Corpus Psalterium · Vol. V
Psalm CXXIII (123)
Cantillated — Communal Lament
Paul Whitehorn
Study the Word
Psalm 123 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.
A Song of Ascents.
I lift up my eyes to you, you who sit in the heavens.
שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת אֵ֭לֶיךָ נָשָׂ֣אתִי אֶת־עֵינַ֑י הַ֝יֹּשְׁבִ֗י בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to Yahweh, our God, until he has mercy on us.
הִנֵּ֨ה כְעֵינֵ֪י עֲבָדִ֡ים אֶל־יַ֤ד אֲֽדוֹנֵיהֶ֗ם כְּעֵינֵ֣י שִׁפְחָה֮ אֶל־יַ֪ד גְּבִ֫רְתָּ֥הּ כֵּ֣ן עֵ֭ינֵינוּ אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ עַ֝֗ד שֶׁיְּחָנֵּֽנוּ׃
Have mercy on us, Yahweh, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt.
חָנֵּ֣נוּ יְהוָ֣ה חָנֵּ֑נוּ כִּֽי־רַ֝֗ב שָׂבַ֥עְנוּ בֽוּז׃
Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scoffing of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud.
רַבַּת֮ שָֽׂבְעָה־לָּ֪הּ נַ֫פְשֵׁ֥נוּ הַלַּ֥עַג הַשַּׁאֲנַנִּ֑ים הַ֝בּ֗וּז לִגְאֵ֥יוֹנִֽים׃
Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.
I raise my eyes
to You
You who sit enthroned
in the heavens
Look
as the eyes of servants
watch their master's hand
as the eyes of a maid
watch her mistress's hand
so our eyes are on the LORD
the LORD our God
until He shows us grace
Show us grace, LORD
show us grace
for we have had our fill
of contempt
Our soul has had its fill
of the mocking of those at ease
the scorn
of the proud
Show us grace, LORD
show us grace
for we have had our fill
of contempt
so our eyes are on the LORD
the LORD our God
until He shows us grace
Show us grace, LORD
show us grace
for we have had our fill
of contempt
the scorn
of the proud
Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.
Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 125 psalms free.