The big picture
Psalms 122 opens in verse 1 with “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD .”, reaches its middle movement near verse 5 with “For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.”, and closes in verse 9 with “Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good.” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, within, house, Jerusalem, Peace. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Psalms · King James Version · 9Psalms 122:1-5
1–5: I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD…
Psalms 122:1–5 opens with “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD .” and reaches “For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Psalms 122 develops its own movement around LORD, within, house, Jerusalem, Peace, with particular weight carried by LORD, house, Jerusalem.
Psalms 122:1-5
King James Version1I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD .
2Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.
3Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:
4Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD , unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD .
5For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.
Psalms 122:6-9
6–9: Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.
Psalms 122:6–9 opens with “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.” and reaches “Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Psalms 122 develops its own movement around LORD, within, house, Jerusalem, Peace, with particular weight carried by Peace, within, brethren.
Psalms 122:6-9
King James Version6Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.
7Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.
8For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee.
9Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Psalms 122:1 begins with “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD .”
Where the chapter turns
Psalms 122:5 forms a natural hinge: “For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.”
The final note
Psalms 122:9 leaves the reader with “Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, within, house, Jerusalem, Peace, thrones help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.