Psalm 122

1 I was glad when they said to me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.

2 Our feet stood in thy courts, O Jerusalem.

3 Jerusalem is built as a city whose fellowship is complete.

4 For thither the tribes went up, the tribes of the Lord, as a testimony for Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord.

5 For there are set thrones for judgement, even thrones for the house of David.

6 Pray now for the peace of Jerusalem: and let there be prosperity to them that love thee.

7 Let peace, I pray, be within thine host, and prosperity in thy palaces.

8 For the sake of my brethren and my neighbours, I have indeed spoken peace concerning thee.

9 Because of the house of the Lord our God, I have diligently sought thy good.

Psalm 122 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.