Psalm 124-126
New King James Version
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—
2 “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,
When men rose up against us,
3 Then they would have (C)swallowed us alive,
When their wrath was kindled against us;
4 Then the waters would have overwhelmed us,
The stream would have [a]gone over our soul;
5 Then the swollen waters
Would have [b]gone over our soul.”
6 Blessed be the Lord,
Who has not given us as prey to their teeth.
7 (D)Our soul has escaped (E)as a bird from the snare of the [c]fowlers;
The snare is broken, and we have escaped.
8 (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.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
So the Lord surrounds His people
From this time forth and forever.
3 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.
4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
And to those who are upright in their hearts.
5 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.
2 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.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
And we are glad.
4 Bring back our captivity, O Lord,
As the streams in the South.
5 (N)Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.
6 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
- Psalm 124:4 swept over
- Psalm 124:5 swept over
- Psalm 124:7 Persons who catch birds in a trap or snare
- Psalm 126:1 Those of the captivity
- Psalm 126:2 Gentiles
- Psalm 126:6 to and fro
- Psalm 126:6 Lit. a bag of seed for sowing
- Psalm 126:6 with shouts of joy
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.