Siddur Part 4 Shir HaMa`aloth

“Songs of Uplifting”:
Psalm 120
A Song of Uplifting .
In my distress I cried to the Sacred One, and was answered.
Sacred One, save my soul from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.
What will be given to you?
What will be done to you, deceitful tongue?
Sharp mighty arrows, with blazing cinders of wood.
Woe unto me, for my drawn out journey,
I dwelled with those in the tents of Kedar!
My soul has long dwelt with those who hate peace.
I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.

Psalm 121
A Song of Uplifting . I will lift up my eyes to the mountains.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Sacred One,
Who made heaven and earth.
Never allowing your foot to falter -
your Guardian will not slumber.
Behold, the Guardian of Yisrael neither slumbers nor sleeps.
The Sacred One is your keeper -
the Sacred One is your shade upon your right hand.
The sun will not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Sacred One will preserve you from all evil -
and preserve your soul.
The Sacred One will preserve your going out and your coming in -
from now until forever.

Psalm 122
A Song of Uplifting, by Dawid. I was glad when they said to me,
‘Let us go to the house of the Sacred One’.
Our feet stood inside your gates, Yerushalayim.
Yerushalayim is built as a city which is bound firmly together;
There the tribes went up, the tribes of God,
as a testimony for Yisrael,
to give thanks to the idea of the Sacred One.
For thrones of judgment were set there,
the thrones of the house of Dawid.
Pray for the peace of Yerushalayim -
those who love you will prosper.
May there be peace within your walls,
and prosperity within your palaces.
For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will now say, be in peace.
For the sake of the house of the Sacred One our God,
I will seek goodness for you..

Psalm 123
A Song of Uplifting. I lifted up my eyes to You,
You who dwells in the heavens.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters,
and as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress;
so our eyes wait upon the Sacred One our God,
until God will be gracious to us.
Be gracious to us, Sacred One, be gracious to us -
for we are overfilled with contempt.
Our soul is overfilled with the scorn of those who are at ease,
and with the contempt of the arrogant.

Psalm 124
A Song of Uplifting, of Dawid.
If the Sacred One had not been with us, let Yisrael now say;
If the Sacred One had not been with us,
when men rose up against us;
Then they would have swallowed us up alive,
when their wrath was kindled against us;
Then the waters would have overwhelmed us,
the current would have surged across our soul;
Then the treacherous waters would have surged across our soul.
The Sacred One is appreciated,
who has not given us as a prey for their teeth.
Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the trappers;
the snare has broken, and we have escaped.
Our help is in the idea of the Sacred One,
Who made heaven and earth!

Psalm 125
A Song of Uplifting.
Those who trust in the Sacred One are like Mount Siyon,
which cannot falter, but abides for ever.
As the mountains surround Yerushalayim,
so the Sacred One surrounds the people; from now until forever.
For the rod of wickedness will not rest upon the lot of the righteous;
in order that the righteous put forth their hands to do wrong.
Sacred One, do good to those who are good,
and to those who are upright in their hearts.
And for those who turn to their crooked ways,
the Sacred One will lead them with those who do evil;
peace upon Yisrael!

Psalm 126
A Song of Uplifting.
When the Sacred One returns the captives of Siyon,
we will have been like dreamers.
Then our mouth will be filled with laughter,
and our tongue with joyful singing;
then they will say among the nations,
‘The Sacred One has done great things for them’.
The Sacred One has done great things for us; we are joyful!
Bring back our captives, Sacred One, like the streams of the Negev.
Those who sow in tears will reap in joyful song.
One who goes forth weeping, bearing the seed for sowing;
will come back with shouts of joy; with sheaves to bring in.

Psalm 127
A Song of Uplifting for Shelomo.
Unless the Sacred One builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain;
unless the Sacred One watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late,
to eat the bread of toil -
for truly God gives sleep to the beloved.
Behold, children are a heritage of the Sacred One -
and the fruit of the womb is a reward.
As arrows are in the hand of the mighty; so are the children of youth.
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them -
they will not be put to shame,
when they speak with the enemies in the gate.

