Psalm 122 - an ode for Jerusalem

Psalm 122 - An ode to Jerusalem

Psalm 122 is the third in the songs of ascent, and the first which is also a psalm of David (v1). It tells the story of someone who, no sooner do they say "let's go to the house of Yhwh" (v1), than they are there (v2)! As it unfolds it seems like the psalm is essentially a song of praise to Jerusalem. This is the first of the songs of ascent which make it clear just where the ascent is toward. 120 described the current location, 121 had the singer lifting their eyes towards the mountains, but now in 122 we find out the place to which they are wanting to go, and the particular mountains of desire, are the mountains of Jerusalem. 

It is similarly interesting to note the use of Jerusalem and Zion through these psalms. Jerusalem occurs, for the first time in the collection, thrice in this psalm, and then again in 125 and 128; while Zion, a more common word in the collection (7 rather than 5), appears quite regularly from 125, once per psalm, until the end, missing only 127, 130 and 131. At this point then the focus is the city and the temple - the house of Yhwh (בית יהוה occurs in the first and last verses).

Structure

The psalm is in three parts, with 1-2 describing the journey, from "let's go!" to "here we are". 3-5 describes Jerusalem herself, the type of city she is, how she is the destination of all tribes of Israel, and the house of David which is fundamental to her identity. 6-9 returns to the characters of 1-2, with the prayers they make for her. 

1-2 the journey to Jerusalem
3-5 the beauty of the destination
6-9 the prayers for Jerusalem

There are a few things in favour of this structure. "Jerusalem" appears at the end of 1-2, and at the beginning of 3-5 and 6-9, giving each of the three stanzas something to say about her. Second, with any three-part structure, it gives rise to the possibility of chiastic ruminations. As an ABA structure, both A sections talk about the house of Yhwh (rather than a temple or tabernacle), while the B section talks about the house of David (rather than the sons of David).  

One issue with this three part structure is that the subject in v6 is 3p - "they", while in 7 there is no explicit subject - "may there be", and in v8-9 it is 1s - "I will say," "I will seek." Who then is the "they" of v6 who are asking for the peace of Jerusalem? One possibility is the "thrones" of v5, that is, the ones who sit on those thrones. They would then be not just thrones of judgement/justice, but also thrones of prayer, such that the justice they seek will result in the peace of Jerusalem. While I think this would merit further thought, at the moment I think it's probably best to say that the third section divides in two, with v6-7 more general, and v8-9 the psalmist's specific prayers (this is underlined by the identical syntax in v8 and v9).

Whatever the case, it is also true that the divisions are never impermeable. 1-2 introduces Jerusalem, which 3-5 describes. 3-5 talk about the people who are in Jerusalem, and 6-9 describes their prayers. 

The Journey (122:1-2)

This song for going up begins with a communal scene. there are those אמרים לי (who said to me) בית יהוה נלך (to the house of Yhwh let's go!). Perhaps we still have the people of Meshek and Qedar from 120 in our minds, who are encouraging each other with the joy ahead of the journey; hence, שמחתי (I rejoiced). The freedom granted the psalmist allows them to say "let's go" and then to immediately be there. In line with the idea of each psalm progressing us ever so slightly closer to the temple, with this psalm we are only at the gates: "Standing were our feet / in the gates of Jerusalem." There is a distance to go until we will see Aaron (Ps 133) and the Holy Place (Ps 134). 

The gates will have to do for now, but that is most fitting for our theme, because the gates are where decisions of justice are made. In Psalm 127:5 the NIV translates שׁער (gate) "court", to depict the place where the elders sit and make decisions for the community. Jerusalem is then not just the place where God makes his presence known, but it is also where his justice dwells and the source, from which it will cover the nations.

3-5 The Destination (122:3-5)

Jerusalem is described in fawning ways: she is built like a city / which is joined to herself together. This describes her as more than buildings and walls and people, but as a unit, a unity, of people and building and commerce and cult, built by and around and for Yhwh. 

We might imagine Jerusalem as a place where burnt offerings (עלה) go up (עלה), but this psalm rather emphasises the people who go up (עלה). It is not just individuals like the psalmist with his brother and friend (v8), but tribes. And again, not just any tribes, but שׁבטי־יה - tribes of Yah. They exist because of him, and that they might praise him. 

