If history is to be believed, it was difficult for the Jewish people to survive while in Babylonian captivity. The Jews have lost everything except their faith in God. The city in which these people used to live was destroyed, as were the lives of many captives.
However, the Jews did not despair, but continued to pray and ask the Lord to have mercy on them. Thanks to their faith in the power of God, they were able to ascend to their native land, Mount Zion. This is exactly what is described in Psalm 123, a prayer that is part of the “Songs of Ascension” cycle.
Psalm 123
As history goes, the Jews had a difficult period of captivity in Babylon. Then they lost everything except their faith in the Lord. Their city was destroyed, and the lives of many were destroyed. But the people did not despair; their prayers were heard. And the ascent to their native places, namely Mount Zion, took place. All this is described in songs of praise in the collection of Psalms. Psalm 123 is one of them. It is also called the Song of Ascension.
Prayer text
Often songs of praise are read in churches in Church Slavonic. At home, a believer can read Psalm 123 in Russian.
In Church Slavonic
1 For if the Lord were not in us, let Israel say,
2 For if the Lord were not in us, man would never rise up against us, for they would have devoured us alive,
3 Sometimes their wrath would be angry with us, or the water would drown us.
4 The stream has passed away our soul,
5 For our soul shall pass away from the fickle waters.
6 Blessed be the Lord, who will not let us be caught in their teeth.
7 Our soul, like a bird, has escaped from the net of those who catch it: the net is broken, and we are delivered.
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
In Russian
1 If the Lord were not with us, let Israel say,
2 If the Lord had not been with us when the people rose up against us,
3 Then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their wrath was kindled against us;
4 The waters would drown us, the flood would pass over our souls;
5 Stormy waters would pass over our soul.
6 Blessed be the Lord, who did not give us as prey to their teeth!
7 Our soul is delivered like a bird from the snare of those who catch it: the snare is broken, and we are delivered.
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, who created heaven and earth.
History of writing
There is an assumption that the author of the text of Psalm 123 is King David. And he wrote it to the Lord in order to save the people from imminent danger from strangers or domestic rebellion. Unfortunately, this fact remains unknown. Whatever happened in those distant times, the song absorbs all the reverence for the Lord. The king thanks the Almighty for the victory over his enemies.
Why read Psalm 123?
Prayer Psalm 123 is read when:
- Facing evil and injustice;
- If danger from outside is approaching;
- In gratitude for salvation from evil spirits and evil people.
Interpretation of Psalm 123
The Song of Ascension has a simple interpretation. The prayer itself is not big, it won’t be difficult to understand and memorize it.
- Verses 1-5: Whatever evil God's people try to eradicate, the more powerful is the Lord's protection. The author is grateful to him for saving him. The king calls on his people to give praise to God. The author told how evil people rebelled and the blood of innocents could be shed. But the people barely escaped death. The grace of the Lord is great, since he saved so many people. The Almighty took the side of the needy because they believed in him.
- Verses 6-8: The author magnifies the Lord's help in delivering from the evil of his people. One must always pay for the good deeds of the Lord with gratitude, and then he will never betray his people. Even though evil people are cunning and cunning, God will destroy all conspiracies. Such actions are inspiring.
Reading rules
Like any other song of praise, Psalm 123 is read in Russian and Church Slavonic. Prayers can be read from the collection of Psalms, separately from a page, or memorized.
History of writing
There is an opinion that the authorship of Psalm 123 belongs to King David. It can be assumed that the prayer was written during the war, most likely with the Syrians. David created the psalm in order to protect people from imminent danger from enemies. There is also a theory that the prayer was written to warn of rebellion within the state.
However, these facts remained unproven. The prayer contains the words that it was God who gave the people victory over strangers and helped them escape from the most severe dangers.
Psalter | Psalm 123
According to our assumption, David wrote down this psalm on the occasion of the great deliverance accomplished by the Lord for the king and his people from a serious danger that threatened everyone with destruction, either as a result of the invasion of foreigners, or as a result of a rebellion within the country - we do not know for sure. Be that as it may, David admires and wants others to admire the goodness of the Most High, who brought them deliverance. The psalmist diligently gives all the glory to the Lord, without attributing any merit to himself, as winners often do.
(I.) David describes the seriousness of the danger that threatened him and his people, speaking of the destruction they were on the brink of (v. 1-5).
(II) Gives glory to the Lord for deliverance (vv. 6-7, cf. vv. 1-2).
