Christianity

Psalms 122Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem

Summary

Psalm 122, a Song of Ascents attributed to David, expresses a pilgrim's gladness at the invitation to go into the house of the LORD. Standing within Jerusalem's gates, he admires the city compactly built together, where the tribes go up to give thanks and where the thrones of judgment of David's house are set. He then calls for prayer for the peace of Jerusalem and blesses the city for the sake of his brethren and companions and for the sake of God's house.

Key verse

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.”

Psalms 122:6

Themes

Joy of Pilgrimage
Jerusalem
Peace
Community

I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.

Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:

Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.

For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.

Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.

For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee.

Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good.

Text: King James Version (1611/1769), public domain.

Across traditions

Christianity
Luke 19: Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem
As Jesus approaches Jerusalem in Luke 19:41 to 42, he weeps over the city for not knowing the things that belong to its peace, a poignant echo of Psalm 122's prayer.
Islam
Surah Al-Isra (17): The Far Distant Place of Worship
Quran 17:1 speaks of the Night Journey from the Inviolable Place of Worship to the Far Distant Place of Worship, whose neighborhood God has blessed, a site Muslim tradition locates in Jerusalem. The city's sanctity is thus shared, in different ways, by Jews, Christians and Muslims.

Questions about Psalms 122

What does 'pray for the peace of Jerusalem' mean?

Psalm 122:6 plays on the sound of the Hebrew words for peace (shalom) and Jerusalem. The pilgrim asks for the city's security and well-being and blesses those who love it.

Which anthem is based on Psalm 122?

Hubert Parry's anthem I Was Glad, a setting of verses from Psalm 122, has been sung at British coronations since 1902.