The phrase "statutes of Israel / to praise the name of Yhwh" is a little confusing, and has some interesting textual evidences. It could be an aside, with עדות לישראל in brackets, telling us that there was a commandment which meant all the tribes of Israel occasionally had to go up to Jerusalem. This could be talking about one of the festivals, even though that doesn't seem to be in the picture in the rest of the psalm. CSB does put it in brackets, while NIV rearranges the verse to have it as a conclusion, but they and most EVV reach essentially the same conclusion. One alternative is to follow the LXX and read עדת ישראל (congregation of Israel) instead, which is an interesting solution. We would then have a triple description of those going up: "the tribes / the tribes of Yah / the congregation of Israel / to praise the name of Yhwh." I really don't know how to decide upon a preferred text, except to say that it seems the EVV have gone with the lectio difficilior and left the clunky (but by no means impossible to understand) "statutes for Israel". 

Twice in v5 the thrones are mentioned. 5a is the verbal clause: "For there sat the thrones of justice;" 5b is in apposition: "the thrones of the house of David." The use of ישׁב (to sit/dwell) evokes not just the seats but also those who sit or sat in them. The purpose of these thrones is judgement/justice, or judgement which enables justice. The house of David have and will have this role eschatologically, which is also reflected in 132:12, the most davidic of all these psalms - the throne belongs to David, which is given to David's sons as a reward for their covenant faithfulness. As God's son (Ps 2:12), the Davidide is the one to whom Yhwh has entrusted his righteous judgement. 

6-9 The Prayers (122:6-9)

There have been a lot of שׁ (sh, š) sounds in this psalm so far (about 21 of that sound in 78 words), and the first four words of (five) in this verse have שׁ (sh, š): šaʾᵃlû šᵉlôm yᵉrûšālāim yı̂šlāyû ʾōhᵃḇāyı̂ḵ (for a similar pattern, see also the first half of v4: šeššom ʿālû šᵉḇāṭim šiḇṭē-yah). 6-7 describe the prayers, with 6a what they ask for, the peace of Jerusalem. And, as Zenger reminds us, Jerusalem (ירושׁלם) can be (mis-)understood as the city of peace (עיר־שׁלם), such that they ask for peace for the city of peace. 6c-7 fill out the content of that peace:

• 6b security for the ones who love you
• 7a peace within your ramparts
• 7b prosperity within your citadels

There is an increasing greatness in the objects: the ones who wish Jerusalem well, the walls of Jerusalem, the strong buildings within the city.  And there is more rhyming of š within those three wishes: שׁלה (security, 6b), שׁלום (peace, 7a), שׁלוה (prosperity, 7b). 

6-7 thus work together as a sub-unit, 8-9 are similarly linked with their identical syntax. 

For the sake of

my brothers and friends/the house of Yhwh our God

I will say/I will seek

peace [be] in you/goodness for you

As such, the final two verses also return us to the beginning of the psalm, as the identity of "the ones who said to me" (v1) is revealed as the family and friends of the psalmist. Together they journeyed and together they stood in the city's gates (v2). Similarly we have the second mention of the house of Yhwh (v1 and v9). Wishing for peace within her (8b) and seeking her good (9b) should be seen not just in the present but more importantly in perpetuity. If Jerusalem is to continue to host the house of Yhwh, the thrones of justice, the house of David, and is to continue to be the destination for pilgrims and tribes, for brothers and friends, then these are the appropriate wishes from the psalmist and all who have sung this song.

Praying and Singing

This psalm is both an ode to Jerusalem, but also an encouragement to raise our voices to sing and speak and pray. 

• v1a I rejoice
• v4b to praise
• v6a they ask/pray
• v7a may there be peace
• v8b I will say "peace in you". 

We don't know the history of how these psalms (120-134) became the songs, but in their present form they certainly constitute a collection which are to be for the praise of Yhwh, for his city, for his king. And as they cause the eyes of the singers to be lifted, they transform the experience, the past, the present and the future, for those who sing these songs. They are a reminder that there is a bigger picture beyond one's own struggles and history, which is Yhwh's victory and future.