Ascents

Psalm 120 Ad Dominum

1. WHEN I was in trouble I called upon the Lord: and he heard me.
2. Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips: and from a deceitful tongue.
3. What reward shall be given or done unto thee, thou false tongue: even mighty and sharp arrows, with hot burning coals.
4. Woe is me, that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech: and to have my habitation among the tents of Kedar.
5. My soul hath long dwelt among them: that are enemies unto peace.
6. I labour for peace, but when I speak unto them thereof: they make them ready to battle.

Psalm 121 Levavi oculus

1. I WILL lift up mine eyes unto the hills: from whence cometh my help.
2. My help cometh even from the Lord: who hath made heaven and earth.
3. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: and he that keepeth thee will not sleep.
4. Behold, he that keepeth Israel: shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5. The Lord himself is thy keeper: the Lord is thy defence upon thy right hand;
6. So that the sun shall not burn thee by day: neither the moon by night.
7. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: yea, it is even he that shall keep thy soul.
8. The Lord shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in: from this time forth for evermore.

Psalm 122 Laetatus sum

1. I WAS glad when they said unto me: We will go into the house of the Lord.
2. Our feet shall stand in thy gates: O Jerusalem.
3. Jerusalem is built as a city: that is at unity in itself.
4. For thither the tribes go up, even the tribes of the Lord: to testify unto Israel, to give thanks unto the Name of the Lord.
5. For there is the seat of judgement: even the seat of the house of David.
6. O pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.
7. Peace be within thy walls: and plenteousness within thy palaces.
8. For my brethren and companions’ sakes: I will wish thee prosperity.
9. Yea, because of the house of the Lord our God: I will seek to do thee good.

Psalm 123 Ad te levavi oculos meos

1. UNTO thee lift I up mine eyes: O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
2. Behold, even 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: even so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us.
3. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we are utterly despised.
4. Our soul is filled with the scornful reproof of the wealthy: and with the despitefulness of the proud.

Psalm 124 Nisi quia Dominus

1. IF THE Lord himself had not been on our side, now may Israel say: if the Lord himself had not been on our side, when men rose up against us;
2. They had swallowed us up quick: when thy were so wrathfully displeased at us.
3. Yea, the waters had drowned us: and the stream had gone over our soul.
4. The deep waters of the proud: had gone even over our soul.
5. But praised be the Lord: who hath not given us over for a prey unto their teeth.
6. Our soul is escaped even as a bird out of the snare of the fowler: the snare is broken, and we are delivered .
7. Our help standeth in the Name of the Lord: who hath made heaven and earth.

Psalm 125 Qui confidunt

1. THEY that put their trust in the Lord shall be even as the mount Sion: which may not be removed, but standeth fast for ever.
2. The hills stand about Jerusalem: even so standeth the Lord round about his people, from this time forth for evermore.
3. For the rod of the ungodly cometh not into the lot of the righteous: lest the righteous put their hand unto wickedness.
4. Do well, O Lord: unto those that are good and true of heart.
5. As for such as turn back unto their own wickedness: the Lord shall lead them forth with the evil-doers; but peace shall be upon Israel.

Psalm 126 In convertendo

1. WHEN the Lord turned again the captivity of Sion: then were we like unto them that dream.
2. Then was our mouth filled with laughter: and our tongue with joy.
3. Then said they among the heathen: The Lord hath done great things for them.
4. Yea, the Lord hath done great things for us already: whereof we rejoice.
5. Turn our captivity, O Lord: as the rivers in the south.
6. They that sow in tears: shall reap in joy.
7. He that now goeth on his way weeping, and beareth forth good seed: shall doubtless come again with joy, and bring his sheaves with him.

Psalm 127 Nisi Dominus

1. EXCEPT the Lord build the house: their labour is but lost that build it.
2. Except the Lord keep the city: the watchman waketh but in vain.
3. It is but lost labour that ye haste to rise up early, and so late take rest, and eat the bread of carefulness: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
4. Lo, children and the fruit of the womb: are an heritage and gift that cometh of the Lord.
5. Like as the arrows in the hand of the giant: even so are the young children.
6. 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.