III. Encourages trust in the Most High (v. 8). In singing this psalm, we apply it not only to some specific situation of the Lord's deliverance of us and God's people in our day or in the days of our fathers, but we also reflect on the great work of redemption wrought by Jesus Christ in freeing us from the powers of darkness.
Song of the Ascension of David.
Verses 1-5 . Here David encourages the Israelites to give praise to the Lord for deliverance. Note:
I. How wicked were the people who intended to destroy the people of God. Let Israel say that he was only one step away from death: the more hopeless the disease seems, the more powerful is the healing skill of the Physician. Please note:
1. Where the threat came from: people rose up against us, creatures similar to us, who nevertheless intended to destroy us. Homo homini lupus is a wolf to man. It is not surprising if the red dragon and the roaring lion seek to devour us, but for people to thirst for the blood of their own kind! For Absalom to seek the blood of his own father, and for a woman to drink in the blood of the saints, according to the revelation of John, we should marvel at this with great astonishment. We expect humanity from people, but there are hypocrites who destroy their neighbors. What happened to these people? Why was their anger kindled against us (v. 3)? They were angry with us for some reason and decided that the only way to punish those we disliked was complete extermination. Anger is cruel, rage is indomitable. The wrath of the attackers flared up like a fire ready to consume us. They are proud, and because of their pride the wicked persecute the poor. The wicked are bold in their attacks, they have risen against us, risen in rebellion, determined to devour us alive.
2. How strong was the threat: a little more - and it would have become fatal: “They would have dealt with us, like a lion eats a lamb, not just killed, but completely devoured, without leaving a wet spot, we would not have had time to come to our senses , how quickly they would have been swallowed, going into the womb alive. We barely escaped death under the torrents of water, just as during a flood the lowlands are flooded, and the sandy shore disappears during the spring flood.” In his reflections, David comes to precisely this comparison, and here we observe a rise, indicating that this psalm belongs to the Songs of Ascension. The waters would drown us. What exactly is it about us? Why would a stream pass over our soul, our life, our joys and everything that is dear to us? What kind of water is this? Why are they stormy? Sometimes the Lord allows the enemies to go far enough in their persecution of the people of God so that the power of the Most High in deliverance is revealed in a special way.
II. How great is the goodness of the Lord, which saved us when we were on the brink of destruction: “But the Lord was with us, and if He had not been with us, we would have perished.”
(1) “The Lord was with us; He took our side, supported our cause and defended us. The Almighty helped us, and the help came in a timely manner, it was with us - very close. The Lord was with us and not just for us, but among us as the commander-in-chief of the troops.”
(2) The emphasis is on the fact that God was Jehovah. “If Jehovah, the God of unlimited power and perfection, had not himself taken upon himself to deliver us, our enemies would have overcome us.” Blessed therefore is the people whose God is Jehovah, the all-sufficient God. Let Israel say this to the glory of the Most High and resolve never to forsake their God.
Verses 6-8 . Here the psalmist further magnifies the great deliverance wrought for the people by the Lord.
I. That the hearts of the people might give thanks to the Most High with the more trembling (v. 6): Blessed be the Lord. All deliverance comes from God, so we must praise Him. We don't do the Lord justice if we don't give thanks. And all the more should we praise God, since we were saved while on the verge of death. We are delivered, 1. Like a lamb taken from the mouth of a wild beast: The Lord hath not given us a prey to their teeth; the implication is that the enemies have no power over God's people except what is given to them from above. If the Lord does not give His people over to the teeth of the predator, they will not become prey, and therefore the Israelites were saved because the Lord did not want to allow them to perish.
(2) Like a bird, a small bird (we are talking about a sparrow) from the net of those who catch. The enemies are very cunning and evil, they lay snares for God's people in order to lure them into sin and misfortune and keep them there. Sometimes it seems that they have succeeded so much that they have achieved their goal. God's people fall into the net and cannot help themselves, like a weak and foolish bird; and when all friends have betrayed, the time has come for God to come to the aid of the people. The Lord breaks the snares and destroys the counsel of the enemies: “the snare is broken, and we are delivered.” Deliverance came to Isaac as he lay ready for sacrificial slaughter. Jehovah-jireh - on the mountain of Jehovah will be seen.
