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Selected Verse: Psalms 122:1 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ps 122:1	Strong Concordance	A Song [07892] of degrees [04609] of David [01732]. I was glad [08055] when they said [0559] unto me, Let us go [03212] into the house [01004] of the LORD [03068].
	King James	A Song of degrees of David. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
This Psalm might well express the sacred joy of the pilgrims on entering the holy city, where praise, as the religious as well as civil metropolis, is celebrated, and for whose prosperity, as representing the Church, prayer is offered. (Psa 122:1-9) Our feet shall stand--literally, "are standing."

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

This Psalm might well express the sacred joy of the pilgrims on entering the holy city, where praise, as the religious as well as civil metropolis, is celebrated, and for whose prosperity, as representing the Church, prayer is offered. (Psa 122:1-9)

Our feet shall stand--literally, "are standing."

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
I was glad - It was a subject; of joy to me. The return of the happy season when we were to go up to worship filled me with joy. The language is expressive of the, happiness which is felt by those who love God and his sanctuary, when the stated season of worship returns. The heart is drawn to the house of prayer; the soul is filled with peace at the prospect of being again permitted to worship God. Who the speaker here is, is not known. It may have been David himself; more probably, however, it was designed by him to be used by those who should go up to worship, as expressive of their individual joy. When they said unto me - When it was said unto me. When the time arrived. When I was invited by others to go. The announcement was joyful; the invitation was welcome. It met the desires of my heart, and I embraced the invitation cheerfully and joyfully. Let us go into the house of the Lord - Up to the place where God dwells; the house which he has made his abode. If the psalm was composed in the time of David, this would refer to the tabernacle as fixed by him on Mount Zion; if at a later period, to the temple. The language will admit of either interpretation. Compare the notes at Isa 2:3.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
The preterite שׂמחתי may signify: I rejoice (Sa1 2:1), just as much as: I rejoiced. Here in comparison with Psa 122:2 it is a retrospect; for היה with the participle has for the most part a retrospective signification, Gen 39:22; Deu 9:22, Deu 9:24; Jdg 1:7; Job 1:14. True, עמדות היוּ might also signify: they have been standing and still stand (as in Psa 10:14; Isa 59:2; Isa 30:20); but then why was it not more briefly expressed by עמדוּ (Psa 26:12)? The lxx correctly renders: εὐφράνθην and ἑστῶτες ἦσαν. The poet, now again on the journey homewards, or having returned home, calls to mind the joy with which the cry for setting out, "Let us go up to the house of Jahve!" filled him. When he and the other visitors to the feast had reached the goal of their pilgrimage, their feet came to a stand-still, as if spell-bound by the overpowering, glorious sight. (Note: So also Veith in his, in many points, beautiful Lectures on twelve gradual Psalms (Vienna 1863), S. 72, "They arrested their steps, in order to give time to the amazement with which the sight of the Temple, the citadel of the king, and the magnificent city filled them.") Reviving this memory, he exclaims: Jerusalem, O thou who art built up again - true, בּנה in itself only signifies "to build," but here, where, if there is nothing to the contrary, a closed sense is to be assumed for the line of the verse, and in the midst of songs which reflect the joy and sorrow of the post-exilic restoration period, it obtains the same meaning as in Psa 102:17; Psa 147:2, and frequently (Gesenius: O Hierosolyma restituta). The parallel member, Psa 122:3, does not indeed require this sense, but is at least favourable to it. Luther's earlier rendering, "as a city which is compacted together," was happier than his later rendering, "a city where they shall come together," which requires a Niph. or Hithpa. instead of the passive. חבּר signifies, as in Exo 28:7, to be joined together, to be united into a whole; and יחדּו strengthens the idea of that which is harmoniously, perfectly, and snugly closed up (cf. Psa 133:1). The Kaph of כּעיר is the so-called Kaph veritatis: Jerusalem has risen again out of its ruined and razed condition, the breaches and gaps are done away with (Isa 58:12), it stands there as a closely compacted city, in which house joins on to house. Thus has the poet seen it, and the recollection fills him with rapture. (Note: In the synagogue and church it is become customary to interpret Psa 122:3 of the parallelism of the heavenly and earthly Jerusalem.)

