Plea for Relief from Bitter Foes

A Song of Ascents.

120 In (A)my distress I cried to the Lord,
And He heard me.
Deliver 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 [a]warrior,
With coals of the broom tree!

Woe is me, that I dwell in (B)Meshech,
(C)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.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 120:4 mighty one

Psalm 120

A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.

I took my troubles to the Lord;
    I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer.
Rescue me, O Lord, from liars
    and from all deceitful people.
O deceptive tongue, what will God do to you?
    How will he increase your punishment?
You will be pierced with sharp arrows
    and burned with glowing coals.

How I suffer in far-off Meshech.
    It pains me to live in distant Kedar.
I am tired of living
    among people who hate peace.
I search for peace;
    but when I speak of peace, they want war!

I Am for Shalom

Psalm 120

A Song of Ascents.
In my trouble I cried out to Adonai,
    and He answered me.
Adonai, deliver my soul from lying lips,
from a deceitful tongue.
What can be given to you,
and what more can be done to you, O deceitful tongue?—
sharp arrows of the mighty,
    with burning coals of a broom tree!
Woe to me, for I sojourn in Meshech,
for I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
My soul has too long dwelt
with those who hate shalom.
I am for shalom and thus I speak,
but they are for war!