgment (see Ps 140:11). Broom tree: apparently its roots burn well and yield coal that produces intense heat.
Psalm 120:5 Meshech . . . Kedar: Meshech is located to the far north in Asia Minor by the Black Sea (see Gen 10:2; Ezek 38:2). Kedar stands for the Arab tribesmen of the south in the Arabian Desert (see Isa 21:16f; Jer 2:10; 49:28; Ezek 27:21). The psalmist feels that he is dwelling among a barbarian and ungodly people.
Psalm 120:6 The psalmist reminds the Lord that he has been mired for too long among people who despise peace and make war on him (see v. 4: “arrows” and “red-hot coals”). These adversaries have no use for godly persons like himself, so they harass and slander them and make their life unbearable. The psalmist can no longer put up with this unrelenting oppression.
Psalm 120:7 The godly have nothing in common with the wicked. The godly speak of peace, but the wicked sow discord and adversity (see Gal 5:19-21; Jas 3:14f). God alone can be of help in this situation.
Psalm 121:1 The ground of Palestine is rough, and journeys meant discomforts: rocks, cold, nights in the open; but the pilgrim took courage, for the Lord protects each of his own.
This psalm is a prayer for Christians in a time of uncertainty. We find ourselves engaged, like the patriarchs, in the adventure that will lead us to the “rest” of the Promised Land, across the difficulties and dangers of the wilderness of this world (see Heb 11). We can ask ourselves with distress whence help will come to us that will enable us to complete our pilgrimage. We can be reassured. Sending us into the world on mission and pilgrimage, Jesus guarantees us his almighty assistance together with that of his Father (see Mt 28:19f; Jn 17:15-17). To enable us to overcome the world, its seductions, and its snares, Christ sends us the Holy Spirit, who continues the safeguarding solicitude of the Master toward us (see Jn 14:16f; 16:8).
Psalm 121:1 Mountains: the ridge on which Mount Zion with its temple was situated (see Pss 87:1; 125:2).
Psalm 121:2 Maker of heaven and earth: the psalmist makes what amounts to a credal statement, which has been incorporated into the Apostles’ Creed. It affirms the Lord’s sovereignty over the whole universe—heaven and earth—and demolishes all claims of sovereignty made for the pagan gods. The source of help can come only from the Lord, whose power is unlimited (see Pss 115:3; 124:8; 134:3; 146:6; Jer 10:11f).
Psalm 121:3 The pagan gods were said to sleep (as well as eat and drink), but the psalmist points out that the Lord never sleeps. Therefore, he can protect his devoted servants at all times and in all circumstances. The psalmist goes on to specify what this divine guardianship means. The Lord will not permit his faithful to “stumble” (see Pss 55:23; 66:9). He will also be their “shade” (v. 5; see Ps 91:1; Num 14:9; Jer 48:45; Lam 4:20), protecting them during the day or night (v. 6: see Pss 16:8; 91:5-6; 109:31). For the Lord is the Shepherd of his people (see Ps 23), who protects and guides them whether they are awake or sleeping, at home or on a journey, working or resting.
Psalm 121:4 The Lord also watches over Israel without sleeping. He is a guard who never falls asleep at his post, never goes off duty. He is always watching over his people to protect them from their enemies.
Psalm 121:5 The Lord maintains himself at his faithful’s “right hand,” the side of favor and trust, to “shade” them from the fierce heat of the sun and the malevolent influence of the moon. The ancients feared the evil spiritual effects of the moon (see Mt 17:15) as well as the bad physical effects of the sun (see Jud 8:3; Isa 49:10). The antiphon used with this psalm during the Easter Season in the Liturgy of the Hours, “The Lord watches over his people, and protects them as the apple of his eye,” reminds us that because of Christ’s Passion and Resurrection no physical or spiritual force can ever separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus (see Rom 8:31-39).
Psalm 121:7 The Lord is present to deliver his faithful both now and forever. Your coming and your going: an idiom signifying all ordinary human activity (see Deut 28:6; 31:2; Jos 14:11; 2 Sam 3:25).
Psalm 122:1 The pilgrims arrive where they can see Jerusalem, and their faces light up with joy, a joy that formed part of the Messianic hope. They come to a halt to admire the holy city restored by Nehemiah, and their remembrances sing in their heart: those of the gathering of the tribes at the Tent of Meeting (see Num 2:2) and of the happy era when David and Solomon ruled in their capital. The latter appeared to them as the symbol of unity and peace—“Shalom” signifies peace. In their desire for happiness, they already dream of the gathering together at some future time (see Isa 33:20; Zec 9:9ff).
