The Joy of Going to the House of the Lord

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

122 I was glad when they said to me,
(A)“Let us go into the house of the Lord.”
Our feet have been standing
Within your gates, O Jerusalem!

Jerusalem is built
As a city that is (B)compact together,
(C)Where the tribes go up,
The tribes of the Lord,
[a]To (D)the Testimony of Israel,
To give thanks to the name of the Lord.
(E)For thrones are set there for judgment,
The thrones of the house of David.

(F)Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls,
Prosperity within your palaces.”
For the sake of my brethren and companions,
I will now say, “Peace be within you.”
Because of the house of the Lord our God
I will (G)seek your good.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 122:4 Or As a testimony to

Happy People in Jerusalem

A song ·for going up to worship [of ascents; C perhaps sung while traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate an annual religious festival like Passover]. Of David.

122 I ·was happy [rejoiced] when they said to me,
    “Let’s ·go [walk] to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord.”
Jerusalem, ·we [L our feet] are standing
    at your gates.

Jerusalem is built as a city
    ·with the buildings close together [L that is closely tied together].
The tribes [C the twelve tribes of Israel] go up there,
    the tribes who belong to the Lord.
It is the ·rule [decree; testimony] in Israel
    to ·praise [L thank the name of] the Lord at Jerusalem.
There ·are set thrones to judge the people [L dwell thrones of judgment],
    the thrones of the ·descendants [dynasty; L house] of David.

·Pray [L Ask] for peace in Jerusalem:
    “May those who love her ·be safe [prosper].
May there be peace within her ·walls [ramparts]
    and ·safety [security] within her strong towers.”
To help my ·relatives [brothers] and ·friends [neighbors],
    I say, “Let ·Jerusalem have peace [L peace be within you].”
For the sake of the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord our God,
    I ·wish [L seek] ·good [prosperity] for her.