159 See how I have loved your guiding principles!

O Yahweh, in keeping with your mercy, give me a new life.

160 There is nothing but truth in your word, and all of your righteous regulations endure forever.

161 Influential people have persecuted me for no reason, but it is only your words that fill my heart with terror.

162 I find joy in your promise like someone who finds a priceless treasure.

163 I hate lying; I am disgusted with it.

I love your teachings.

164 Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous regulations.

165 There is lasting peace for those who love your teachings.

Nothing can make those people stumble.

166 I have waited with hope for you to save me, O Yahweh.

I have carried out your commandments.

167 I have obeyed your written instructions.

I have loved them very much.

168 I have followed your guiding principles and your written instructions, because my whole life is in front of you.

169 Let my cry for help come into your presence, O Yahweh.

Help me understand as you promised.

170 Let my plea for mercy come into your presence.

Rescue me as you promised.

171 Let my lips pour out praise because you teach me your laws.

172 Let my tongue sing about your promise because all your commandments are fair.

173 Let your hand help me because I have chosen to follow your guiding principles.

174 I have longed for you to save me, O Yahweh , and your teachings make me happy.

175 Let my soul have new life so that it can praise you.

Let your regulations help me.

176 I have wandered away like a lost lamb.

Search for me, because I have never forgotten your commandments.

Psalm 120 A song for going up to worship.

1 When I was in trouble, I cried out to Yahweh, and he answered me.

2 O Yahweh, rescue me from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue.

3 You deceitful tongue, what can Yahweh give you?

What more can he do for you?

4 He will give you a warrior's sharpened arrows and red-hot coals.

5 How horrible it is to live as a foreigner in Meshech or to stay in the tents of Kedar.

6 I have lived too long with those who hate peace.

7 I am for peace, but when I talk about it, they only talk about war.

Psalm 121 A song for going up to worship.

1 I look up toward the mountains.

Where can I find help?

2 My help comes from Yahweh, the maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let you fall.

Your guardian will not fall asleep.

4 Indeed, the Guardian of Israel never rests or sleeps.

5 Yahweh is your guardian.

Yahweh is the shade over your right hand.

6 The sun will not beat down on you during the day, nor will the moon at night.

7 Yahweh guards you from every evil.

He guards your life.

8 Yahweh guards you as you come and go, now and forever.

Psalm 122 A song by David for going up to worship.

1 I was glad when they said to me, "Let's go to the house of Yahweh."

2 Our feet are standing inside your gates, Jerusalem.

3 Jerusalem is built to be a city where the people are united.a 4 All of Yah's tribes go to that city because it is a law in Israel to give thanks to the name of Yahweh.

5 The court of justice sits there.

It consists of princes who are David's descendants.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May those who love you prosper.

7 May there be peace inside your walls and prosperity in your palaces."

8 For the sake of my relatives and friends, let me say, "May it go well for you!"

9 For the sake of the house of Yahweh our Elohim , I will seek what is good for you.

Psalm 123 A song for going up to worship.

1 I look up to you, to the one who sits enthroned in heaven.

2 As servants depend on their masters, as a maid depends on her mistress, so we depend on Yahweh our Elohim until he has pity on us.

3 Have pity on us, O Yahweh .

Have pity on us because we have suffered more than our share of contempt.

4 We have suffered more than our share of ridicule from those who are carefree.

We have suffered more than our share of contempt from those who are arrogant.

Psalm 124 A song by David for going up to worship.

1 "If Yahweh had not been on our side . . ."

(Israel should repeat this.) 2 "If Yahweh had not been on our side when people attacked us, 3 then they would have swallowed us alive when their anger exploded against us.

4 Then the floodwaters would have swept us away.

An overflowing stream would have washed us away.

5 Then raging water would have washed us away."

6 Thank Yahweh, who did not let them sink their teeth into us.

7 We escaped like a bird caught in a hunter's trap.

The trap was broken, and we escaped.

8 Our help is in the name of Yahweh , the maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 125 A song for going up to worship.

1 Those who trust Yahweh are like Mount Zion, which can never be shaken.

It remains firm forever.

2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so Yahweh surrounds his people now and forever.

3 A wicked ruler will not be allowed to govern the land set aside for righteous people.

That is why righteous people do not use their power to do wrong.

4 Do good, O Yahweh, to those who are good, to those whose motives are decent.

5 But when people become crooked, Yahweh will lead them away with troublemakers.

Let there be peace in Israel!

Psalm 126 A song for going up to worship.

1 When Yahweh restored the fortunes of Zion, it was as if we were dreaming.

2 Then our mouths were filled with laughter and our tongues with joyful songs.

Then the nations said, "Yahweh has done spectacular things for them."

3 Yahweh has done spectacular things for us.

We are overjoyed.

4 Restore our fortunes, O Yahweh , as you restore streams to dry riverbeds in the Negev.

5 Those who cry while they plant will joyfully sing while they harvest.

6 The person who goes out weeping, carrying his bag of seed, will come home singing, carrying his bundles of grain.

Psalm 127 A song by Solomon for going up to worship.

1 If Yahweh does not build the house, it is useless for the builders to work on it.

If Yahweh does not protect a city, it is useless for the guard to stay alert.

2 It is useless to work hard for the food you eat by getting up early and going to bed late.

Yahweh gives food to those he loves while they sleep.

3 Children are an inheritance from Yahweh .