Psalms

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PSALM 122^*

A Pilgrim’s Prayer for Jerusalem

1A song of ascents. Of David.

I

I rejoiced when they said to me,

“Let us go to the house of the LORD.”^a

2And now our feet are standing

within your gates, Jerusalem.

3Jerusalem, built as a city,

walled round about.^*^b

4There the tribes go up,

the tribes of the LORD,

As it was decreed for Israel,

to give thanks to the name of the LORD.^c

5There are the thrones of justice,

the thrones of the house of David.

II

6For the peace of Jerusalem pray:

“May those who love you prosper!

7May peace be within your ramparts,

prosperity within your towers.”^d

8For the sake of my brothers and friends I say,

“Peace be with you.”^e

9For the sake of the house of the LORD, our God,

I pray for your good.

* [Psalm 122] A song of Zion, sung by pilgrims obeying the law to visit Jerusalem three times on a journey. The singer anticipates joining the procession into the city (Ps 122:1–3). Jerusalem is a place of encounter, where the people praise God (Ps 122:4) and hear the divine justice mediated by the king (Ps 122:5). The very buildings bespeak God’s power (cf. Ps 48:13–15). May the grace of this place transform the people’s lives (Ps 122:6–9)!

* [122:3] Walled round about: lit., “which is joined to it,” probably referring both to the density of the buildings and to the dense population.

a. [122:1] Ps 43:3–4; 84:2–5.

b. [122:3] Ps 48:13–14.

c. [122:4] Dt 16:16.

d. [122:7] Ps 128:5.

e. [122:8] Jn 20:19ff.