8/16/19
Tom Lowe
Psalm 122: David Professes His Joy for the Church
(A Song of degrees by David.)
Text: Palms 122:1-9 (KJV)
1 I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.
2 Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:
4 Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.
5 For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.
7 Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.
8 For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee.
9 Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good.
Introduction:
Psalm 122 is the third in a series of fifteen psalms, all of which have the inscription, “a song of degrees.” That naturally leads to the question, “What degrees is the writer talking about?” This psalm is credited to David; and there is evidence that confirms the inscription. The city was newly built and beautified, and was the seat of David's government. “The house of the Lord,” referred to in verses 1 and 9, is clearly the early sanctuary, which was known by this name (Judges 18:31; 19:18).
Only one set of degrees is mentioned in the Bible; those related to the sundial of Ahaz. When King Hezekiah was deathly ill, his unrelenting prayer was answered and he was given a fifteen year extension to his life. He was also given a sign by the prophet Isaiah as proof that he was going to recover. The shadow on the sundial of Ahaz went back by ten degrees. On recovering from his sickness, the king said: “The LORD was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD” (Isaiah 38:20).
In the preceding Psalms we find the poor captives crying out to God for deliverance; here they are returning thanks because they find they are permitted to return to their own land and to the ordinances of their God.
There are 3 parts to the psalm:
1. The satisfaction of a gracious soul in the use of God's ordinances (vs. 1, 2).
2. Description of the internal government of Jerusalem (vs. 3-5).
3. Prayers for its peace and prosperity (vs. 6-9).
This Psalm might well express the joy of the pilgrims on entering the holy city, and the religious as well as civil metropolis is celebrated and praised, and prayer is offered for the prosperity of the Church.
This brief but lively Psalm is entitled "A Song of Degrees of David," and thus we are informed of its author, and the occasion for which it was designed. David wrote it for the people to sing at the time of their attending the holy feasts at Jerusalem. It is placed third in the series, and appears to be suitable to be sung when the people had entered the gates, and their feet stood within the city. It was natural for them to sing of Jerusalem itself, and invoke peace and prosperity upon the Holy City, for it was the centre of their worship, and the place where the Lord revealed himself above the mercy seat. Possibly the city was not yet complete in David's day, but he wrote under the spirit of prophecy, and spoke of it as it would be in the age of Solomon; a poet has license to speak of things, not only as they are, but as they will be when they are perfected. Jerusalem, or the Habitation of Peace, is used as the key word of this Psalm, wherein we have in the original many happy allusions to the Salem, or peace, which they implored upon Jerusalem. When they stood within the triple walls, all things around the pilgrims helped to explain the words which they sang within her ramparts of strength. One voice led the Psalm with its personal "I,” but ten thousand brethren and companions united with the musicians and swelled the chorus of the song.
If the previous Psalm (121) was sung by the pilgrim band, when stopping to rest on the last evening, when Jerusalem was already in sight—this would be sung one station further on, when the pilgrims had reached the gates of Jerusalem, and halted for the purpose of arranging themselves for the solemn procession to the temple.
Commentary: Psalms 122:1-9 (KJV)
(Verses 1-5) The pleasure and benefits which are derived from God’s grace should make us disregard the trouble and fatigue associated with them; and we should encourage one another to make a practice of doing what is good and proper. We should desire our Christian friends, when they have any good work to do, to call for us, and take us with them. With what eagerness should we think of the heavenly Jerusalem! How cheerfully should we bear the cross and welcome death, in hopes of a crown of glory! Jerusalem is called the beautiful city. It was a type of the gospel church, which is compacted together in holy love and Christian communion, so that it is all one city. If all the disciples of Christ were of one mind, and kept the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, their enemies would be deprived of their chief advantages against them. But Satan's maxim always has been, to divide so that he may conquer; and few Christians are sufficiently aware of His plans.
1 I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.
I was glad when they said unto me,
When Cyrus made an edict for the Jews to return to Israel, the very first object of their thanksgiving was the kindness of God in permitting them to return to His ordinances.
