Psalm 123-125

English Standard Version

Our Eyes Look to the Lord Our God

A Song of ^(A)Ascents.

123 To you I ^(B)lift up my eyes,
    O you who are ^(C)enthroned in the heavens!
²Behold, as the eyes of servants
    look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maidservant
    to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
    till he has mercy upon us.

³^(D)Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
    for we have had more than enough of ^(E)contempt.
⁴Our soul has had more than enough
    of ^(F)the scorn of ^(G)those who are at ease,
    of the contempt of ^(H)the proud.

Our Help Is in the Name of the Lord

A Song of ^(I)Ascents. Of David.

124 ^(J)If it had not been the Lord who was on our side—
    ^(K)let Israel now say—
²if it had not been the Lord who was on our side
    when people rose up against us,
³then they would have ^(L)swallowed us up alive,
    when their anger was kindled against us;
⁴then ^(M)the flood would have ^(N)swept us away,
    the torrent would have gone ^(O)over us;
⁵then over us would have gone
    the raging waters.

⁶Blessed be the Lord,
    who has not given us
    as prey to their teeth!
⁷We have escaped like a bird
    from ^(P)the snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken,
    and we have escaped!

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

The Lord Surrounds His People

A Song of ^(R)Ascents.

125 Those who ^(S)trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
    which ^(T)cannot be moved, but abides forever.
²As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
    so ^(U)the Lord surrounds his people,
    from this time forth and forevermore.
³For ^(V)the scepter of wickedness shall not ^(W)rest
    on ^(X)the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous ^(Y)stretch out
    their hands to do wrong.
⁴^(Z)Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
    and to those who are ^(AA)upright in their hearts!
⁵But those who ^(AB)turn aside to their ^(AC)crooked ways
    the Lord will lead away with ^(AD)evildoers!
    ^(AE)Peace be upon Israel!

2 Thessalonians 3

English Standard Version

Pray for Us

3 Finally, brothers,^[a] ^(A)pray for us, that ^(B)the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored,^[b] as happened among you, ²and ^(C)that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For ^(D)not all have faith. ³But ^(E)the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and ^(F)guard you against ^(G)the evil one.^[c] ⁴And ^(H)we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. ⁵May the Lord ^(I)direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

Warning Against Idleness

⁶Now we command you, brothers, ^(J)in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(K)that you keep away from any ^(L)brother ^(M)who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. ⁷For you yourselves know ^(N)how you ought to imitate us, because ^(O)we were not idle when we were with you, ⁸nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but ^(P)with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. ⁹It was ^(Q)not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves ^(R)an example to imitate. ¹⁰For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: ^(S)If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. ¹¹For we hear that some among you ^(T)walk in idleness, not busy at work, but ^(U)busybodies. ¹²Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.^[d]

¹³As for you, brothers, ^(V)do not grow weary in doing good. ¹⁴If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and ^(W)have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. ¹⁵^(X)Do not regard him as an enemy, but ^(Y)warn him as a brother.

Benediction

¹⁶Now may ^(Z)the Lord of peace himself ^(AA)give you peace at all times in every way. ^(AB)The Lord be with you all.

¹⁷I, Paul, write ^(AC)this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. ¹⁸^(AD)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.