^123:2As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until he has mercy upon us.

^123:3Have mercy upon us, O Lord , have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt.

^123:4Our soul has had more than its fill of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud.

^124:0Thanksgiving for Israel's Deliverance.
A Song of Ascents. Of David.

^124:1If it had not been the Lord who was on our side —let Israel now say—

^124:2if it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when our enemies attacked us,

^124:3then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us;

^124:4then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us;

^124:5then over us would have gone the raging waters.

^124:6Blessed be the Lord , who has not given us as prey to their teeth.

^124:7We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped.

^124:8Our help is in the name of the Lord , who made heaven and earth.

^125:0The Security of God's People.
A Song of Ascents.

^125:1Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.

^125:2As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time on and forevermore.

^125:3For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous, so that the righteous might not stretch out their hands to do wrong.

^125:4Do good, O Lord , to those who are good, and to those who are upright in their hearts.

^125:5But those who turn aside to their own crooked ways the Lord will lead away with evildoers. Peace be upon Israel!

^126:0A Harvest of Joy.
A Song of Ascents.

^126:1When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.

^126:2Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”

^126:3The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.

^126:4Restore our fortunes, O Lord , like the watercourses in the Negeb.

^126:5May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.

^126:6Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.

^127:0God's Blessings in the Home.
A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

^127:1Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord guards the city, the guard keeps watch in vain.

^127:2It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives sleep to his beloved.

^127:3Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord , the fruit of the womb a reward.

^127:4Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the sons of one's youth.

^127:5Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

^128:0The Happy Home of the Faithful.
A Song of Ascents.

^128:1Happy is everyone who fears the Lord , who walks in his ways.

^128:2You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you.

^128:3Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.

^128:4Thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord .

^128:5The Lord bless you from Zion. May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.

^128:6May you see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel!

^129:0Prayer for the Downfall of Israel's Enemies.
A Song of Ascents.

^129:1“Often have they attacked me from my youth” —let Israel now say—

^129:2“often have they attacked me from my youth, yet they have not prevailed against me.

^129:3The plowers plowed on my back; they made their furrows long.”

^129:4The Lord is righteous; he has cut the cords of the wicked.

^129:5May all who hate Zion be put to shame and turned backward.

^129:6Let them be like the grass on the housetops that withers before it grows up,

^129:7with which reapers do not fill their hands or binders of sheaves their arms,

^129:8while those who pass by do not say, “The blessing of the Lord be upon you! We bless you in the name of the Lord!”

^130:0Waiting for Divine Redemption.
A Song of Ascents.

^130:1Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord .

^130:2Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!

^130:3If you, O Lord , should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?

^130:4But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered.

^130:5I wait for the Lord , my soul waits, and in his word I hope;

^130:6my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning.

^130:7O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem.

^130:8It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

^131:0Song of Quiet Trust.
A Song of Ascents. Of David.

^131:1O Lord , my heart is not lifted up, my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.

^131:2But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; my soul is like the weaned child that is with me.

^131:3O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time on and forevermore.

^132:0The Eternal Dwelling of God in Zion.
A Song of Ascents.

^132:1O Lord , remember in David's favor all the hardships he endured;

^132:2how he swore to the Lord and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,

^132:3“I will not enter my house or get into my bed;

^132:4I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids,

^132:5until I find a place for the Lord , a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

^132:6We heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of Jaar.

^132:7“Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool.”

^132:8Rise up, O Lord , and go to your resting place, you and the ark of your might.

^132:9Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let your faithful shout for joy.

^132:10For your servant David's sake do not turn away the face of your anointed one.

^132:11The Lord swore to David a sure oath from which he will not turn back: “One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne.

^132:12If your sons keep my covenant and my decrees that I shall teach them, their sons also, forevermore, shall sit on your throne.”

^132:13For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his habitation:

^132:14“This is my resting place forever; here I will reside, for I have desired it.

^132:15I will abundantly bless its provisions; I will satisfy its poor with bread.

^132:16Its priests I will clothe with salvation, and its faithful will shout for joy.

^132:17There I will cause a horn to sprout up for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed one.

^132:18His enemies I will clothe with disgrace, but on him, his crown will gleam.”

^133:0The Blessedness of Unity.
A Song of Ascents.

^133:1How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!

^133:2It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes.

^133:3It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord ordained his blessing, life forevermore.

^134:0Praise in the Night.
A Song of Ascents.

^134:1Come, bless the Lord , all you servants of the Lord , who stand by night in the house of the Lord!

^134:2Lift up your hands to the holy place, and bless the Lord .

^134:3May the Lord , maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion.