Songs of Ascents
How do we keep moving forward on the journey of faith?
The study notes for this passage are still being written. The passage itself is below — read it now, and the notes will be here when you return.
Psalms 120:1-134:3
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1A Song of Ascents. In my distress, I cried to the LORD. He answered me.
2Deliver my soul, LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.
3What will be given to you, and what will be done more to you, you deceitful tongue?
4Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.
5Woe is me, that I live in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
6My soul has had her dwelling too long with him who hates peace.
7I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war.
1A Song of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?
2My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
3He will not allow your foot to be moved. He who keeps you will not slumber.
4Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5The LORD is your keeper. The LORD is your shade on your right hand.
6The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
7The LORD will keep you from all evil. He will keep your soul.
8The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in, from this time forward, and forever more.
1A Song of Ascents. By David. I was glad when they said to me, “Let’s go to the LORD’s house!”
2Our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem!
3Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together,
4where the tribes go up, even the LORD’s tribes, according to an ordinance for Israel, to give thanks to the LORD’s name.
5For there are set thrones for judgment, the thrones of David’s house.
6Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Those who love you will prosper.
7Peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces.
8For my brothers’ and companions’ sakes, I will now say, “Peace be within you.”
9For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good.
1A Song of Ascents. I lift up my eyes to you, you who sit in the heavens.
2Behold, as 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 on us.
3Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt.
4Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scoffing of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud.
1A Song of Ascents. By David. If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, let Israel now say,
2if it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us,
3then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their wrath was kindled against us,
4then the waters would have overwhelmed us, the stream would have gone over our soul.
5Then the proud waters would have gone over our soul.
6Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as a prey to their teeth.
7Our soul has escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare. The snare is broken, and we have escaped.
8Our help is in the LORD’s name, who made heaven and earth.
1A Song of Ascents. Those who trust in the LORD are as Mount Zion, which can’t be moved, but remains forever.
2As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people from this time forward and forever more.
3For the scepter of wickedness won’t remain over the allotment of the righteous, so that the righteous won’t use their hands to do evil.
4Do good, LORD, to those who are good, to those who are upright in their hearts.
5But as for those who turn away to their crooked ways, the LORD will lead them away with the workers of iniquity. Peace be on Israel.
1A Song of Ascents. When the LORD brought back those who returned to Zion, we were like those who dream.
2Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.”
3The LORD has done great things for us, and we are glad.
4Restore our fortunes again, LORD, like the streams in the Negev.
5Those who sow in tears will reap in joy.
6He who goes out weeping, carrying seed for sowing, will certainly come again with joy, carrying his sheaves.
1A Song of Ascents. By Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, they who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman guards it in vain.
2It is vain for you to rise up early, to stay up late, eating the bread of toil, for he gives sleep to his loved ones.
3Behold, children are a heritage of the LORD. The fruit of the womb is his reward.
4As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of youth.
5Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. They won’t be disappointed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.
1A Song of Ascents. Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways.
2For you will eat the labor of your hands. You will be happy, and it will be well with you.
3Your wife will be as a fruitful vine in the innermost parts of your house, your children like olive shoots around your table.
4Behold, this is how the man who fears the LORD is blessed.
5May the LORD bless you out of Zion, and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
6Yes, may you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel.
1A Song of Ascents. Many times they have afflicted me from my youth up. Let Israel now say:
2many times they have afflicted me from my youth up, yet they have not prevailed against me.
3The plowers plowed on my back. They made their furrows long.
4The LORD is righteous. He has cut apart the cords of the wicked.
5Let them be disappointed and turned backward, all those who hate Zion.
6Let them be as the grass on the housetops, which withers before it grows up,
7with which the reaper doesn’t fill his hand, nor he who binds sheaves, his bosom.
8Neither do those who go by say, “The blessing of the LORD be on you. We bless you in the LORD’s name.”
1A Song of Ascents. Out of the depths I have cried to you, LORD.
2Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my petitions.
3If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?
4But there is forgiveness with you, therefore you are feared.
5I wait for the LORD. My soul waits. I hope in his word.
6My soul longs for the Lord more than watchmen long for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.
7Israel, hope in the LORD, for there is loving kindness with the LORD. Abundant redemption is with him.
8He will redeem Israel from all their sins.
1A Song of Ascents. By David. LORD, my heart isn’t arrogant, nor my eyes lofty; nor do I concern myself with great matters, or things too wonderful for me.
2Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.
3Israel, hope in the LORD, from this time forward and forever more.
1A Song of Ascents. LORD, remember David and all his affliction,
2how he swore to the LORD, and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:
3“Surely I will not come into the structure of my house, nor go up into my bed;
4I will not give sleep to my eyes, or slumber to my eyelids,
5until I find out a place for the LORD, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah. We found it in the field of Jaar.
7“We will go into his dwelling place. We will worship at his footstool.”
8Arise, LORD, into your resting place, you, and the ark of your strength.
9Let your priests be clothed with righteousness. Let your saints shout for joy!
10For your servant David’s sake, don’t turn away the face of your anointed one.
11The LORD has sworn to David in truth. He will not turn from it: “I will set the fruit of your body on your throne.
12If your children will keep my covenant, my testimony that I will teach them, their children also will sit on your throne forever more.”
13For the LORD has chosen Zion. He has desired it for his habitation.
14“This is my resting place forever. I will live here, for I have desired it.
15I will abundantly bless her provision. I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16I will also clothe her priests with salvation. Her saints will shout aloud for joy.
17I will make the horn of David to bud there. I have ordained a lamp for my anointed.
18I will clothe his enemies with shame, but on himself, his crown will shine.”
1A Song of Ascents. By David. See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity!
2It is like the precious oil on the head, that ran down on the beard, even Aaron’s beard, that came down on the edge of his robes,
3like the dew of Hermon, that comes down on the hills of Zion; for there the LORD gives the blessing, even life forever more.
1A Song of Ascents. Look! Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the LORD’s house!
2Lift up your hands in the sanctuary. Praise the LORD!
3May the LORD bless you from Zion, even he who made heaven and earth.