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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 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.

Psalm 121

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.

Psalm 122

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.

Psalm 123

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.

Psalm 124

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.

Psalm 125

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.

Psalm 126

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.

Psalm 127

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.

World English Bible (WEB). World English Bible (WEB), public domain. “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org.