Psalm 122:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.

NIV: 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.

NASB: To which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord— An ordinance for Israel— To give thanks to the name of the Lord.

CSB: where the tribes, the Lord’s tribes, go up to give thanks to the name of the Lord. (This is an ordinance for Israel. )

NLT: All the tribes of Israel — the Lord’s people — make their pilgrimage here. They come to give thanks to the name of the Lord, as the law requires of Israel.

KJV: Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord.

NKJV: Where the tribes go up, The tribes of the Lord, To the Testimony of Israel, To give thanks to the name of the Lord.

Jacob was renamed "Israel" by God (Genesis 32:27–28). Jacob was a descendant of Abraham (Matthew 1:2) and his twelve sons were the origin of the twelve tribes of Israel (Genesis 35:23–26). All men of the nation of Israel were expected to attend three annual feasts at the center of worship (Deuteronomy 16:16). These times of prayer and gratitude were Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles (Exodus 23:14–17).

At the time this psalm was written, the "house of the Lord" (Psalm 122:1) was the temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 6:1). Jerusalem was situated on and around Zion, which had once been a mountain stronghold captured by David (2 Samuel 5:6–10). Traveling to Jerusalem literally meant moving "up" to a higher elevation.

The Feast of Passover commemorated the Lord's passing over every house in Egypt that displayed the blood of a spotless lamb on the door. Houses that did not display the blood experienced the death of its firstborn (Exodus 12). The Feast of Pentecost involved the gathering of the harvest which pictured the gathering of believers into the body of Christ (Leviticus 23:15–16; Acts 2; Ephesians 1:11–14). The Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:41–42) commemorated Israel's living in tents during their wilderness journey from Egypt to Canaan. It pictures Christians living in temporary, fragile mortal bodies until Jesus raptures and resurrects them (1 Corinthians 15:50–52; 2 Corinthians 5:1–4).

The psalmist, likely David himself, is happy to be called to the temple, also called the "house of the Lord" (1 Kings 6:1). This is located in Jerusalem, the city of David (2 Samuel 5:7; 1 Kings 8:1). The city became the center of Israel's political and religious life. For those reasons, the psalmist prays that the city will be protected; he calls others to join in this prayer.

Psalms 120—134 seem to have been used when Israelites traveled to Mount Zion for required festivals (Deuteronomy 16:16). David had captured a mountain fortress (2 Samuel 5:7), Zion, which became his capitol city and the site of Jerusalem. This was later called the "city of David" (1 Kings 8:1). Since going to Jerusalem literally meant climbing to a higher elevation, this block of psalms are called songs "of ascents." Psalm 122 honors Jerusalem and prays for its peace and safety.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.