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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 Ascents. In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he answered me.

2Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.

3What shall be given unto thee, and what shall be done more unto thee, thou deceitful tongue?

4Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.

5Woe is me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!

6My soul hath long had her dwelling with him that hateth peace.

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

Psalm 121

1A Song of Ascents. I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: from whence shall my help come?

2My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

3He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

4Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

6The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

7The LORD shall keep thee from all evil; he shall keep thy soul.

8The LORD shall keep thy going out and thy coming in, from this time forth and for evermore.

Psalm 122

1A Song of Ascents; of David. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go unto the house of the LORD.

2Our feet are standing within thy gates, O Jerusalem;

3Jerusalem, that art builded as a city that is compact together:

4Whither the tribes go up, even the tribes of the LORD for a testimony unto Israel, to give thanks into the name of the LORD.

5For there are set thrones for judgment, the thrones of the house of David.

6Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.

7Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.

8For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee.

9For the sake of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good.

Psalm 123

1A Song of Ascents. Unto thee do I lift up mine eyes, O thou that sittest in the heavens.

2Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes look unto the LORD our God, until he have mercy upon us.

3Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.

4Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.

Psalm 124

1A Song of Ascents; 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 rose up against us:

3Then they had swallowed us up alive, when their wrath was kindled against us:

4Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:

5Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.

6Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.

7Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.

8Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 125

1A Song of Ascents. They that trust in the LORD are as mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abideth for ever.

2As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people, from this time forth and for evermore.

3For the sceptre of wickedness shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; that the righteous put not forth their hands unto iniquity.

4Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.

5But as for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity. Peace be upon Israel.

Psalm 126

1A Song of Ascents. When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like unto them that dream.

2Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the nations, The LORD hath done great things for them.

3The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.

4Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the South.

5They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

6Though he goeth on his way weeping, bearing forth the seed; he shall come again with joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

Psalm 127

1A Song of Ascents; of Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

2It is vain for you that ye rise up early, and so late take rest, and eat the bread of toil: for so he giveth unto his beloved sleep.

3Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and 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 that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, when they speak with their enemies in the gate.

Revised Version (RV). Revised Version (RV), 1885, public domain.