Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today we'll be reading a group of
psalms known as the Psalms of Ascent, Psalms
120 -134. Psalm 120, a song of ascent. In my
distress I cried to the Lord, and He heard me.
Delivered my soul, O Lord, from lying lips and
from a deceitful tongue. What shall be given
to you, or what shall be done to you, you false
tongue? Sharp arrows of the warrior with coals
of the broom tree. Woe is me that I dwell in
Meshach, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar.
My soul has dwelt too long with one who hates
peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they
are for war. Psalm 121, a song of ascents. I
will lift up my eyes to the hills. From whence
comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who
made heaven and earth. He will not allow your
foot to be moved. He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel shall neither slumber
nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper. The Lord
is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall
not strike you by day nor the moon by night.
The Lord shall preserve you from all evil. He
shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve
your going out and your coming in, from this
time forth and even forevermore. Psalm 122, a
song of ascents of David. I was glad when they
said to me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.
Our feet have been standing within your gates,
O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built as a city that
is compact together, where the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord, to the testimony of Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the Lord. For thrones
are set there for judgment, the thrones of the
house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
May they prosper who love you. Peace be within
your walls, prosperity within your palaces. For
the sake of my brethren and companions, I will
now say, Peace be within you. Because of the
house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.
Psalm 124, a song of ascents of David. If it
had not been the Lord who was on our side, let
Israel now say, If it had not been the Lord who
was on our side, when men rose up against us,
then they would have swallowed us alive, when
their wrath was kindled against us, then the
waters would have overwhelmed us, the stream
would have gone over our soul, then the swollen
waters would have gone over our soul. Blessed
be the Lord who has not given us as prey to their
teeth. Psalm 125, a song of ascents. Psalm 126
A Song of Ascents When the Lord brought back
the captivity of Zion, We were like those who
dream. Then 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. The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are glad. Bring back our captivity, O
Lord, as the streams in the south. Those who
sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually
goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing,
shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing
his chiefs with him. Psalm 127 A Song of Ascents
of Solomon Unless the Lord builds the house,
they labor in vain who build it. Unless the Lord
guards the city, the watchman stays awake in
vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to
sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, for
so he gives his beloved sleep. Behold, children
are heritage from the Lord. The fruit of the
womb is a reward, like arrows in the hand of
a warrior. So are the children of one's youth.
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.
They shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with
their enemies in the gate. Psalm 128, A Song
of Ascents Blessed is everyone who fears the
Lord, who walks in His ways. When you eat the
labor of your hands, you shall be happy, and
it shall be well with you. Your wife shall be
like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your
house. Your children like olive plants. Psalm
129, a song of ascents. Many a time they have
afflicted me from my youth, yet they have not
prevailed against me. The plowers plowed on my
back, they made their furs long. The Lord is
righteous, he has cut in pieces the cords of
the wicked. Let all those who hate Zion be put
to shame and turned back. Let them be as the
grass on housetops, which withers before it grows
up, with which the reaper does not fill his hand,
nor he who binds sheaves his arms. Neither let
those who pass by them say, The blessing of the
Lord be upon you. We bless you in the name of
the Lord. Psalm 130, A Song of Ascents Out of
the depth I have cried to you, O Lord. Lord,
hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to
the voice of my supplications. If you, Lord,
should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you, that you may
be feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits.
and in his word I do hope. My soul waits for
the Lord, more than those who watch for the morning,
yes, more than those who watch for the morning.
O Israel, hope in the Lord, for with the Lord
there is mercy, and with him is abundant redemption,
and he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Psalm 131, a song of ascents, of David. Lord,
my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty. Neither
do I concern myself with great matters, nor with
things too profound for me. Surely I have calmed
and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with
his mother, like a weaned child is my soul within
me. O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time
forth and forever. Psalm 132, a song of ascents.
Lord, remember David and all his afflictions,
how he swore to the Lord and vowed to the mighty
one of Jacob. Surely I will not go into the chamber
of my house, or go up to the comfort of my bed.
I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to
my eyelids, until I find a place for the Lord,
a dwelling place for the mighty one of Jacob.
Behold, we heard of it in Ephrata. We found it
in the fields of the woods. Let us go into his
tabernacle. Let us worship at his footstool.
Arise, O Lord, to your resting place. you an
ark of your strength. Let your priests be clothed
with righteousness, and let your saints shout
for joy. For your servant David's sake, do not
turn away the face of your anointed. The Lord
has sworn in truth to David, he will not turn
from it. I will set upon your throne the fruit
of your body. If your sons will keep my covenant
and my testimony, which I shall teach them, their
sons also shall sit upon your throne forevermore.
For the Lord has chosen Zion, He has desired
it for his dwelling place. This is my resting
place forever. Here I will dwell, for I have
desired it. I will abundantly bless her provision.
I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will also
clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints
shall shout aloud for joy. There I will make
the horn of David grow. I will prepare a lamp
for my anointed. His enemies I will clothe with
shame, but upon himself his crown shall flourish.
Psalm 133 A song of ascents of David Behold how
good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell
together in unity. It is like the precious oil
upon the head, running down on the beard, the
beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his
garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending
upon the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord
commanded the blessing, life forevermore. Psalm
134 A song of ascents I hope you enjoyed today's
reading as much as I did, and I look forward
to seeing you again tomorrow to continue on our
journey. God bless you and have a great day.