Psalms 123

1A gradual canticle. If it had not been that the Lord was with us, let Israel now say:

1A Song of the Ascents. Unto Thee I have lifted up mine eyes, O dweller in the heavens.

1 To you my eyes are lifted up, even to you whose seat is in the heavens.

2If it had not been that the Lord was with us, When men rose up against us,

2Lo, as eyes of men-servants <FI>Are<Fi> unto the hand of their masters, As eyes of a maid-servant <FI>Are<Fi> unto the hand of her mistress, So <FI>are<Fi> our eyes unto Jehovah our God, Till that He doth favour us.

2See! as the eyes of servants are turned to the hands of their masters, and the eyes of a servant-girl to her owner, so our eyes are waiting for the Lord our God, till he has mercy on us.

3Perhaps they had swallowed us up alive. When their fury was enkindled against us,

3Favour us, O Jehovah, favour us, For greatly have we been filled with contempt,

3Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us: for all men are looking down on us.

4Perhaps the waters had swallowed us up.

4Greatly hath our soul been filled With the scorning of the easy ones, With the contempt of the arrogant!

4For long enough have men of pride made sport of our soul.

5Our soul hath passed through a torrent: perhaps our soul had passed through a water insupportable.

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6Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us to be a prey to their teeth.

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7Our soul hath been delivered as a sparrow out of the snare of the fowlers. The snare is broken, and we are delivered.

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8Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

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