Study Desk

A song of ascents.

I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned^(a) in heaven.

As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord ^(b) our God, till he shows us his mercy.

Have mercy on us, Lord , have mercy on us, for we have endured no end of contempt.

We have endured no end of ridicule from the arrogant, of contempt from the proud.

A song of ascents. Of David.

If the Lord had not been on our side— let Israel say^(a)—

if the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us,

they would have swallowed us alive when their anger flared against us;

the flood^(b) would have engulfed us, the torrent^(c) would have swept over us,

the raging waters would have swept us away.

Praise be to the Lord , who has not let us be torn by their teeth.

We have escaped like a bird from the fowler's snare;^(d) the snare has been broken,^(e) and we have escaped.

Our help is in the name^(f) of the Lord , the Maker of heaven^(g) and earth.

A song of ascents.

Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,^(a) which cannot be shaken^(b) but endures forever.

As the mountains surround Jerusalem,^(c) so the Lord surrounds^(d) his people both now and forevermore.

The scepter^(e) of the wicked will not remain^(f) over the land allotted to the righteous, for then the righteous might use their hands to do evil.^(g)

Lord , do good^(h) to those who are good, to those who are upright in heart.⁽ⁱ⁾

But those who turn^(j) to crooked ways^(k) the Lord will banish^(l) with the evildoers. Peace be on Israel.^(m)