Psalms 120; Psalms 121; Psalms 122; Psalms 123; Psalms 124; Psalms 125; Psalms 126; Psalms 127; Psalms 128; Psalms 129; Psalms 130; Psalms 131; Psalms 132

1 I cried out to the LORD when I was in trouble (and he answered me):

2 "LORD, deliver me from lying lips and a dishonest tongue!"

3 What more will be given to you, what more will be done to you, you dishonest tongue?

4 Just this: a warrior's sharpened arrows, coupled with burning coals from a wood fire!

5 Oh, I'm doomed because I have been an immigrant in Meshech, because I've made my home among Kedar's tents.

6 I've lived far too long with people who hate peace.

7 I'm for peace, but when I speak, they are for war.

1 I raise my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from?

2 My help comes from the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth.

3 God won't let your foot slip. Your protector won't fall asleep on the job.

4 No! Israel's protector never sleeps or rests!

5 The LORD is your protector; the LORD is your shade right beside you.

6 The sun won't strike you during the day; neither will the moon at night.

7 The LORD will protect you from all evil; God will protect your very life.

8 The LORD will protect you on your journeys— whether going or coming— from now until forever from now.

1 I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let's go to the LORD's house!"

2 Now our feet are standing in your gates, Jerusalem!

3 Jerusalem is built like a city joined together in unity.

4 That is where the tribes go up— the LORD's tribes! It is the law for Israel to give thanks there to the LORD's name,

5 because the thrones of justice are there— the thrones of the house of David!

6 Pray that Jerusalem has peace: "Let those who love you have rest.

7 Let there be peace on your walls; let there be rest on your fortifications."

8 For the sake of my family and friends, I say, "Peace be with you, Jerusalem."

9 For the sake of the LORD our God's house I will pray for your good.

1 I raise my eyes to you— you who rule heaven.

2 Just as the eyes of servants attend to their masters' hand, just as the eyes of a female servant attends to her mistress' hand— that's how our eyes attend to the LORD our God until he has mercy on us.

3 Have mercy on us, LORD! Have mercy because we've had more than enough shame.

4 We've had more than enough mockery from the self-confident, more than enough shame from the proud.

1 If the LORD hadn't been for us— let Israel now repeat!—

2 if the LORD hadn't been for us, when those people attacked us

3 then they would have swallowed us up whole with their rage burning against us!

4 Then the waters would have drowned us; the torrent would have come over our necks;

5 then the raging waters would have come over our necks!

6 Bless the LORD because he didn't hand us over like food for our enemies' teeth!

7 We escaped like a bird from the hunters' trap; the trap was broken so we escaped!

8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth.

1 The people who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion: never shaken, lasting forever.

2 Mountains surround Jerusalem. That's how the LORD surrounds his people from now until forever from now!

3 The wicked rod won't remain in the land given to the righteous so that they don't use their hands to do anything wrong.

4 LORD, do good to people who are good, to people whose hearts are right.

5 But as for those people who turn to their own twisted ways— may the LORD march them off with other evildoers! Peace be on Israel!

1 When the LORD changed Zion's circumstances for the better, it was like we had been dreaming.

2 Our mouths were suddenly filled with laughter; our tongues were filled with joyful shouts. It was even said, at that time, among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them!"

3 Yes, the LORD has done great things for us, and we are overjoyed.

4 LORD, change our circumstances for the better, like dry streams in the desert waste!

5 Let those who plant with tears reap the harvest with joyful shouts.

6 Let those who go out, crying and carrying their seed, come home with joyful shouts, carrying bales of grain!

1 Unless it is the LORD who builds the house, the builders' work is pointless. Unless it is the LORD who protects the city, the guard on duty is pointless.

2 It is pointless that you get up early and stay up late, eating the bread of hard labor because God gives sleep to those he loves.

3 No doubt about it: children are a gift from the LORD; the fruit of the womb is a divine reward.

4 The children born when one is young are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.

5 The person who fills a quiver full with them is truly happy! They won't be ashamed when arguing with their enemies in the gate.

1 Everyone who honors the LORD, who walks in God's ways, is truly happy!

2 You will definitely enjoy what you've worked hard for— you'll be happy; and things will go well for you.

3 In your house, your wife will be like a vine full of fruit. All around your table, your children will be like olive trees, freshly planted.

4 That's how it goes for anyone who honors the LORD: they will be blessed!

5 May the LORD bless you from Zion. May you experience Jerusalem's goodness your whole life long.

6 And may you see your grandchildren. Peace be on Israel!

1 From youth, people have constantly attacked me— let Israel now repeat!—

2 from youth people have constantly attacked me— but they haven't beaten me!

3 They plowed my back like farmers; they made their furrows deep.

4 But the LORD is righteous— God cut me free from the ropes of the wicked!

5 Let everyone who hates Zion be ashamed, thoroughly frustrated.

6 Let them be like grass on a roof that dies before it can be pulled up,

7 which won't fill the reaper's hand or fill the harvester's arms.

8 Let no one who passes by say to them: "May the LORD's blessing be on you! We bless you in the LORD's name!"

1 I cry out to you from the depths, LORD—

2 my Lord, listen to my voice! Let your ears pay close attention to my request for mercy!

3 If you kept track of sins, LORD— my Lord, who would stand a chance?

4 But forgiveness is with you— that's why you are honored.

5 I hope, LORD. My whole being hopes, and I wait for God's promise.

6 My whole being waits for my Lord— more than the night watch waits for morning; yes, more than the night watch waits for morning!

7 Israel, wait for the LORD! Because faithful love is with the LORD; because great redemption is with our God!

8 He is the one who will redeem Israel from all its sin.

1 LORD, my heart isn't proud; my eyes aren't conceited. I don't get involved with things too great or wonderful for me.

2 No. But I have calmed and quieted myself like a weaned child on its mother; I'm like the weaned child that is with me.

3 Israel, wait for the LORD— from now until forever from now!

1 LORD, remember David— all the ways he suffered

2 and how he swore to the LORD, how he promised the strong one of Jacob:

3 "I won't enter my house, won't get into my bed.

4 I won't let my eyes close, won't let my eyelids sleep,

5 until I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling place for the strong one of Jacob."

6 Yes, we heard about it in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of Jaar.

7 Let's enter God's dwelling place; let's worship at the place God rests his feet!

8 Get up, LORD, go to your residence— you and your powerful covenant chest!

9 Let your priests be dressed in righteousness; let your faithful shout out with joy!

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

11 The LORD swore to David a true promise that God won't take back: "I will put one of your own children on your throne.

12 And if your children keep my covenant and the laws that I will teach them, then their children too will rule on your throne forever."

13 Because the LORD chose Zion; he wanted it for his home.

14 "This is my residence forever. I will live here because I wanted it for myself.

15 I will most certainly bless its food supply; I will fill its needy full of food!

16 I will dress its priests in salvation, and its faithful will shout out loud with joy!

17 It is there that I will make David's strength thrive. I will prepare a lamp for my anointed one there.

18 I will dress his enemies in shame, but the crown he wears will shine."