II. So that God's people and everyone else will be encouraged to trust the Lord in their hearts when danger threatens: “Our help is in the name of the Lord” (v. 8). David has already encouraged us to rely on God's help for ourselves personally: “My help comes from the Lord” (Ps. 111:2);
here we are talking about the people as a whole: “Our help is in the name of the Lord.” It will be a consolation to anyone who takes the interests of the Israel of God to heart that the God of Israel is the same God who created the world and will therefore have the Church in the world and protect it during the greatest storms and adversities. Therefore, friends of the church have the right to trust in the Lord so as not to fall into confusion.
Psalm 123 – listen and read the text. Interpretation.
Old Testament
Psalter
- Book of Genesis
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- Psalter
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- Book of the Prophet Amos
- Book of the Prophet Obadiah
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- Book of the Prophet Habakkuk
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- Book of the Prophet Haggai
- Book of the Prophet Zechariah
- Book of the Prophet Malachi
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Here you can listen and read the text of Psalm 123
Interpretation of Psalm 123
Ps. 123:1-5
. The leitmotif of the psalm is the awareness and proclamation of the fact that if it were not for the Lord, His people would have become a helpless victim of the people who rebelled against them. Let Israel say it! - calls the psalmist, and after him the pilgrims.
There are various assumptions as to whether war or some other disaster was implied here. In essence, Psalm 123 can be applied to many events in the history of Israel. In particular, they express the opinion that this is speaking figuratively about the deliverance of the Jews from Babylonian captivity. But this does not agree with the authorship of David. Supporters of this opinion admit that Ps. 123 was written by one of the kings of his dynasty.
The waters and stream in verses 4 and 5 are common symbols of distress in the Old Testament.
Ps. 123:6-8
. The psalmist blesses the Lord, who delivered Israel. The “teeth” and nets in verses 6-7 symbolize the ruthlessness, cunning, and strength of his enemies. But the Lord did not give His people over as a prey to them; He broke the net in which Israel was caught. The last verse of this psalm is almost identical to verse 2 in Ps. 120.
You can learn more about God and the Bible on the website The Bible about God
Reading rules
All songs of praise are read in two languages: Church Slavonic and any other language that is closer. The prayer is read aloud from the Psalter or memorized and recited from memory.
What is known is that during the war with Syria, where all those who could bear arms fought, the southern part of Judea was left unprotected. The attackers could easily capture David away from his people, destroy the army and overthrow the people, without encountering any obstacles on their way. The psalmist compares his precarious situation in prayer to the threat of being swallowed up (verse 3).
Psalm 123: read and listen in Russian
The beautiful text of Psalm 123, according to researchers, belongs to the pen of King David, and is a call to the Jewish people to remember and realize all the cases of God's help that Israel experienced.
The interpretation of Psalm 123 explains that the key event that most clearly demonstrates that the power of God has no limits is the crossing of the Red Sea by the Jews. “If the Lord had not been with us, ... the waters would have drowned us, the stream would have passed over our soul” (Ps. 123: 2-4): with these words the psalmist exhorts his fellow citizens, apparently trying to strengthen them spiritually in the face of some new danger.
In what life circumstances does reading the Christian Psalm 123 help?
It is impossible to establish for certain what was the pretext for writing the text of Psalm 123. There is an assumption that it is connected with the Babylonian captivity, but in this case the authorship of King David is questioned, since chronologically these events could not coincide in any way. But if we assume that the inscription is “song of ascension. David” denotes the authorship not of the king himself, but of one of his descendants, in which case the version becomes completely justified. It is recommended to read, listen online and watch a video with the text of Orthodox Psalm 123 to protect yourself.
Listen to the video prayer Psalm 123 in Russian
Read the text of the prayer Psalm 123 in Russian
Song of Ascension. David.
If the Lord had not been with us, let Israel say, if the Lord had not been with us when people rebelled against us, then they would have swallowed us up alive when their wrath was kindled against us; the waters would drown us, the stream would pass over our soul; stormy waters would pass over our soul. Blessed be the Lord, Who did not give us as prey to their teeth! Our soul has been delivered, like a bird, from the net of those who catch it: the net is broken, and we are delivered. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who created heaven and earth.
Orthodox Psalter, text in Church Slavonic language Psalm 123
For if the Lord were not in us, let Israel speak; as if the Lord had not been in us, man would never have risen against us, for they would have devoured us alive; We would never be angry with their rage against us, otherwise the water would drown us. The stream has passed away our soul; For our soul shall pass away from the fickle waters. Blessed be the Lord, who did not let us be caught by their teeth. Our soul, like a bird, escapes from the snare of those who catch it; the net is broken, and we are delivered. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who created heaven and earth.