Psalm 128
A Song of Uplifting. Fortunate are all who fear the Sacred One -
who walk in the ways of God.
When you eat the labor of your hands -
you will be fortunate, and it will be well with you.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine in the chambers of your house -
your children like olive shoots around your table.
Behold, so will the man be blessed who fears the Sacred One.
May the Sacred One bless you from Siyon -
and you will see the goodness of Yerushalayim -
all the days of your life.
And you will see your children’s children, peace upon Yisrael.

Psalm 129
A Song of Uplifting.
They have often troubled me from my youth, let Yisrael now say;
They have often troubled me from my youth -
yet they have not prevailed against me.
The plowers plowed upon my back; they made their furrows long.
The Sacred One is righteous; and has cut the cords of the wicked.
May all who hate Siyon be put to shame and turned away.
Let them be like the grass on the rooftops,
which withers before it is plucked;
With which the reaper does not fill his hand -
nor one who binds sheaves his arm.
And those who pass by do not say,
“May the blessing of the Sacred One be upon you;
we request blessings for you in the name of the Sacred One.”

Psalm 130
A Song of Uplifting. I called to You from the depths, Sacred One.
My Master, hear my voice -
may You listen attentively to the sound of my pleas.
If You, God, preserve iniquities, my Master, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with You; that You may be revered.
I wait for the Sacred One, my soul waits,
and I hope in the word of the One.
My soul longs for the Sacred One
more than those who long for the morning, who long for the morning.
Let Yisrael hope for the Sacred One -
for with the Sacred One there is kindness,
and there is much redemption with the One.
And the One will redeem Yisrael; from all its iniquities.

Psalm 131
A Song of Uplifting by Dawid.
Sacred One, my heart was not proud, nor my eyes lofty;
nor did I pursue matters too great or wondrous for me.
I have surely behaved and quieted my soul,
like a nursing child with its mother; my soul is like a nursing child.
Let Yisrael hope in the Sacred One from now until forever.

Psalm 132
A Song of Uplifting. Sacred One,
remember in Dawid’s favor all his suffering;
How he swore to the Sacred One,
and vowed to the mighty One of Ya`aqov;
Surely I will not come into the tent of my house,
nor get into the bed that is made for me;
I will not give sleep to my eyes, or slumber to my eyelids,
Until I find out a place for the Sacred One,
tabernacles for the mighty One of Ya`aqov.
Behold, we heard of it at Ephratha -
we found it in the fields of Ya`ar;
We will go into the tabernacles of the One -
we will prostrate at the footstool.
Arise, Sacred One, to Your resting place -
You, and the ark of Your might.
Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness -
and let your pious ones sing with joy.
For the sake of Dawid your servant,
do not turn away the face of your anointed.
The Sacred One has sworn in truth to Dawid -
and will not turn from it -
“Of the fruit of your loins I will set upon your throne”.
If your children keep my covenant
and my testimony that I teach them,
their children will also sit upon your throne forever.
For the Sacred One has chosen Siyon -
and desired it for a habitation.
This is my resting place forever -
here I will dwell; for I have desired it.
I will abundantly bless her provision -
I will satisfy her poor with bread.
I will also clothe her priests with salvation -
and her pious ones will sing ever joyfully.
There I will cause the pride of Dawid to sprout -
I have prepared a lamp for My anointed.
I will clothe his enemies with shame -
but upon him, his crown will shine.

Psalm 133
A Song of Uplifting, by Dawid.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
for siblings to dwell together in unity!
Like the precious oil upon the head, that runs down upon the beard,
Aaron’s beard, that runs down to the hem of his garments.
Like the dew of Hermon descending upon the mountains of Siyon;
for there the Sacred One has instructed the blessing,
let there be life forever!

Psalm 134
A Song of Uplifting. Behold, express appreciation to the Sacred One,
all you servants of the Sacred One,
who stand in the house of the Sacred One by night.
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary,
and express appreciation to the Sacred One.
May the Sacred One who made heaven and earth
bless you from Siyon!