Revised Version 1885 (RV1885)
A Song of Ascents.
1 In my distress I cried unto theLord, and he answered me.
2 Deliver my soul, OLord, from lying lips,andfrom 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 amforpeace: but when I speak, they are for war.
A Song of Ascents.
1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: from whence shall my help come?
2 My helpcomethfrom theLord, which 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 shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 TheLordis thy keeper: theLordis thy shade upon thy right hand.
6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7 TheLordshall keep thee from all evil; he shall keep thy soul.
8 TheLordshall keep thy going out and thy coming in, from this time forth and for evermore.
A Song of Ascents; of David.
1 I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go unto the house of theLord.
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 theLordfora testimony unto Israel, to give thanks into the name of theLord.
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 theLordour God I will seek thy good.
A Song of Ascents.
1 Unto thee do I lift up mine eyes, O thou that sittest in the heavens.
2 Behold, as the eyes of servantslookunto the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyeslookunto theLordour God, until he have mercy upon us.
3 Have mercy upon us, OLord, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.
A Song of Ascents; of David.
1 If it had not been theLordwho was on our side, let Israel now say;
2 If it had not been theLordwho 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 theLord, 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 theLord, who made heaven and earth.
A Song of Ascents.
1 They that trust in theLordare as mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abideth for ever.
2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so theLordis 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, OLord, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.
5 But as for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, theLordshall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity. Peace be upon Israel.
A Song of Ascents.
1 When theLordturned again the captivity of 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, TheLordhath done great things for them.
3 TheLordhath done great things for us;whereofwe are glad.
4 Turn again our captivity, OLord, as the streams in the South.
5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
6 Though he goeth on his way weeping, bearing forth the seed; he shall come again with joy, bringing his sheaveswith him.
A Song of Ascents; of Solomon.
1 Except theLordbuild the house, they labour in vain that build it: except theLordkeep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
2 It is vain for you that ye rise up early, and so late take rest, and eat the bread of toil:forso he giveth unto his beloved sleep.
3 Lo, children are an heritage of theLord:andthe fruit of the womb ishisreward.
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 ashamed, when they speak with their enemies in the gate.
A Song of Ascents.
1 Blessed is every one that feareth theLord, that walketh in his ways.
2 For thou shalt eat the labour of thine 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 thine house: thy children like olive plants, round about thy table.
4 Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth theLord.
5 TheLordshall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.
6 Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children. Peace be upon Israel.
A Song of Ascents.
1 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 TheLordis righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.
5 Let them be ashamed and turned backward, all they that hate Zion.
6 Let them be as the grass upon the housetops, which withereth afore it groweth up:
7 Wherewith the reaper filleth not his hand, nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom.
8 Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of theLordbe upon you; we bless you in the name of theLord.