One day Paul will speak of Christ present in his Church to reestablish the links of the human family (see Eph 2:19-22), and the visionary of Patmos will celebrate the definitively rediscovered unity in his marvelous description of a heavenly Jerusalem (see Rev 21:2—22:5). Hence, in praying this psalm, we as Christians must go beyond the original sense since we find ourselves drawn along by Christ in a spiritual pilgrimage that causes us to leave the world and enter ever further into the Church. It ultimately leads us from earth to heaven, the heavenly Jerusalem.
Psalm 122:1 The trials of an expatriate (see Ps 120) and the hazards of travel (see Ps 121) are overshadowed now by the joy that had drawn the pilgrim to his journey. The doxology in Jude 24 is the Christian equivalent of this progress and arrival: “To him who is able to keep you from falling [see Ps 121] and to bring you safely to his glorious presence, unblemished and rejoicing [see Ps 122].” The house of the Lord: the temple (see 2 Sam 7:5, 13; 1 Ki 5:2, 4).
Psalm 122:3 That is firmly bound together: Jerusalem is the symbol of the unity of the chosen people and the figure of the unity of the Church (see Eph 2:20ff). Some versions have translated this as: “where its community is one.”
Psalm 122:4 This verse presupposes the Deuteronomic law concerning unity of sanctuary (see Deut 12; 16:16; 1 Ki 12:27). To celebrate the name of the Lord: because of God’s saving acts and blessings for his people.
Psalm 122:5 Jerusalem was both the religious center, symbolized by the “house of the Lord” (v. 1), and the political center, symbolized by the thrones of judgment. The kings of Judah ruled by God’s will and upheld his kingship to the extent that they dispensed justice, which was a feature of the Messianic Age (see Isa 9:7; 11:3-5).
Psalm 122:6 Peace: the customary greeting in Hebrew, shalom, which also includes the idea of happiness and prosperity.
Psalm 122:8 Jerusalem is transferred into an ideal, an eschatological expression of what God had planned for his people, and the psalmist prays for the fulfillment of God’s plan. What Jerusalem was to the Israelite, the Church is to the Christian.
Psalm 123:1 Upon returning from the Exile, Israel experienced prolonged and harsh humiliations: vexations from nearby nations and from the Persian administration and persecution later on. The pilgrims do not feel the need to recite at length the list of their misfortunes, for these are too well known. The prayer is expressed in a simple attitude: eyes humbly and perseveringly fixed toward the Lord await a sign of hope. Can people be more true before God?
This psalm can serve to show the right attitude we should have toward Christ. John (Jn 10:28f) amply indicates that the inner and outer life of the Church and Christians is sovereignly regulated by the risen Christ together with his Father. Our faith assures us that the almighty hand of Christ will save us when we call for help against our inner and outer enemies. We should keep our eyes fixed continuously on him in the never-ending battle we must wage in this world (see Heb 12:2).
Psalm 123:1 The psalmist indicates the awesome power of God, the Ruler of the universe enthroned in heaven, who “does whatever he pleases” (Ps 115:3), and whose love and wisdom are beyond our calculation (see Ps 36:5; Isa 55:9).
Psalm 123:2 The fate of male or female slaves was entirely in the hands of their masters or mistresses. Their welfare or their woe depended completely on the will of their overseers, whose hands could bestow benefits or punishments. Hence, the psalmist pictures the slaves as keeping their eyes fixed on their masters and mistresses. In like manner, God’s people fix their eyes on their Lord with utter dependence; like servants and a maid, they look to their Master—for acts of kindness and mercy.
For the Lord rules sovereignly. He is on the throne (see Pss 2:4; 11:4; 102:13; 115:3) even when the arrogant assail his people. No matter how exalted this God of Israel may be, he is still the Lord (“Yahweh”), the God who is faithful to the covenant he has made with his people and is ever ready to help them in any adversity.
Psalm 123:3 The psalmist prays for God’s favor (see Pss 6:3; 57:2; 86:3) to right the injustice done to God’s children, who have unjustly endured great contempt (see Ps 119:22) and ridicule (see Ps 44:13; Neh 2:19; 4:1). It is interesting to recall that in the Sermon on the Mount, contempt (“You fool”) ranks as more grievous than anger (see Mt 5:22). Yet, from the Christian point of view, to endure suffering (including contempt) for Christ is a necessity (see Lk 9:23; Col 1:24), as well as an honor (see Acts 5:41), for all his followers as they make their way to glory (see 1 Pet 4:13f).
