1 A Song of degrees.
IN my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me.
2 Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.
3 What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?
4 Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.
5 Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!
6 My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace.
7 I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.ellent greatness.
3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

1A song of degrees. In my distresse I cried vnto the Lord: and hee heard me.

2Deliuer my soule, O Lord, from lying lips: and from a deceitfull tongue.

3What shall be giuen vnto thee? or what shalbe done vnto thee, thou false tongue?

4Sharpe arrowes of the mightie: with coales of iuniper.

5Woe is me, that I soiourne in Mesech: that I dwell in the tents of Kedar.

6My soule hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace.

7I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for warre.

I == Ps 118:5 ; Jon 2:2

 

 

 

 

 

 

V == Gen 10:2 ; 25:13 ; 1st Sam 25:1 ; Jer 49:28-29 ; Ezek 27:13

1 A song of ascents. The LORD answered me when I called in my distress:

2 LORD, deliver my soul from lying lips, from a treacherous tongue.

3 What will he inflict on you, O treacherous tongue, and what more besides?

4 A warrior’s arrows sharpened with coals of brush wood!

5 Alas, I am a foreigner in Meshech, I live among the tents of Kedar!

6 Too long do I live among those who hate peace.

7 When I speak of peace, they are for war.

Fifteen Psalms, beginning with this one, are called Psalms of degrees, meaning Psalms of ascents. There are numerous views as to the meaning of this, but I hold to the traditional one that these are Psalms which the pilgrims sang as ascended up to Jerusalem for the annual feasts. This type thing was common practice.

Psalms 120 Prayer for protection by anyone who lived among the deceitful and treacherous people far away from the protection of Zion.

v 1,2 The psalmist prays for deliverance from liars.

v 3,4 The pilgrim poses a question and believes that liars will be destroyed.

v 5-7 The pilgrim loves peace and laments dwelling among those who do not.