Psalms 122:1-6

1 I was glad when they said to me, 1"Let us go to the house of the LORD!"
2 Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!
3 Jerusalem--2built as a city that is 3bound firmly together,
4 to which the tribes 4go up, the tribes of the LORD, as was 5decreed for[a] Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
5 There 6thrones for judgment were set, the thrones of the house of David.
6 7Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! "May they be secure who love you!

Psalms 122:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 122

\\<>\\. This is the first of the songs of degrees that bears the name of David: and Kimchi thinks they only were written by him which have his name to them; though he, Abendana, and others, are of opinion that this psalm was composed with a view to the captives in Babylon; who are here represented, and are represented as rejoicing at their going up to Jerusalem, to the solemn feasts there. The inscription in the Syriac version is, ``a "psalm" of David, one of the psalms of ascent, when Cyrus commanded the captivity to go up; spiritually, a promise of good things.'' It seems to be designed for the use of the Israelites, and to be sung by them when they went up to the feasts, three times a year. Some say {a} they sung this by the way, when they carried the firstfruits to Jerusalem. {a} Weemse's Christ. Synagog. l. 1. c. 6. s. 4. p. 144.

Cross References 7

  • 1. Isaiah 2:3; Micah 4:2; Zechariah 8:21
  • 2. Psalms 147:2
  • 3. Nehemiah 4:6
  • 4. Deuteronomy 16:16
  • 5. Psalms 78:5
  • 6. Deuteronomy 17:8; 2 Samuel 15:2; 1 Kings 3:16; 1 Kings 7:7; 2 Chronicles 19:8
  • 7. [Psalms 51:18; Jeremiah 29:7]

Footnotes 1

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.