Psalm 128 Beati omnes

1. BLESSED are all they that fear the Lord: and walk in his ways.
2. For thou shalt eat the labours of thine hands: O well is thee, and happy shalt thou be.
3. Thy wife shall be as the fruitful vine: upon the walls of thine house.
4. Thy children like the olive-branches: round about thy table.
5. Lo, thus shall the man be blessed: that feareth the Lord.
6. The Lord from out of Sion shall so bless thee: that thou shalt see Jerusalem in prosperity all thy life long.
7. Yea, that thou shalt see thy children’s children: and peace upon Israel.

Psalm 129 Saepe expugnaverunt

1. MANY a time have they fought against me from my youth up: may Israel now say.
2. Yea, many a time have they vexed me from my youth up: but they have not prevailed against me.
3. The plowers plowed upon my back: and made long furrows.
4. But the righteous Lord: hath hewn the snares of the ungodly in pieces.
5. Let them be confounded and turned backward: as many as have evil will at Sion.
6. Let them be even as the grass growing upon the house-tops: which withereth afore it be plucked up;
7. Whereof the mower filleth not his hand: neither he that bindeth up the sheaves his bosom.
8. So that they who go by say not so much as, The Lord prosper you: we wish you good luck in the Name of the Lord.

Psalm 130 De profundis

1. OUT of the deep have I called unto thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice.
2. O let thine ears consider well: the voice of my complaint.
3. If thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss: O Lord, who may abide it?
4. For there is mercy with thee: therefore shalt thou be feared.
5. I look for the Lord; my soul doth wait for him: in his word is my trust.
6. My soul fleeth unto the Lord: before the morning watch, I say, before the morning watch.
7. O Israel, trust in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy: and with him is plenteous redemption.
8. And he shall redeem Israel: from all his sins.

Psalm 131 Domine, non est

1. LORD, I am not high-minded: I have no proud looks.
2. I do not exercise myself in great matters: which are too high for me.
3. But I refrain my soul, and keep it low, like as a child that is weaned from his mother: yea, my soul is even as a weaned child.
4. O Israel, trust in the Lord: from this time forth for evermore.

Psalm 132 Memento, Domine

1. LORD, remember David: and all his trouble;
2. How he sware unto the Lord: and vowed a vow unto the Almighty God of Jacob;
3. I will not come within the tabernacle of mine house: nor climb up into my bed;
4. I will not suffer mine eyes to sleep, nor mine eye-lids to slumber: neither the temples of my head to take any rest;
5. Until I find out a place for the temple of the Lord: an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.
6. Lo, we heard of the same at Ephrata: and found it in the wood.
7. We will go into his tabernacle: and fall low on our knees before his footstool.
8. Arise, O Lord, into thy resting-place: thou, and the ark of thy strength.
9. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness: and let thy saints sing with joyfulness.
10. For thy servant David’s sake: turn not away the presence of thine Anointed.
11. The Lord hath made a faithful oath unto David: and he shall not shrink from it;
12. Of the fruit of thy body: shall I set upon thy seat.
13. If thy children will keep my covenant, and my testimonies that I shall learn them: their children also shall sit upon thy seat for evermore.
14. For the Lord hath chosen Sion to be an habitation for himself: he hath longed for her.
15. This shall be my rest for ever: here will I dwell, for I have a delight therein.
16. I will bless her victuals with increase: and will satisfy her poor with bread.
17. I will deck her priests with health: and her saints shall rejoice and sing.
18. There shall I make the horn of David to flourish: I have ordained a lantern for mine Anointed.
19. As for his enemies, I shall clothe them with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish.

Psalm 133 Ecce, quam bonum!

1. BEHOLD, how good and joyful a thing it is: brethren, to dwell together in unity!
2. It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down unto the beard: even unto Aaron’s beard, and went down to the skirts of his clothing.
3. Like as the dew of Hermon: which fell upon the hill of Sion.
4. For there the Lord promised his blessing: and life for evermore.

Psalm 134 Ecce nunc

1. BEHOLD now, praise the Lord: all ye servants of the Lord;
2. Ye that by night stand in the house of the Lord: even in the courts of the house of our God.
3. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary: and praise the Lord.
4. The Lord that made heaven and earth: give thee blessing out of Sion.