Psalm 123:4 As is the case in our day, the People of God are mocked by the haughty and the arrogant (see Pss 52:3; 73:2ff), who rely on and seek only themselves, giving little thought to God. Although it is entirely permissible to pray to be delivered from this ridicule, another approach is to accept it in union with the suffering Christ. Even the Old Testament has passages recommending the acceptance of such suffering: “Let him offer his cheek to those who strike him and endure their insults. For the rejection by the Lord will not last forever. Even though he punishes, he will be compassionate in the abundance of his unfailing love. For he does not willingly afflict or cause grief to the children of men” (Lam 3:30-33).
Psalm 124:1 This psalm is the thankful cry of the chosen people that God saves because he has made a covenant with them. It contains four classic images—the monster (v. 3: “swallowed”), the water (v. 4: “waters” and “torrent”; v. 5: “waters”), the bull (v. 6: “prey to their teeth”), and the trapped bird (v. 7: “from the snare of the fowlers”)—that evoke the trials undergone by Israel as well as the sudden and extreme danger in which each person can find himself.
Christians can pray this psalm with the sentiments suggested by Paul in a similar situation (see 2 Cor 1:8-10). We can direct it to the Father and Christ, through whom God saves the Church. Without Christ, who will be with us till the consummation of the world (see Mt 28:20), the Church and her members could not hold out against the gates of the netherworld (see Mt 16:18). As the Good Shepherd, Christ gives his life to save his flock from the ravenous wolf who never ceases prowling around her, ready to devour her (see Jn 10:11-15; 1 Pet 5:8). Christ masters the storm that is on the verge of swallowing up the already sinking boat with his disciples (see Mk 4:35-41); he breaks the snare that holds his imprisoned apostles, among others, Peter and Paul (see Acts 5:17-19; 12:1-11; 16:19-26). Truly, we can say with assurance: “Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Ps 124:8).
Psalm 124:1 Because the Lord has been with his people, they have not perished (see Pss 94:17; 119:92) and have hope instead (see Neh 4:14). The ancients had a grateful awareness of God’s presence among them.
Psalm 124:1 Let Israel now proclaim: the people are invited to repeat the first phrase like a refrain (see Pss 118:2; 129:1).
Psalm 124:2 Enemies attacked: i.e., the arrogant (see Ps 123:4).
Psalm 124:3 The trials undergone by Israel are described in traditional images (monsters, wild beasts, drowning, and snares) to indicate the totality of the disaster that loomed so near. Swallowed: in addition to indicating death at the hands of some beast, it also functions as a metaphor for death itself, which is often portrayed by “the netherworld” that devours its victims (see Ps 55:16; Prov 1:12).
Psalm 124:4 The metaphor of water as a destructive force is common in the Old Testament (see Pss 18:17 and note; 32:6; 42:8; 69:2f, 16; Isa 8:7f; Lam 3:54) because of the destructive torrential rains common to that part of the world (see Jdg 5:21; Mt 7:27).
Psalm 124:7 A triumphant note underlies this verse: we escaped by the Lord’s doing; therefore, he is to be praised.
Psalm 124:8 The psalm culminates in the great confession (see note on Ps 121:2).
Psalm 125:1 In place of the grandeur and freedom to which they aspired during the Exile, Israel, after their return, experiences nothing but difficulties, miseries, and foreign oppressions. Under the weight of this cruel disillusionment, their courage fails and their faith in the Lord wavers. Fortunately, men of strong character like Zephaniah, Ezra, Nehemiah, and the aged prophet, Haggai providentially appear to restore their confidence in the Lord’s faithfulness.
The present psalm may date from this period of restoration. It sings of the perfect stability and security assured to his faithful by the Lord, who surrounds them as the mountains surround Jerusalem making it well-nigh impregnable. However, despite threats and against all appearances, God is the only certain power in human existence.
We can pray this psalm mindful of the help the Father granted to Israel of old, but above all, of the far superior aid he accords to the Church, to her Head, as well as to each of her members. It is this same aid that we are to praise with Christ.
Psalm 125:1 God’s people (those who put their trust in the Lord) are like Mount Zion, which symbolizes God’s help (see Pss 121:1f; 124:8), his presence in helping and protecting his people (see Pss 76:7-10; 132:13-16), and the privileges of the covenant relationship, which cannot be shaken but endures forever (see Pss 16:8; 46:6; 112:6f; Isa 28:16; 54:10).