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

The preterite שׂמחתי may signify: I rejoice (Sa1 2:1), just as much as: I rejoiced. Here in comparison with Psa 122:2 it is a retrospect; for היה with the participle has for the most part a retrospective signification, Gen 39:22; Deu 9:22, Deu 9:24; Jdg 1:7; Job 1:14. True, עמדות היוּ might also signify: they have been standing and still stand (as in Psa 10:14; Isa 59:2; Isa 30:20); but then why was it not more briefly expressed by עמדוּ (Psa 26:12)? The lxx correctly renders: εὐφράνθην and ἑστῶτες ἦσαν. The poet, now again on the journey homewards, or having returned home, calls to mind the joy with which the cry for setting out, "Let us go up to the house of Jahve!" filled him. When he and the other visitors to the feast had reached the goal of their pilgrimage, their feet came to a stand-still, as if spell-bound by the overpowering, glorious sight.

(Note: So also Veith in his, in many points, beautiful Lectures on twelve gradual Psalms (Vienna 1863), S. 72, "They arrested their steps, in order to give time to the amazement with which the sight of the Temple, the citadel of the king, and the magnificent city filled them.")

Reviving this memory, he exclaims: Jerusalem, O thou who art built up again - true, בּנה in itself only signifies "to build," but here, where, if there is nothing to the contrary, a closed sense is to be assumed for the line of the verse, and in the midst of songs which reflect the joy and sorrow of the post-exilic restoration period, it obtains the same meaning as in Psa 102:17; Psa 147:2, and frequently (Gesenius: O Hierosolyma restituta). The parallel member, Psa 122:3, does not indeed require this sense, but is at least favourable to it. Luther's earlier rendering, "as a city which is compacted together," was happier than his later rendering, "a city where they shall come together," which requires a Niph. or Hithpa. instead of the passive. חבּר signifies, as in Exo 28:7, to be joined together, to be united into a whole; and יחדּו strengthens the idea of that which is harmoniously, perfectly, and snugly closed up (cf. Psa 133:1). The Kaph of כּעיר is the so-called Kaph veritatis: Jerusalem has risen again out of its ruined and razed condition, the breaches and gaps are done away with (Isa 58:12), it stands there as a closely compacted city, in which house joins on to house. Thus has the poet seen it, and the recollection fills him with rapture.

(Note: In the synagogue and church it is become customary to interpret Psa 122:3 of the parallelism of the heavenly and earthly Jerusalem.)

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
I was glad when they said - When Cyrus published an edict for their return, the very first object of their thanksgiving was the kindness of God in permitting them to return to his ordinances.

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¹ A Song [07892] of degrees [04609] of David [01732]. I was glad [08055] when they said [0559] unto me, Let us go [03212] into the house [01004] of the LORD [03068].
² Our feet [07272] shall stand [05975] within thy gates [08179], O Jerusalem [03389].
³ Jerusalem [03389] is builded [01129] as a city [05892] that is compact [02266] together [03162]:
⁴ Whither [08033] the tribes [07626] go up [05927], the tribes [07626] of the LORD [03050], unto the testimony [05715] of Israel [03478], to give thanks [03034] unto the name [08034] of the LORD [03068].
⁵ For there are set [03427] thrones [03678] of judgment [04941], the thrones [03678] of the house [01004] of David [01732].
⁶ Pray [07592] for the peace [07965] of Jerusalem [03389]: they shall prosper [07951] that love [0157] thee.
⁷ Peace [07965] be within thy walls [02426], and prosperity [07962] within thy palaces [0759].
⁸ For my brethren [0251] and companions [07453]' sakes, I will now say [01696], Peace [07965] be within thee.
⁹ Because of the house [01004] of the LORD [03068] our God [0430] I will seek [01245] thy good [02896].

