PSALM 119
An Ode of Ascents.

Unto the Lord in mine affliction have I cried, and He heard me. O Lord, deliver my soul from unrighteous lips and from a crafty tongue. What shall be given unto thee and what shall be added unto thee for thy crafty tongue? The arrows of the mighty one, sharpened with coals of the desert. Woe is me, for my sojourning is prolonged; I have tented with the tentings of Kedar, my soul hath long been a sojourner. With them that hate peace I was peaceable; when I spake unto them, they warred against me without a cause.

PSALM 120
An Ode of Ascents.

I have lifted up mine eyes to the mountains, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, Who hath made heaven and the earth. Give not thy foot unto moving, and may He not slumber that keepeth thee. Behold, He shall not slumber nor shall He sleep, He that keepeth Israel. The Lord shall keep thee; the Lord is thy shelter at thy right hand. The sun shall not burn thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall keep thee from all evil, the Lord shall guard thy soul. The Lord shall keep thy coming in and thy going out, from henceforth and for evermore.

PSALM 121
An Ode of Ascents.

I was glad because of them that said unto me: Let us go into the house of the Lord. Our feet have stood in thy courts, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is builded as a city which its dwellers share in concord. For there the tribes went up, the tribes of the Lord, as a testimony for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. For there are set thrones unto judgement, thrones over the house of David. Ask now for the things which are for the peace of Jerusalem, and for the prosperity of them that love thee. Let peace be now in thy strength, and prosperity in thy palaces. For the sake of my brethren and my neighbours, I spake peace concerning thee. Because of the house of the Lord our God, I have sought good things for thee.

PSALM 122
An Ode of Ascents.

Unto Thee have I lifted up mine eyes, unto Thee that dwellest in heaven. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hands of their masters, as the eyes of the handmaid look unto the hands of her mistress, so do our eyes look unto the Lord our God, until He take pity on us. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, for greatly are we filled with abasement. Greatly hath our soul been filled therewith; let reproach come upon them that prosper, and abasement on the proud.

PSALM 123
An Ode of Ascents.

Had it not been that the Lord was with us, let Israel now say, had it not been that the Lord was with us, When men rose up against us, then had they swallowed us up alive. When their wrath raged against us, then had the water overwhelmed us. Our soul hath passed through a torrent; then had our soul passed through the water that is irresistible. Blessed be the Lord Who hath not given us to be a prey to their teeth. Our soul like a sparrow was delivered out of the snare of the hunters. The snare is broken, and we are delivered. Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who hath made heaven and the earth.

Stasis

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia: Glory to Thee, O God. (Three times). Lord, have mercy. (Three times). Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

PSALM 124
An Ode of Ascents.

They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion; he that dwelleth at Jerusalem, nevermore shall he be shaken. Mountains are round about her, and the Lord is round about His people from henceforth and for evermore. For the Lord will not permit the rod of sinners to be upon the lot of the righteous, lest the righteous stretch forth their hands unto iniquities. Do good, O Lord, unto them that are good and unto the upright of heart. But them that turn aside unto crooked ways shall the Lord lead away with the workers of iniquity; peace be upon Israel.

PSALM 125
An Ode of Ascents.

When the Lord turned again the captivity of Sion, we became as men that are comforted. Then was our mouth filled with joy, and our tongue with rejoicing. Then shall they say among the nations: The Lord hath done great things unto them. The Lord hath done great things among us, and we are become glad. Turn again, O Lord, our captivity, like streams in the south. They that sow with tears shall reap with rejoicing. In their going they went, and they wept as they cast their seeds. But in their coming shall they come with rejoicing, bearing their sheaves.

PSALM 126
An Ode of Ascents.

Except the Lord build the house, in vain do they labour that build it. Except the Lord guard the city, in vain doth he watch that guardeth her; it is vain for you to rise at dawn. Ye that eat the bread of sorrow, rouse yourselves after resting, when He hath given sleep to His beloved. Lo, sons are the heritage of the Lord, the reward of the fruit of the womb. Like arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the sons of them that were outcasts. Blessed is he that shall fulfil his desires with them; they shall not be put to shame when they speak to their enemies in the gates.