Psalm 125:2 In the mountain range around Jerusalem, Mount Zion is surrounded by higher peaks: to the east lies the Mount of Olives, to the north Mount Scopus, to the west and south, other hills. So Mount Zion was regarded as secure because of its natural defensibility. God is around and present to his people (see Ps 34:8; Zec 2:7), both now and forevermore (see Pss 113:2; 115:18; 121:8).
Psalm 125:3 Over the years, the enemies of Israel have invaded and occupied the land of Canaan and even annexed all or part of Israel and Judah (see Ps 124:2-5). However, the psalmist declares that the Lord will never allow such a situation to endure. For foreign rulers often attempted to introduce the worship of their gods to the local population. Such foreign rule (symbolized by the term scepter—see Isa 14:5) imposed on Israel cannot coexist with the Lord’s protecting presence. For it might be an occasion for some of the godly to be tempted, to lose heart, and to fall away. Land allotted to the righteous: i.e., the Promised Land (see Ps 78:55).
Psalm 125:4 Though confident in the Lord’s protection, the people pray for his help. For the Lord deals with everyone as that person is and does. In times of trouble, God gives his grace more abundantly; at the same time, he never permits his faithful to be tested beyond their strength. However, he wishes us to pray for that grace. The psalm therefore closes with a petition for grace and judgment. One’s own weakness and the malice of the enemy conceal many dangers. May God not refuse his assistance to those who are of goodwill and try to walk the path of virtue, and at the same time may he banish those who follow the path of evil.
Psalm 125:4 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
Psalm 125:5 The evildoers are apostates who have turned to wickedness, i.e., paths that twist away from the main road (see Jdg 5:6). The psalmist invokes the law of talion against them (see Ps 18:27ff). Peace be granted to Israel: perhaps a short form of the priestly blessing (see Num 6:24-26), with Israel designating the group of the poor of the Lord (see Pss 73:1; 102:2; 128:6; 130:7f).
Psalm 126:1 The Jewish community takes pains to be reestablished. But joy fills the people’s hearts. They still resound with the gladness and hope of the caravans returning from the Exile, and every pilgrimage unfolds like a new Exodus (vv. 1-3; see Isa 48:21), a return from the Exile. It is also faith in an even more wondrous future, the gathering together of all by the side of the Messiah. Such happiness is prepared for in the suffering of the present just as the harvest grows out of the grain sown into the earth where it dies (see Jn 12:24; Rom 8:8-25; 1 Cor 15:35-49).
In praying this psalm, we can also be mindful of the wondrous spiritual salvation of sinners worked by Christ in accord with the will of the Father. This salvation constitutes a spiritual Exodus from the sinful world to the divine dwelling of the earthly Church and then of the heavenly Church, a transferral from satanic tyranny to the gentle yoke of Christ and then of the heavenly Father, a conversion from infidelity to fidelity toward Christ and his Father. Such are the wonders that God has worked radically for all in causing Christ to pass from the grave to heaven, from death to glorious life (see Eph 4:8), and that he works effectively for every believer who shares in this mystery through faith (see Jn 5:24).
Psalm 126:1 The edict of the Persian King Cyrus the Great in 538 B.C. that permitted the exiles to return home was totally unexpected despite the oracles issued by Isaiah and Jeremiah. The long period of the captivity had caused many to give up hope. Hence, the joy of their deliverance was indescribable. The Gentiles, too, were impressed by this event; for many nations in the ancient Near East had vanished owing to conquest and exile, and the conventional wisdom was that little Israel would suffer the same fate. When this proved not to be the case, the People of God acknowledged that it was the Lord who had done great things for them.
Psalm 126:1 The restoration of the captives to Zion took place in 538 B.C., in fulfillment of the prophetic word (see Isa 14:1f; 44:24—45:25; 48:20f; Jer 29:14; 30:3; 33:7, 10f; Am 9:14). However, when the actual moment came, it felt like a mirage. When the Lord . . . dreaming: another translation is: “When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, / we were like men restored to health.”
Psalm 126:2 So great was the act of restoration and the joy of the people that the nations heard about it too (see Ps 98:2; Isa 52:10; Ezek 36:36) and praised the Lord (see note on Ps 46:10).
