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Psalm 122[a]

A Pilgrim’s Prayer for Jerusalem

A song of ascents. Of David.

I

I rejoiced when they said to me,
    “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”(A)
And now our feet are standing
    within your gates, Jerusalem.
Jerusalem, built as a city,
    walled round about.[b](B)
There the tribes go up,
    the tribes of the Lord,
As it was decreed for Israel,
    to give thanks to the name of the Lord.(C)
There are the thrones of justice,
    the thrones of the house of David.

II

For the peace of Jerusalem pray:
    “May those who love you prosper!
May peace be within your ramparts,
    prosperity within your towers.”(D)
For the sake of my brothers and friends I say,
    “Peace be with you.”(E)
For the sake of the house of the Lord, our God,
    I pray for your good.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 122 A song of Zion, sung by pilgrims obeying the law to visit Jerusalem three times on a journey. The singer anticipates joining the procession into the city (Ps 122:1–3). Jerusalem is a place of encounter, where the people praise God (Ps 122:4) and hear the divine justice mediated by the king (Ps 122:5). The very buildings bespeak God’s power (cf. Ps 48:13–15). May the grace of this place transform the people’s lives (Ps 122:6–9)!
  2. 122:3 Walled round about: lit., “which is joined to it,” probably referring both to the density of the buildings and to the dense population.

Psalm 122

A song of ascents. Of David.

I rejoiced with those who said to me,
    “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
Our feet are standing
    in your gates, Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built like a city
    that is closely compacted together.
That is where the tribes go up—
    the tribes of the Lord
to praise the name of the Lord
    according to the statute given to Israel.
There stand the thrones for judgment,
    the thrones of the house of David.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
    “May those who love(A) you be secure.
May there be peace(B) within your walls
    and security within your citadels.(C)
For the sake of my family and friends,
    I will say, “Peace be within you.”
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
    I will seek your prosperity.(D)