Sources: https://bible-teka.com/matthew-henry/19/123/ https://monastyrvhmelevo.ru/psalom-123-tekst-molitvy-na-russkom/ https://otveti.org/tolkovanie- biblii/psaltir/123/ https://filosofia.ru/psalom-123-chitat-i-slushat-na-russkom-yazyke/ https://omolitvah.ru/molitvy/psalom-124/
Contents and liturgical use of the psalms[ | ]
Psalm 119 (120)[ | ]
Main article: Psalm 119
Russian incipit: To the Lord, when I was in sorrow, I cried
.
Latin incipit: Ad Dominum cum tribularer clamavi
. Psalm 119 is the prayer of an exile. In a short (seven verses) prayer, he asks for one thing - for salvation from the slander of others. Mosoch and Kedar mentioned in the text are territories that were part of the Babylonian kingdom; the psalmist composed this psalm with all exiles in mind, wherever they lived. In Judaism, it is customary to read this psalm to pregnant women; it is also read during fasting on the occasion of rainlessness.
Psalm 120 (121)[ | ]
Main article: Psalm 120
Russian incipit: I lifted my eyes to the mountains
.
Latin incipit: Levavi oculos meos in montes
. The 120th psalm in the Hebrew text has a slightly changed inscription שִׁיר לַמַּעֲלוֹת, (the meaning of the inscription is the same as in the other psalms of the group). According to most interpreters, this psalm is a road prayer that could have been composed when the captives returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. In this psalm, God is praised as the Guardian (שׁוֹמֵר). The mountains from which the psalmist expects help are, of course, the mountains of the land of Israel (Palestine), on which Jerusalem stands, and where the Jerusalem Temple was located.
In the original, the inscription of the psalm differs from the rest of the psalms in the cycle by one letter; it can be translated “Song for
ascension."
In Judaism, the psalm is read during fasting on the occasion of lack of rain, in the monthly ritual of blessing the new moon. Among the Sephardim it is read in evening prayer, and also, together with the next three psalms, in Saturday morning prayer. The text of this psalm is usually hung over the bed of a woman preparing to give birth.
In Christianity, the psalm was part of the ancient rite of Vespers, which is still preserved in the Armenian rite.
Psalm 121 (122)[ | ]
Russian incipit: We rejoice at those who told me
.
Latin incipit: Laetatus sum in his quae dicta sunt mihi
. Psalm 121, according to the inscription, was written by King David. It is dedicated to Jerusalem, which David made the capital of the united kingdom of Israel and the new religious center of the people. David could have written this psalm for future pilgrims coming to the Temple for the holidays.
Psalm 122 (123)[ | ]
Russian incipit: My eyes are lifted up to You
.
Latin incipit: Ad te levavi oculos meos
. Psalm 122 is a short prayer of a person in distress who sees his only hope in God. Like other psalms in the cycle, it most likely dates back to the era of the Babylonian captivity or later.
Psalm 123 (124)[ | ]
Russian incipit: As if the Lord were not in us
.
Latin incipit: Nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis
. Psalm 123, according to the inscription, was written by King David, and this opinion is shared by most interpreters. The psalmist thanks God for the victory over his enemies. The plot is reminiscent of the 17th Psalm in a greatly abbreviated form.
Psalm 124 (125)[ | ]
Russian incipit: Those who hope in the Lord are like Mount Zion
.
Latin incipit: Qui confidunt in Domino sicut mons Sion
. Psalm 124 dates back to the time of the construction of the Second Temple, it continues the theme of the previous psalms about a person in a difficult situation and seeking salvation in God.
Psalm 125 (126)[ | ]
Russian incipit: Never return the captivity of Zion to the Lord
.
Latin incipit: In convertendo Dominum captivitatem Sion
. Psalm 125 is a joyful song for the returning captives. At the end of the psalm there is a parable about people weeping sowing seeds, which are their only food, in the hope of a future harvest - the psalmist expresses confidence that God will reward them a hundredfold. In the historical context, this parable meant those who, having received permission to return from Babylon to the land of Israel, left their established life in a foreign land and set off on a journey in order to restore their country and the Temple in the face of difficulties.
In Judaism, this psalm is sung at the beginning of the post-meal blessing on Saturdays and holidays, as well as on all days when tahanun (“praying for mercy”) is not said. The psalm is usually read on Israel's independence day; it was proposed as the anthem of the State of Israel.
Psalm 126 (127)[ | ]
Main article: Psalm 126
Russian incipit: Unless the Lord builds houses
.