Psalm 126:3 The psalmist affirms that the Lord has done great things for the people, and they are filled with joy. We Christians can use this verse in our own right to declare the manifold blessings bestowed on us in Christ, especially his Resurrection, which turned the disciples’ sorrow into joy and brought salvation to the world that had previously been in bondage to the devil.
Psalm 126:4 The reality of life in Canaan soon tempered the joy of the repatriates, for they had to eke out an existence in the land that had remained untended for years. So the people cry out to God for a continuation of the restoration: restoration of their well-being in the land (fortunes; see Ps 14:7). And they are assured of God’s continued fidelity to his promise.
Psalm 126:4 The repatriates, disappointed by the limited fulfillment of the prophetic word, turn to the Lord. They beg him to grant them a complete restoration and give them a brighter future even if to do so he has to perform a miracle like creating streams in the Negeb. Restore our fortunes: another possible translation is: “Bring back our people from captivity.” No matter what the text, the prayer is one for a better future. Streams in the Negeb: the wadis of southern Palestine, almost always dry, are suddenly filled by the winter rains and fertilize the earth (see 2 Ki 3:20; Isa 41:18), representing proverbially the sudden coming of God’s blessing.
Psalm 126:5 God will be true to his promise, but the people must also do their part—they must sow the seed in order to have a harvest. God will turn the people’s tears into songs of joy by blessing them in their various endeavors and rewarding their laborious toil.
Psalm 126:6 The psalm concludes on the expectation of another miracle to take place; the people will return with shouts of joy because of the plentiful harvest. The time of exile was like a sowing of tears; it was a time of penance. The time of the harvest has not yet come. But as certainly as in nature the harvest follows upon seeding, so certain is it that a time of joy will follow for God’s people. Thus, the psalm attests to the certainty of the Lord’s promise. Seeds to be sown: “Previously the seed had not sprouted, and the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree, had borne no fruit. From this day forward I intend to bless you” (Hag 2:19).
Psalm 127:1 Without God, human undertakings are doomed to fail. It is God who is responsible for all of life’s blessings (see Deut 28:1-14). There is no need for us to become overly anxious. His providence takes care of us (see Mt 6:25-34; Jn 15:5). This is the constant teaching of the Old and New Testament. Nowadays, we know that natural laws follow a determined course that can be put to use in invention, technology, and the human sciences. But what do we expect to achieve? And if our endless affairs take away from us our time and taste for true joys, e.g., that of breaking bread together and of the fraternal home—what then?
We can and should recite this beautiful psalm in its original sense to praise the Lord who fills us with earthly goods and gifts. We can also transpose it to the spiritual plane to express our radical impotence in this sphere and to proclaim that all success and supernatural fecundity suppose the concurrence of Christ Jesus, acting in the name of the Father, in the Holy Spirit (see Jn 15:4f).
Psalm 127:1 The psalmist wishes to have the people become more God-centered in their everyday lives, for it is the Lord who provides shelter, security, and food.
Psalm 127:1 The building of a house may refer to the construction of a house within the protective walls of the city or to the raising of a “family,” for in the Old Testament it is usual to speak of a family as a house in much the same way as we speak of a prominent family as a dynasty (see Gen 16:2; 30:3; Ex 1:21; Ru 4:11; 1 Sam 2:35; 2 Sam 7:27). Even the best watchmen (see 2 Sam 13:34; 18:24-27; Song 3:3; 5:7) are not enough to protect the city against attack unless the Lord is guarding it (see Pss 121:4; 132).
Psalm 127:2 The higher way of life is to trust the Lord in one’s work. A good harvest results from God’s blessing, not endless toil (see Prov 10:22; Mt 6:25-34; 1 Pet 5:7).
Psalm 127:3 It is the Lord, too, who as a sign of his favor gives sons who ensure the perpetuity of the family that is faithful to him and provide protection for the family members.
Psalm 127:4 Children, especially sons, also provide a sense of security and protection for the family—especially if they are born early in the parents’ life (see Prov 17:6; Lam 3:13). As the arrows protect the warrior, so do sons guard the godly man.
Psalm 127:5 A house full of children is a protection against loneliness and abandonment in society. They will speak on behalf of their aging parents, especially at the city gate, where court was held (see Ps 69:13; Deut 17:5; 21:19; 22:15, 24; Prov 31:23; Am 5:12).

