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  1. Wed: 2 Kings 22-25
  2. Thu: Hebrews 10-11
  3. Fri: Hosea 8-10
Saturday · Week 34
The Books of Poetry & Wisdom

Psalms 120-127

Week 34 · about 6 min
  1. Sun: Numbers 7-10
  2. Mon: John 7-8
  3. Tue: Jeremiah 21-22

Psalms 120-134 are the Songs of Degrees, sung by pilgrims on their way up to Jerusalem.

Songs for the Road to Jerusalem

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

Psalm 121:1-2 (KJV)

Each of these psalms is titled “A Song of degrees.” Pilgrims sang them on the climb to Jerusalem for the feasts. Psalm 120 starts far from home among people who love war. By Psalm 134 they’re in the temple at night, blessing God. In Psalm 121 the hills along the road had robbers and pagan shrines, so the singer looks past the hills to the one who made them, who “shall neither slumber nor sleep.” Psalm 126 promises, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.” Psalm 127 says, “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it.”

Reflect: What are you building that you need to hand over to God?

Psalm 120

1A Song of the going up. In my trouble my cry went up to the Lord, and he gave me an answer.

2O Lord, be the saviour of my soul from false lips, and from the tongue of deceit.

3What punishment will he give you? what more will he do to you, you false tongue?

4Sharp arrows of the strong, and burning fire.

5Sorrow is mine because I am strange in Meshech, and living in the tents of Kedar.

6My soul has long been living with the haters of peace.

7I am for peace: but when I say so, they are for war.

Psalm 121

1A Song of the going up. My eyes are lifted up to the hills: O where will my help come from?

2Your help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

3May he not let your foot be moved: no need of sleep has he who keeps you.

4See, the eyes of Israel's keeper will not be shut in sleep.

5The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand.

6You will not be touched by the sun in the day, or by the moon at night.

7The Lord will keep you safe from all evil; he will take care of your soul.

8The Lord will keep watch over your going out and your coming in, from this time and for ever.

Psalm 122

1A Song of the going up. Of David. I was glad because they said to me, We will go into the house of the Lord.

2At last our feet were inside your doors, O Jerusalem.

3O Jerusalem, you are like a town which is well joined together;

4To which the tribes went up, even the tribes of the Lord, for a witness to Israel, to give praise to the name of the Lord.

5For there seats for the judges were placed, even the rulers' seats of the line of David.

6O make prayers for the peace of Jerusalem; may they whose love is given to you do well.

7May peace be inside your walls, and wealth in your noble houses.

8Because of my brothers and friends, I will now say, Let peace be with you.

9Because of the house of the Lord our God, I will be working for your good.

Psalm 123

1A Song of the going up. To you my eyes are lifted up, even to you whose seat is in the heavens.

2See! as the eyes of servants are turned to the hands of their masters, and the eyes of a servant-girl to her owner, so our eyes are waiting for the Lord our God, till he has mercy on us.

3Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us: for all men are looking down on us.

4For long enough have men of pride made sport of our soul.

Psalm 124

1A Song of the going up. Of 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 came up against us;

3They would have made a meal of us while still living, in the heat of their wrath against us:

4We would have been covered by the waters; the streams would have gone over our soul;

5Yes, the waters of pride would have gone over our soul.

6Praise be to the Lord, who has not let us be wounded by their teeth.

7Our soul has gone free like a bird out of the net of those who would take her: the net is broken, and we are free.

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

Psalm 125

1A Song of the going up. Those whose hope is in the Lord are like the mountain of Zion, which may not be moved, but keeps its place for ever.

2As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people, from this time and for ever.

3For the rod of sinners will not be resting on the heritage of the upright; so that the upright may not put out their hands to evil.

4Do good, O Lord, to those who are good, and to those who are upright in heart.

5But as for such as are turned out of the straight way, the Lord will take them away with the workers of evil. Let peace be on Israel.

Psalm 126

1A Song of the going up. When the Lord made a change in Zion's fate, we were like men in a dream.

2Then our mouths were full of laughing, and our tongues gave a glad cry; they said among the nations, The Lord has done great things for them.

3The Lord has done great things for us; because of which we are glad.

4Let our fate be changed, O Lord, like the streams in the South.

5Those who put in seed with weeping will get in the grain with cries of joy.

6Though a man may go out weeping, taking his vessel of seed with him; he will come again in joy, with the corded stems of grain in his arms.

Psalm 127

1A Song of the going up. Of Solomon. If the Lord is not helping the builders, then the building of a house is to no purpose: if the Lord does not keep the town, the watchman keeps his watch for nothing.

2It is of no use for you to get up early, and to go late to your rest, with the bread of sorrow for your food; for the Lord gives to his loved ones in sleep.

3See, sons are a heritage from the Lord; the fruit of the body is his reward.

4Like arrows in the hand of a man of war, are the children of the young.

5Happy is the man who has a good store of them; he will not be put to shame, but his cause will be supported by them against his haters.

Bible in Basic English (BBE). Bible in Basic English (BBE), public domain in the United States.