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120 A Song of the Ascents. Unto Jehovah in my distress I have called, And He answereth me.

O Jehovah, deliver my soul from a lying lip, From a deceitful tongue!

What doth He give to thee? And what doth He add to thee? O deceitful tongue!

Sharp arrows of a mighty one, with broom-coals.

Wo to me, for I have inhabited Mesech, I have dwelt with tents of Kedar.

Too much hath my soul dwelt with him who is hating peace.

I [am] peace, and when I speak they [are] for war!

Prayer for Breaking Away from the Treacherous.

A Song of [a]Ascents.

120 In my trouble I cried to the Lord,
And He answered me.

Rescue my soul, O Lord, from lying lips,
And from a deceitful tongue.

What shall be given to you, and what more shall be done to you,
You deceitful tongue?—

Sharp arrows of the warrior,
With the [b]burning coals of the broom tree.


Woe to me, for I sojourn in Meshech,
and I live among the tents of Kedar [among hostile people]!(A)

Too long my soul has had its dwelling
With those who hate peace.

I am for peace, but when I speak,
They are for war.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 120:1 It is possible that the fifteen psalms (chs 120-134) known as the “Songs of Degrees or Ascents” were sung by the caravans of pilgrims going up to attend the annual feasts at Jerusalem. But it is equally possible that the title has reference to some peculiarity in connection with the music or the manner of using it.
  2. Psalm 120:4 The ancient rabbis explained that coals from a broom tree are unusual in that they continue burning on the inside even after they are extinguished on the outside. They compared this to a person who listens to slander: even if you try to persuade him otherwise and he seems to be convinced, he is still “burning” on the inside, i.e. still unconvinced.

Deliver Me, O Lord

A Song of (A)Ascents.

120 In my distress I called to the Lord,
    and he answered me.
Deliver me, O Lord,
    from lying lips,
    from a deceitful tongue.

What shall be given to you,
    (B)and what more shall be done to you,
    you deceitful tongue?
(C)A warrior's (D)sharp arrows,
    with glowing (E)coals of the broom tree!

Woe to me, that I sojourn in (F)Meshech,
    that I dwell among (G)the tents of (H)Kedar!
Too long have I had my dwelling
    among those who hate peace.
(I)I am for peace,
    but when I speak, they are for war!

Psalm 120

A song of ascents.

I call on the Lord(A) in my distress,(B)
    and he answers me.
Save me, Lord,
    from lying lips(C)
    and from deceitful tongues.(D)

What will he do to you,
    and what more besides,
    you deceitful tongue?
He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows,(E)
    with burning coals of the broom bush.

Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek,
    that I live among the tents of Kedar!(F)
Too long have I lived
    among those who hate peace.
I am for peace;
    but when I speak, they are for war.