Nahum 1:1-13

Chapter 1

Title.¹This is an oracle about Nineveh, the book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh.^[a]

The Fury of God^[b]

In the Face of His Ardent Anger, Who Could Resist Him?^[c]

Chapter 1

Title. This is an oracle about Nineveh, the book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh.^[d]

The Fury of God^[e]

In the Face of His Ardent Anger, Who Could Resist Him?^[f]

²The Lord is a jealous God
    who does not hesitate to wreak vengeance
    or to show his anger.
The Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries
    and stores up wrath against his enemies.
³The Lord is slow to anger but great in power,
    and he will never allow the guilty
    to escape punishment.
He makes his way in whirlwind and storm,
    and the clouds are the dust beneath his feet.
⁴He rebukes the sea and leaves it dry,
    and he dries up all the rivers.
Bashan and Carmel wither,
    and the greenery of Lebanon fades.^[g]
⁵The mountains quake before him,
    and the hills dissolve;
the earth collapses before him,
    the world and all who live in it.
⁶When confronted by his anger,
    who can stand firm?
Who can endure his burning wrath?
    His fury is poured out like fire,
and the rocks are shattered before him.
⁷The Lord is good,
    an unfailing refuge in a time of distress.
He takes care of those who place their trust in him,
⁸    even if they are in peril from a raging flood.
He will make an end of those who oppose him,
    and he will pursue his enemies into darkness.

They Will Be Wasted Like Dry Straw^[h]

⁹Why do you devise plots against the Lord?
    He will make an end of you.
None of his adversaries rise up to confront him
    for a second time.
¹⁰Like a thicket of thornbushes, they are entangled;
    like dry straw they will be utterly consumed.
¹¹From your number, one has emerged
    who plots evil against the Lord
    and counsels wickedness.

¹²Thus says the Lord:

No matter how numerous they are,
    no matter how great their strength,
    they will be cut down and pass away.
Even though I have afflicted you,
    I will make you suffer no more.
¹³Now I will break off their yoke from your neck
    and snap the shackles that bind you.

