ch120 ¹{A Song of degrees.} In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me. ²Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, [and] from a deceitful tongue. ³What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? ⁴Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper. ⁵Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, [that] I dwell in the tents of Kedar! ⁶My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. ⁷I [am for] peace: but when I speak, they [are] for war.

ch121 ¹{A Song of degrees.} I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 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 preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. ⁸The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

ch122 ¹{A Song of degrees of David.} I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD. ²Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem. ³Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together: ⁴Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD. ⁵For there are set thrones of 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. ⁹Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good.

ch123 ¹{A Song of degrees.} Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. ²Behold, as the eyes of servants [look] unto the hand of their masters, [and] as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes [wait] upon the LORD our God, until that 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.

ch124 ¹{A Song of degrees of David.} If [it had not been] the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel 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 quick, 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.

ch125 ¹{A Song of degrees.} They that trust in the LORD [shall be] as mount Zion, [which] cannot be removed, [but] abideth for ever. ²As the mountains [are] round about Jerusalem, so the LORD [is] round about his people from henceforth even for ever. ³For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity. ⁴Do good, O LORD, unto [those that be] good, and [to them that are] upright in their hearts. ⁵As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: [but] peace [shall be] upon Israel.

ch126 ¹{A Song of degrees.} When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. ²Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, 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. ⁶He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves [with him].

ch127 ¹{A Song of degrees for 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 to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: [for] so he giveth his beloved sleep. ³Lo, children [are] an heritage of the LORD: [and] the fruit of the womb [is his] reward. ⁴As arrows [are] in the hand of a mighty man; so [are] children of the youth. ⁵Happy [is] the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

ch128 ¹{A Song of degrees.} Blessed [is] every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. ²For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy [shalt] thou [be], and [it shall be] well with thee. ³Thy wife [shall be] as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. ⁴Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD. ⁵The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. ⁶Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, [and] peace upon Israel.

ch129 ¹{A Song of degrees.} Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say: ²Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me. ³The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows. ⁴The LORD [is] righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked. ⁵Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion. ⁶Let them be as the grass [upon] the housetops, which withereth afore it groweth up: ⁷Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom. ⁸Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the LORD [be] upon you: we bless you in the name of the LORD.