The Lord the Defense of His People

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

124 “If it had not been the Lord who was on our (A)side,”
(B)Let Israel now say—
“If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,
When men rose up against us,
Then they would have (C)swallowed us alive,
When their wrath was kindled against us;
Then the waters would have overwhelmed us,
The stream would have [a]gone over our soul;
Then the swollen waters
Would have [b]gone over our soul.”

Blessed be the Lord,
Who has not given us as prey to their teeth.
(D)Our soul has escaped (E)as a bird from the snare of the [c]fowlers;
The snare is broken, and we have escaped.
(F)Our help is in the name of the Lord,
(G)Who made heaven and earth.

The Lord the Strength of His People

A Song of Ascents.

125 Those who trust in the Lord
Are like Mount Zion,
Which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
So the Lord surrounds His people
From this time forth and forever.

For (H)the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
On the land allotted to the righteous,
Lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity.

Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
And to those who are upright in their hearts.

As for such as turn aside to their (I)crooked ways,
The Lord shall lead them away
With the workers of iniquity.

(J)Peace be upon Israel!

A Joyful Return to Zion

A Song of Ascents.

126 When (K)the Lord brought back [d]the captivity of Zion,
(L)We were like those who dream.
Then (M)our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with singing.
Then they said among the [e]nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us,
And we are glad.

Bring back our captivity, O Lord,
As the streams in the South.

(N)Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.
He who continually goes [f]forth weeping,
Bearing [g]seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again [h]with (O)rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 124:4 swept over
  2. Psalm 124:5 swept over
  3. Psalm 124:7 Persons who catch birds in a trap or snare
  4. Psalm 126:1 Those of the captivity
  5. Psalm 126:2 Gentiles
  6. Psalm 126:6 to and fro
  7. Psalm 126:6 Lit. a bag of seed for sowing
  8. Psalm 126:6 with shouts of joy

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