Footnotes

Nahum 1:1 Elkosh was probably a place in Judea. This verse tells us what the subject of the Book is to be.
Nahum 1:1 The faith of Israel judges these events differently from the way secular historians do through the sudden leaps of history; it is the project of salvation of God that is accomplished: it is he who destroys Nineveh. Thus, before describing the unfolding of facts, the Book raises this drama to the level of a great manifestation of God, who brings back order and justice into the universe of men.
Nahum 1:1 One must let himself be carried away by the force of this triumphal psalm, which proclaims the victory of the All-Powerful whom no one can resist. Nevertheless, this terrible God leans toward the wicked.
Nahum 1:2 Elkosh was probably a place in Judea. This verse tells us what the subject of the Book is to be.
Nahum 1:2 The faith of Israel judges these events differently from the way secular historians do through the sudden leaps of history; it is the project of salvation of God that is accomplished: it is he who destroys Nineveh. Thus, before describing the unfolding of facts, the Book raises this drama to the level of a great manifestation of God, who brings back order and justice into the universe of men.
Nahum 1:2 One must let himself be carried away by the force of this triumphal psalm, which proclaims the victory of the All-Powerful whom no one can resist. Nevertheless, this terrible God leans toward the wicked.
Nahum 1:4 The places named were places of classic opulence.
Nahum 1:9 Master of the world, the Lord is also Master of history. He acts as the arbitrator of his oppressed people and Assyria, which incarnates the powers of evil: the first shall be liberated and the second shall be destroyed. Belial (“is worth nothing”), a term of scorn often assigned to an infernal power, fits very well upon Sennacherib, of sinister memory (see 2 Ki 18:19). If the God of the Bible appears to us often as one of chastisement, he is first of all the God of liberation.

1 Peter 1:13-25

¹³Convictions for Living.^[a] Therefore, prepare your minds for action. Be calm and fix your hopes completely on the grace that you will be granted at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹⁴Like obedient children, do not yield to the evil desires you had in your former ignorance. ¹⁵He who called you is holy. Therefore, be holy yourselves in all your conduct. ¹⁶For Scripture says, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

¹⁷If you address as Father the one who judges everyone impartially on the basis of each person’s deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile here. ¹⁸For you are aware that you were ransomed from your futile way of life inherited from your ancestors not with perishable things like silver or gold, ¹⁹but with the precious blood of Christ,^[b] a lamb without blemish or defect.

²⁰He was chosen before the foundation of the world, but in this final age he has been revealed for your sake. ²¹Through him you have come to believe in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and your hope are fixed on God.

²²Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to truth so that you have genuine love for your brethren, love one another intensely with all your heart. ²³You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.^[c] ²⁴For:

All flesh is like grass,
and all its glory like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, and the flower fades,
²⁵ but the word of the Lord endures forever.

It is this word that has been proclaimed to you.

Matthew 19:13-22

¹³Jesus Receives Little Children.^[a] Then people brought children to him so that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked them, ¹⁴but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them. For it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” ¹⁵And after he had laid his hands on them he proceeded on his way.

¹⁶The Rich Young Man.^[b] Then a man came forward and asked him, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to achieve eternal life?” ¹⁷He said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. But if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” ¹⁸He said, “Which ones?” And Jesus answered, “You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. ¹⁹Honor your father and your mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.”

²⁰The young man said to him, “I have observed all these. Is there anything more I must do?” ²¹Jesus replied, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” ²²When the young man heard this, he went away grieving, for he possessed great wealth.

New Catholic Bible (NCB)

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Book of Common Prayer

The Songs of Ascents and Great Hallel—Pss 120–136[a]

Psalm 120[b]

A Complaint against Treacherous Tongues

Psalm 121[i]

God, Guardian of His People

Psalm 122[p]

The Pilgrim’s Greeting to the Holy City

Psalm 123[w]

Prayer in Time of Spiritual Need

Psalm 124[ab]

Thanksgiving for the Lord’s Help

Psalm 125[aj]

God, Protector of His People

Psalm 126[aq]

God, Our Joy and Our Hope

Psalm 127[az]

Need of Divine Assistance

Footnotes

Chapter 1

The Fury of God[b]

In the Face of His Ardent Anger, Who Could Resist Him?[c]

Chapter 1

The Fury of God[e]

In the Face of His Ardent Anger, Who Could Resist Him?[f]

They Will Be Wasted Like Dry Straw[h]

Footnotes

Footnotes

Footnotes

The Songs of Ascents and Great Hallel—Pss 120–136^[a]

Psalm 120^[b]

Psalm 121^[i]

Psalm 122^[p]

Psalm 123^[w]

Psalm 124^[ab]

Psalm 125^[aj]

Psalm 126^[aq]

Psalm 127^[az]

The Fury of God^[b]

In the Face of His Ardent Anger, Who Could Resist Him?^[c]

The Fury of God^[e]

In the Face of His Ardent Anger, Who Could Resist Him?^[f]

They Will Be Wasted Like Dry Straw^[h]