Let us go into the house of the Lord.
There is an illustration of this in Isa. 2:3R1. It was wonderful to have reached Jerusalem, but much more wonderful to have a desire to visit the Lord's house; for that was not merely a material house—it was also the place where God met pious souls. Oh how I wish that this was the first desire every Christian had when they are born again! - to visit the Lord's house.
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Ref. Number |
Verse |
Comment |
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R1 |
And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Isaiah 2:3 (KJV)
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He will teach us of his ways—Unless God grants a revelation of His will, what can we know? We will walk in his paths—Unless we decide to walk in the light, of what use can that light be to us? For out of Zion shall go forth the law—In the house of God, and in His ordinances are the only places where we expect to hear the pure doctrines of revelation preached. 1. God alone can give a revelation of His own will. 2. We must use the proper means in order to know this will. 3. We should know it in order to do it. 4. We should do it in order to profit by it. 5. He who will not walk in the light when God promises it is safe shall be shut up in everlasting darkness. 6. Every man should help his neighbor to attain that light, life, and contentment: "Come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord." |
2 Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.
Our feet shall stand (literally, "are standing.")—For seventy years the Jews had been exiled from their own land; their hearts were in Jerusalem, but their feet were in Chaldea. What a difference a step can make! All the difference between outside and inside—between a stranger and foreigner or a child at home. Now God has released them from captivity, and our feet shall shortly stand within the gates of Jerusalem. What a transition from misery to happiness! And what a subject for rejoicing!
3 Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:
Jerusalem . . . compact together (compare 2 Sam. 5:9R2). This is an expression of wonder that the stately city had arisen so quickly under the genius of David. What shall we not say, one day, of the New Jerusalem, when she descends from God in all His glory (Rev. 21:2R3) and with all parts united, as in David's time? It has been rebuilt well, with every part contributing to the strength of the whole. It is in a state of great political and spiritual union. It is the center of union for all the tribes, for each tribe has an equal interest in the God who is worshipped there.
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R2 |
9 So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward 2 Sam 5:9 (KJV) |
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R3 |
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband Rev 21:2 (KJV)
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And I John—The writer of this book; the evangelist and apostle. New Jerusalem—This doubtless means the Christian Church in a state of great prosperity and purity; but some think eternal blessedness is intended. Coming down from God—It is a maxim of the ancient Jews that both the tabernacle, and the temple, and Jerusalem itself, came down from heaven. Jeremiah said, "The holy blessed God shall renew the world, and build Jerusalem, and shall cause it to descend from heaven." Their opinion is, that there is a spiritual temple, a spiritual tabernacle, and a spiritual Jerusalem; and that none of these can be destroyed, because they subsist in their spiritual representatives. |
4 Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.
Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD,
From the external splendor of Jerusalem the Psalmist goes on to praise her internal glory, in that she was the religious center and metropolis of the nation. The law to that effect had been laid down in the opening of the national history (Exod. 23:17R4, Deut. 16:16R5).
unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.
The testimony of Israel—There is the ark, where the presence of God is manifested; there is the holy of holies; and there all the tribes assembled to worship Jehovah. He no doubt alludes to the assembling of the tribes annually at each of the three Grand National festivals.
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Verse |
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R4 |
Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD. Ex. 23:17 (KJV) |
All thy males—Old men, sick men, male idiots, and male children under thirteen years of age, excepted; for so the Jewish doctors understand this command. |
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R5 |
Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty: Deut 16:16 (KJV) |
Three times in a year—See Exodus 23:14, where all the Jewish feasts are explained. See also Leviticus 23:34
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5 For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.
There were the public courts, and the people went there to obtain justice; and while the thrones of the house of David were there, they had justice. The “thrones of judgment” are the thrones the judges set on. “The thrones of the house of David” are the thrones that David’s sons set on. And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief rulers” (2 Sam 8:18, KJV). “Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?” This appears to refer to a time in which the Israelites had suffered some sad reverses, so as to be brought very low, and to be marked by the heathen. (Psalms 115:2, KJV).