PSALM 127
An Ode of Ascents.

Blessed are all they that fear the Lord, that walk in His ways. Thou shalt eat the fruit of thy labours; blessed art thou, and well shall it be with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine on the sides of thy house, Thy sons like young olive trees round about thy table. Behold, so shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. The Lord bless thee out of Sion, and mayest thou see the good things of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. And mayest thou see thy children's children; peace be upon Israel.

PSALM 128
An Ode of Ascents.

Many a time have they warred against me from my youth, let Israel now say, Many a time have they warred against me from my youth, and yet they have not prevailed against me. The sinners wrought upon my back, they lengthened out their iniquity. The Lord is righteous; He hath cut asunder the necks of sinners. Let them be put to shame and turned back, all they that hate Sion. Let them be as the grass upon the housetops, which before it is plucked up is withered away. Wherefore the reaper filleth not his hand, nor he that gathereth sheaves his bosom. Nor have they that passed by said: The blessing of the Lord come upon you; we have blessed you in the name of the Lord.

Stasis

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia: Glory to Thee, O God. (Three times). Lord, have mercy. (Three times). Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

PSALM 129
An Ode of Ascents.

Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice. Let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication. If Thou shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, O Lord, who shall stand? For with Thee there is forgiveness. For Thy name's sake have I patiently waited for Thee, O Lord; my soul hath waited patiently for Thy word, my soul hath hoped in the Lord. From the morning watch until night, from the morning watch let Israel hope in the Lord. For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption; and He shall redeem Israel out of all his iniquities.

PSALM 130
An Ode of Ascents.

O Lord, my heart is not exalted, nor are mine eyes become lofty. Nor have I walked in things too great or too marvelous for me. If I were not humble-minded but exalted my soul, as one weaned from his mother, so wouldst Thou requite my soul. Let Israel hope in the Lord, from henceforth and for evermore.

PSALM 131
An Ode of Ascents.

Remember, O Lord, David and all his meekness. How he made an oath unto the Lord, and vowed unto the God of Jacob: I shall not go into the dwelling of my house, I shall not ascend upon the bed of my couch, I shall not give sleep to mine eyes, nor slumber to mine eyelids, nor rest to my temples, Until I find a place for the Lord, a habitation for the God of Jacob. Lo, we have heard of it in Ephratha, we have found it in the plains of the wood. Let us go forth into His tabernacles, let us worship at the place where His feet have stood. Arise, O Lord, into Thy rest, Thou and the ark of Thy holiness. Thy priests shall be clothed with righteousness, and Thy righteous shall rejoice. For the sake of David Thy servant, turn not Thy face away from Thine anointed one. The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David, and He will not annul it: Of the fruit of thy loins will I set upon thy throne. If thy sons keep My covenant and these testimonies which I will teach them, Their sons also shall sit for ever on thy throne. For the Lord hath elected Sion, He hath chosen her to be a habitation for Himself. This is My rest for ever and ever; here will I dwell, for I have chosen her. Blessing, I will bless her pursuit; her beggars will I satisfy with bread. Her priests will I clothe with salvation, and her saints with rejoicing shall rejoice. There will I make to spring forth a horn for David, I have prepared a lamp for My Christ. His enemies will I clothe with shame, but upon Him shall My sanctification flourish.

PSALM 132
An Ode of Ascents.

Behold now, what is so good or so joyous as for brethren to dwell together in unity? It is like the oil of myrrh upon the head, which runneth down upon the beard, upon the beard of Aaron, which runneth down to the fringe of his raiment. It is like the dew of Aermon, which cometh down upon the mountains of Sion. For there the Lord commanded the blessing, life for evermore.

PSALM 133
An Ode of Ascents.

Behold now, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord. Ye that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God, In the nights lift up your hands unto the holies, and bless the Lord. The Lord bless thee out of Sion, He that made heaven and the earth.

Final Stasis

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia: Glory to Thee, O God. (Two times). Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia: Glory to Thee, O God our Hope, O Lord, glory be to Thee. Lord, have mercy. (Three times). Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Psalter copyright 1974 Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Boston, MA