Latin incipit: Nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum
. The 126th Psalm has in the inscription the name of King Solomon, but according to the general opinion of all interpreters, this does not indicate authorship, but that the psalm is dedicated to Solomon. The meaning of the psalm: all the efforts of people will be in vain if God does not help them. The psalm speaks of sons as a reward from the Lord: if a person does not have sons, then all his efforts will also be wasted.
The Latin text of this psalm (“Nisi Dominus”), a favorite text of the Psalter by ancient composers, was usually embodied within the genres of motet and cantata.
Psalm 127 (128)[ | ]
Russian incipit: Blessed are all who fear the Lord
.
Latin incipit: Beati omnes qui timent Dominum
. The theme of Psalm 127 is the reward that God gives to the righteous. In Orthodoxy, this psalm is included in the wedding ceremony[2]. In Judaism, this psalm is read in prayer before going to bed, as well as during the ritual of circumcision.
Psalm 128 (129)[ | ]
Russian incipit: Having fought with me in multitudes from my youth
.
Latin incipit: Saepe expugnaverunt me a iuventute mea
.
Psalm 128 continues the theme common to the cycle about a person in a cramped situation. He seeks consolation in the history of Israel, who suffered many disasters, but always received help from their heavenly Guardian. The ending of the psalm is interesting: it ends with a blessing that will not be
blessed by the enemies of Israel.
Psalm 129 (130)[ | ]
Main article: Psalm 129
Russian incipit: From the depths I cried to You, Lord
.
Latin incipit: De profundis clamavi ad te Domine
. Psalm 129 is a prayer of repentance, appealing to God's mercy. The psalm is especially popular in the Western Christian tradition; it is well known by its first words - “De profundis” (from Latin - “From the depths”).
In Judaism, this psalm is included in the funeral service and in the prayer read during fasting on the occasion of lack of rain.
In Orthodoxy, the psalm is read at Vespers as part of the group “Lord, I have cried.”
“De profundis” has long been used as a funeral prayer by Catholics, and, translated into German, by Protestants. The psalm was repeatedly set to music; the first words of the psalm are often used as the title of literary works.
Psalm 130 (131)[ | ]
Russian incipit: Lord, my heart is not exalted
.
Latin incipit: Domine non est exaltatum cor meum
. The author of Psalm 130, according to the inscription, is King David. The psalm may have been written during King Saul's persecution of David. The main idea of the psalm is that man lives by the grace of God, just as a baby lives by his mother’s milk.
Psalm 131 (132)[ | ]
Russian incipit: Remember, O Lord, David and all his meekness
.
Latin incipit: Memento Domine David et omnis mansuetudinis eius
. Psalm 131 is the largest psalm in the cycle. According to tradition, the psalm was written by King David and on the occasion of the founding of the altar on the site of the future Temple of Jerusalem (2 Sam. 24:18–25). In 2 Chron. 6:41, the words of this psalm are quoted by King Solomon in a prayer dedicated to the construction of the Temple.
In Orthodox worship, verses from the psalm are used in the 1st and 2nd antiphons at the Liturgy on the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In Talmudic Judaism, the verse of Psalm 131.17 “ There I will make the horn of David grow, I will set up a lamp for My anointed
"Mazon of Palestinian Nusach is included in the Birkat prayer.
Psalm 132 (133)[ | ]
Russian incipit: Behold what is good or what is red
.
Latin incipit: Ecce quam bonum et quam iucundum
. Psalm 132, according to the inscription, was written by King David. The main idea - the joy of pilgrims who came to Jerusalem for the holiday - is expressed through the comparison of the festive meal with oil and dew.
Psalm 133 (134)[ | ]
Russian incipit: Behold now bless the Lord
.
Latin incipit: Ecce nunc benedicite Dominum
. The last, 133rd psalm of the cycle is an evening blessing addressed to the Levites guarding the Temple. The last verse of the psalm is the completion of the entire cycle; it repeats motifs from the previous psalms in the cycle.
Liturgical use of the entire cycle[ | ]
In Judaism, the songs of ascension are recited together (with the addition of Psalm 103 at the beginning) in the winter after Saturday afternoon prayers.
In Orthodoxy, psalms 119-133 constitute one kathisma (18th) and as such are read in accordance with the general schedule of their reading. In the autumn-winter period of the year they are read at Vespers every day except Sunday; during Lent - every day except Sunday and Monday; the rest of the time - at Saturday Vespers (that is, on Friday).