(verses 6-9)
This brief but spirited Psalm is entitled "A Song of Degrees of David", and thus we are informed of its author, and the occasion for which it was designed: David wrote it for the people to sing at the time of their going up to the holy feasts at Jerusalem. It comes third in the series, and appears to be suitable to be sung when the people had entered the gates, and their feet stood within the city. It was most natural that they should sing of Jerusalem itself, and invoke peace and prosperity upon the Holy City, for it was the centre of their worship, and the place where the Lord revealed himself above the mercy seat. Possibly the city was not all built in David's day, but he wrote under the spirit of prophecy, and spoke of it as it would be in the age of Solomon; a poet has license to speak of things, not only as they are, but as they will be when they come to their perfection. Jerusalem, or the Habitation of Peace, is used as the key word of this Psalm, wherein we have in the original many happy allusions to the salem, or peace, which they implored upon Jerusalem. When they stood within the triple walls, all things around the pilgrims helped to explain the words which they sang within her ramparts of strength. One voice led the Psalm with its personal "I,” but ten thousand brethren and companions united with the musicians and swelled the chorus of the strain.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.
7 Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem
The Hebrew word for peace is shalom, which signifies both peace and prosperity. Let her harmony and unanimity never be disturbed; let her prosperity always be on the increase! Let peace - including prosperity, prevail everywhere.
They shall prosper that love thee
In the peace and prosperity of the city, they shall find their peace and their prosperity; and even on this ground they should love the city, and labor to promote its best interests.
Peace be within thy walls,
Peace in the City of Peace: May those be at peace who love her! "Ask ye the prosperity of Jerusalem; they shall be quiet that love thee.
and prosperity within thy palaces
David’s great desire was to make the beloved name - Jerusalem - as dear to his people as it was to himself. Prosperity still comes to those who love the name and cause of God. In such souls there are already present the elements of prosperity and blessedness. This is the form of prayer that they are to use: "May prosperity always reside within thy walls, on all the people that dwell there; and tranquility within thy palaces or high places, among the rulers and governors of the people."
8 For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee.
For my brethren and companions' sakes
My fellow countrymen and my kinfolk reside here in Jerusalem and for that reason, I will wish it prosperity. I will promote its peace and tranquility by every means in my power. I will affectionately say, May peace be within thee!
9 Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good.
I will wish that city (Jerusalem) well, because it is the seat of our religion, the place where our merciful God has chosen to dwell. The Prophet Jeremiah had given this charge to the captives in Babylon: "And seek shalom (peace) and the prosperity of the city, in which I have caused you to be carried away as captives, and pray unto the Lord for it; for in the prosperity of Jerusalem, ye shall have prosperity."
Was this a duty for the captives? Yes. And is it the duty of every man for his own country! God, nature, common sense, and self-interest say, YES! And what must we think of the wretches who not only do not pray for their nation, but labor to destroy the public peace, to subvert the government of their country, to incite its citizens to rebellion, and to destroy all its civil and religious institutions? Think about them! Why, that rope would be disgraced by hanging them.
There is a reliable picture given us here of the state of Jerusalem after the restoration of the Jews. The walls were finished, the city rebuilt - beautiful, strong, and well-planned, the temple and its worship were restored, the courts of justice were re-established, the constituted authorities in Church and state were doing their duty; and God was pouring out His blessing upon all of the citizens. Who could see this picture without praying, “May God increase thy peace, and establish thy prosperity forever!
Those who can do nothing else for the peace of Jerusalem may pray for it. Let us consider all who seek the glory of the Redeemer, as our brethren and friends, without taking into consideration those differences which do not affect our eternal salvation. Blessed Spirit of peace and love, who dwelt in the soul of the holy Jesus, descend into His church, and fill those who worship there with His heavenly disposition; cause bitter disputes to cease, and make us to be of one mind. Love of the brethren and love for God, ought to stir us up to seek to be like the Lord Jesus in passionate prayer and tireless labor, for the salvation of men, and the Divine glory.