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PSALM 122

A Song of degrees of David.

1. I rejoice, when they say to me: Let us go into the house of jehovah!
2. Our feet shall stand within your gates, O Jerusalem!
3. Jerusalem is built as a city, which is compact together.
4. Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of jah, to the testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the name of jehovah!
5. For there are placed the thrones for judgement, the thrones of the house of David.
6. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! they shall be prosperous who love you!
7. Peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces.
8. Because of my brethren and my companions, I will now say: May peace be within you!
9. Because of the house of jehovah our god, I will seek your good.

Verse 3. Jerusalem is built as a city, compact together. By Jerusalem is here signified the church as to doctrine, which is said to be built as a city, compact together, when all things of doctrine are in agreement and unanimity, and when they mutually regard the lord and love to him, from him, as their beginning and end; it is said to be built as a city, because a city signifies doctrine. AE 431.

Verse 4. Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of jah, to the testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the name of jehovah. In general the twelve tribes signified all things belonging to the doctrine of truth and good, or of faith and love; these principles constitute the lord's kingdom, for the things belonging to truth or faith are the all of thought therein, and the things belonging to good or love are the all of affection. AC 3859.

That testimony denotes good from which truth is derived, and truth from which good is derived is evident from this consideration, that the ten commandments of the Decalogue, written on the tables of stone, are called in one expression the testimony; and whereas those tables were placed in an ark, the ark is called the ark of testimony; hence it is evident what is signified in the Word by testimony. AC 4197.

Verse 6. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, etc. By Jerusalem is not meant Jerusalem, but the church as to doctrine and worship; by peace is meant the all of doctrine and worship, for when these are from a celestial origin, that is, out of heaven from the lord, then they are from peace and in peace, hence it is manifest what is meant by praying for the peace of Jerusalem; and whereas they who are in that peace are said to be quiet, or at rest, it is said also, let them be quiet or at rest that love you, namely that love the doctrine and worship of the church; by peace being within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces, is signified that they are in the interior man and in the exterior, for the exterior man with the things therein, which are scientifics and natural delights, is like a rampart or wall to the interior man, because it is without it and protects it. AE 365.

Verse 8. Because of my brethren and companions, I will now say, May peace be within you! This name and salutation of brethren and companions has its ground in this circumstance, that the lord in heaven is the father of all, and that he loves all as his children, and heaven resembles, as it were, one family derived from love and charity; therefore all the sons of Israel, as representing the Lord's celestial kingdom, amongst each other were called brethren and companions, but when called companions, it was not from the good of love but from the truth of faith. AC 2060.