Our Eyes Look to the Lord Our God
A Song of mAscents.
1 To you I qlift up my eyes,
O you who are renthroned in the heavens!
2 Behold, 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 sHave mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
for we have had more than enough of tcontempt.
4 Our soul has had more than enough
of uthe scorn of vthose who are at ease,
of the contempt of wthe proud.
Our Help Is in the Name of the Lord
A Song of mAscents. Of David.
1 xIf it had not been the Lord who was on our side—
ylet Israel now say—
2 if it had not been the Lord who was on our side
when people rose up against us,
3 then they would have zswallowed us up alive,
when their anger was kindled against us;
4 then athe flood would have bswept us away,
the torrent would have gone cover us;
5 then over us would have gone
the raging waters.
6 Blessed be the Lord,
who has not given us
as prey to their teeth!
7 We have escaped like a bird
from dthe snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken,
and we have escaped!
8 eOur help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
The Lord Surrounds His People
A Song of mAscents.
1 Those who ftrust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which gcannot be moved, but abides forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so hthe Lord surrounds his people,
from this time forth and forevermore.
3 For ithe scepter of wickedness shall not jrest
on kthe land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous lstretch out
their hands to do wrong.
4 mDo good, O Lord, to those who are good,
and to those who are nupright in their hearts!
5 But those who oturn aside to their pcrooked ways
the Lord will lead away with qevildoers!
rPeace be upon Israel!
Pray for Us
1 Finally, brothers,1 jpray for us, that kthe word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored,2 as happened among you, 2 and lthat we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For mnot all have faith. 3 But nthe Lord is faithful. He will establish you and oguard you against pthe evil one.3 4 And qwe have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. 5 May the Lord rdirect your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.
Warning Against Idleness
6 Now we command you, brothers, sin the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, tthat you keep away from any ubrother vwho is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know whow you ought to imitate us, because xwe were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but ywith toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9 It was znot because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves aan example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: bIf anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you cwalk in idleness, not busy at work, but dbusybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.4
13 As for you, brothers, edo not grow weary in doing good. 14 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and fhave nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 gDo not regard him as an enemy, but hwarn him as a brother.
Benediction
16 Now may ithe Lord of peace himself jgive you peace at all times in every way. kThe Lord be with you all.
17 I, Paul, write lthis greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. 18 mThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
