July 8 Reading – Psalms 120-131
Psalms 120 ASV
1 A Song of Ascents. In my distress I cried unto Jehovah, And he answered me.
2 Deliver my soul, O Jehovah, from lying lips, And from a deceitful tongue.
3 What shall be given unto thee, and what shall be done more unto thee, Thou deceitful tongue?
4 Sharp arrows of the mighty, With coals of juniper.
5 Woe is me, that I sojourn in Meshech, That I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
6 My soul hath long had her dwelling With him that hateth peace.
7 I am for peace: But when I speak, they are for war.
Psalms 121
1 A Song of Ascents. I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: From whence shall my help come?
2 My help cometh from Jehovah, Who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel Will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 Jehovah is thy keeper: Jehovah is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, Nor the moon by night.
7 Jehovah will keep thee from all evil; He will keep thy soul.
8 Jehovah will keep thy going out and thy coming in From this time forth and for evermore.
Psalms 122
1 A Song of Ascents; of David. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go unto the house of Jehovah.
2 Our feet are standing Within thy gates, O Jerusalem,
3 Jerusalem, that art builded As a city that is compact together;
4 Whither the tribes go up, even the tribes of Jehovah, For an ordinance for Israel, To give thanks unto the name of Jehovah.
5 For there are set thrones for judgment, The thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: They shall prosper that love thee.
7 Peace be within thy walls, And prosperity within thy palaces.
8 For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee.
9 For the sake of the house of Jehovah our God I will seek thy good.
Psalms 123
1 A Song of Ascents. Unto thee do I lift up mine eyes, O thou that sittest in the heavens.
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their master, As the eyes of a maid unto the hand of her mistress; So our eyes look unto Jehovah our God, Until he have mercy upon us.
3 Have mercy upon us, O Jehovah, have mercy upon us; For we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
4 Our soul is exceedingly filled With the scoffing of those that are at ease, And with the contempt of the proud.
Chapter 124
1 A Song of Ascents; of David. If it had not been Jehovah who was on our side, Let Israel now say,
2 If it had not been Jehovah who was on our side, When men rose up against us;
3 Then they had swallowed us up alive, When their wrath was kindled against us;
4 Then the waters had overwhelmed us, The stream had gone over our soul;
5 Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.
6 Blessed be Jehovah, Who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.
7 Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: The snare is broken, and we are escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of Jehovah, Who made heaven and earth.
Psalms 125
1 A Song of Ascents. They that trust in Jehovah Are as mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abideth for ever.
2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, So Jehovah is round about his people From this time forth and for evermore.
3 For the sceptre of wickedness shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; That the righteous put not forth their hands unto iniquity.
4 Do good, O Jehovah, unto those that are good, And to them that are upright in their hearts.
5 But as for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, Jehovah will lead them forth with the workers of iniquity. Peace be upon Israel.
Psalms 126
1 A Song of Ascents. When Jehovah brought back those that returned to Zion, We were like unto them that dream.
2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing: Then said they among the nations, Jehovah hath done great things for them.
3 Jehovah hath done great things for us, Whereof we are glad.
4 Turn again our captivity, O Jehovah, As the streams in the South.
5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
Psalms 127
1 A Song of Ascents; of Solomon. Except Jehovah build the house, They labor in vain that build it: Except Jehovah keep the city, The watchman waketh but in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, To take rest late, To eat the bread of toil; For so he giveth unto his beloved sleep.
3 Lo, children are a heritage of Jehovah; And the fruit of the womb is his reward.
4 As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, So are the children of youth.
5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: They shall not be put to shame, When they speak with their enemies in the gate.
Psalms 128
1 A Song of Ascents. Blessed is every one that feareth Jehovah, That walketh in his ways.
2 For thou shalt eat the labor of thy hands: Happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.
3 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine, In the innermost parts of thy house; Thy children like olive plants, Round about thy table.
4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed That feareth Jehovah.
5 Jehovah bless thee out of Zion: And see thou the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.
6 Yea, see thou thy children’s children. Peace be upon Israel.
Psalms 129
1 A Song of Ascents. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth up, Let Israel now say,
2 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth up: Yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 The plowers plowed upon my back; They made long their furrows.
4 Jehovah is righteous: He hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.
5 Let them be put to shame and turned backward, All they that hate Zion.
6 Let them be as the grass upon the housetops, Which withereth before it groweth up;
7 Wherewith the reaper filleth not his hand, Nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom.
8 Neither do they that go by say, The blessing of Jehovah be upon you; We bless you in the name of Jehovah.
Psalms 130
1 A Song of Ascents. Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Jehovah.
2 Lord, hear my voice: Let thine ears be attentive To the voice of my supplications.
3 If thou, Jehovah, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with thee, That thou mayest be feared.
5 I wait for Jehovah, my soul doth wait, And in his word do I hope.
6 My soul waiteth for the Lord More than watchmen wait for the morning; Yea, more than watchmen for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in Jehovah; For with Jehovah there is lovingkindness, And with him is plenteous redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel From all his iniquities.
Psalms 131
1 A Song of Ascents; of David. Jehovah, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; Neither do I exercise myself in great matters, Or in things too wonderful for me.
2 Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul; Like a weaned child with his mother, Like a weaned child is my soul within me.
3 O Israel, hope in Jehovah From this time forth and for evermore.
American Standard Version (ASV): Public Domain