³ And many [07227] people [05971] shall go [01980] and say [0559], Come [03212] ye, and let us go up [05927] to the mountain [02022] of the LORD [03068], to the house [01004] of the God [0430] of Jacob [03290]; and he will teach [03384] us of his ways [01870], and we will walk [03212] in his paths [0734]: for out of Zion [06726] shall go forth [03318] the law [08451], and the word [01697] of the LORD [03068] from Jerusalem [03389].

³ Jerusalem [03389] is builded [01129] as a city [05892] that is compact [02266] together [03162]:

¹² And they that shall be of thee shall build [01129] the old [05769] waste places [02723]: thou shalt raise up [06965] the foundations [04146] of many [01755] generations [01755]; and thou shalt be called [07121], The repairer [01443] of the breach [06556], The restorer [07725] of paths [05410] to dwell in [03427].

¹ A Song [07892] of degrees [04609] of David [01732]. Behold, how good [02896] and how pleasant [05273] it is for brethren [0251] to dwell [03427] together [03162] in unity [03162]!

⁷ It shall have the two [08147] shoulderpieces [03802] thereof joined [02266] at the two [08147] edges [07098] thereof; and so it shall be joined together [02266].

³ Jerusalem [03389] is builded [01129] as a city [05892] that is compact [02266] together [03162]:

² The LORD [03068] doth build up [01129] Jerusalem [03389]: he gathereth together [03664] the outcasts [01760] of Israel [03478].

¹⁷ He will regard [06437] the prayer [08605] of the destitute [06199], and not despise [0959] their prayer [08605].

¹² My foot [07272] standeth [05975] in an even place [04334]: in the congregations [04721] will I bless [01288] the LORD [03068].

²⁰ And though the Lord [0136] give [05414] you the bread [03899] of adversity [06862], and the water [04325] of affliction [03906], yet shall not thy teachers [03384] be removed into a corner [03670] any more, but thine eyes [05869] shall see [07200] thy teachers [03384]:

² But your iniquities [05771] have separated [0914] between [0996] you and your God [0430], and your sins [02403] have hid [05641] his face [06440] from you, that he will not hear [08085].

¹⁴ Thou hast seen [07200] it; for thou beholdest [05027] mischief [05999] and spite [03708], to requite [05414] it with thy hand [03027]: the poor [02489] committeth [05800] himself unto thee; thou art the helper [05826] of the fatherless [03490].

¹⁴ And there came [0935] a messenger [04397] unto Job [0347], and said [0559], The oxen [01241] were plowing [02790], and the asses [0860] feeding [07462] beside [03027] them:

⁷ And Adonibezek [0137] said [0559], Threescore and ten [07657] kings [04428], having their thumbs [0931] [03027] and their great toes [07272] cut off [07112], gathered [03950] their meat under my table [07979]: as I have done [06213], so God [0430] hath requited [07999] me. And they brought [0935] him to Jerusalem [03389], and there he died [04191].

²⁴ Ye have been rebellious [04784] against the LORD [03068] from the day [03117] that I knew [03045] you.

²² And at Taberah [08404], and at Massah [04532], and at Kibrothhattaavah [06914], ye provoked the LORD [03068] to wrath [07107].

²² And the keeper [08269] of the prison [01004] [05470] committed [05414] to Joseph's [03130] hand [03027] all the prisoners [0615] that were in the prison [01004] [05470]; and whatsoever they did [06213] there, he was the doer [06213] of it.

² Our feet [07272] shall stand [05975] within thy gates [08179], O Jerusalem [03389].

¹ And Hannah [02584] prayed [06419], and said [0559], My heart [03820] rejoiceth [05970] in the LORD [03068], mine horn [07161] is exalted [07311] in the LORD [03068]: my mouth [06310] is enlarged [07337] over mine enemies [0341]; because I rejoice [08055] in thy salvation [03444].