Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary

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Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

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P S A L M S

PSALM CXXII.

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This psalm seems to have been penned by David for the use of the people

of Israel, when they came up to Jerusalem to worship at the three

solemn feasts. It was in David’s time that Jerusalem was first chosen

to be the city where God would record his name. It being a new thing,

this, among other means, was used to bring the people to be in love

with Jerusalem, as the holy city, though it was but the other day in

the hands of the Jebusites. Observe,

I. The joy with which they were to go up to Jerusalem,

ver. 1, 2.

II. The great esteem they were to have of Jerusalem,

ver. 3-5.

III. The great concern they were to have for Jerusalem, and the prayers

they were to put up for its welfare,

ver. 6-9.

In singing this psalm we must have an eye to the gospel church, which

is called the “Jerusalem that is from above.”

The Pleasures of Public Worship.

A song of degrees of David.

     

1 I was glad when they said

unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.

  2 Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.

  3 Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:

  4 Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the

testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.

  5 For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the

house of David.

     

Here we have,

     

I. The pleasure which David and other pious Israelites took in

approaching to and attending upon God in public ordinances,

v. 1, 2.

     

1. The invitation to them was very welcome. David was himself glad, and

would have every Israelite to say that he was glad, when he was

called upon to go up to the house of the Lord. Note,

(1.) It is the will of God that we should worship him in concert, that

many should join together to wait upon him in public ordinances. We

ought to worship God in our own houses, but that is not enough; we must

go into the house of the Lord, to pay our homage to him there,

and not forsake the assembling of ourselves together.

(2.) We should not only agree with one another, but excite and stir up

one another, to go to worship God in public. Let us go; not, “Do

you go and pray for us, and we will stay at home;” but, We will go

also,
Zech. viii. 21.

Not, “Do you go before, and we will follow at our leisure;” or, “We

will go first, and you shall come after us;” but, “Let us go

together, for the honour of God and for our mutual edification and

encouragement.” We ourselves are slow and backward, and others are so

too, and therefore we should thus quicken and sharpen one another to

that which is good, as iron sharpens iron.

(3.) Those that rejoice in God will rejoice in calls and opportunities

to wait upon him. David himself, though he had as little need of a spur

to his zeal in religious exercises as any, yet was so far from taking

it as an affront that he was glad of it as a kindness when he was

called upon to go up to the house of the Lord with the

meanest of his subjects. We should desire our Christian friends, when

they have any good work in hand, to call for us and take us along with

them.

     

2. The prospect of them was very pleasing. They speak it with a holy

triumph

(v. 2):

Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem! Those that

came out of the country, when they found the journey tedious, comforted

themselves with this, that they should be in Jerusalem shortly, and

that would make amends for all the fatigues of their journey. We shall

stand there as servants; it is desirable to have a place in Jerusalem,

though it be among those that stand by

(Zech. iii. 7),

though it be the door keeper’s place,

Ps. lxxxiv. 10.

We have now got a resting-place for the ark, and where it is there will

we be.

     

II. The praises of Jerusalem, as

Ps. xlviii. 12.

     

1. It is the beautiful city, not only for situation, but for building.

It is built into a city, the houses not scattered, but

contiguous, and the streets fair and spacious. It is built uniform,

compact together, the houses strengthening and supporting one

another. Though the city was divided into the higher and lower town,

yet the Jebusites being driven out, and it being entirely in the

possession of God’s people, it is said to be compact together. It was a

type of the gospel-church, which is compact together in holy love and

Christian communion, so that it is all as one city.

     

2. It is the holy city,

v. 4.

It is the place where all Israel meet one another: Thither the

tribes go up, from all parts of the country, as one man, under the

character of the tribes of the Lord, in obedience to his

command. It is the place appointed for their general rendezvous; and

they come together,

(1.) To receive instruction from God; they come to the testimony of

Israel, to hear what God has to say to them and to consult his

oracle.

(2.) To ascribe the glory to God, to give thanks to the name of the

Lord, which we have all reason to do, especially those that have

the testimony of Israel among them. If God speak to us by his word, we

have reason to answer him by our thanksgivings. See on what errand we

go to public worship, to give thanks.

     

3. It is the royal city

(v. 5):

There are set thrones of judgment. Therefore the people had

reason to be in love with Jerusalem, because justice was administered

there by a man after God’s own heart. The civil interests of the

people were as well secured as their ecclesiastical concerns; and very

happy they were in their courts of judicature, which were erected in

Jerusalem, as with us in Westminster Hall. Observe, What a goodly sight

it was to see the testimony of Israel and the thrones of

judgment such near neighbours, and they are good neighbours, which

may greatly befriend one another. Let the testimony of Israel direct

the thrones of judgment, and the thrones of judgment protect the

testimony of Israel.

Prayer for the Church.

     

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love

thee.

  7 Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy

palaces.

  8 For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say, Peace

be within thee.

  9 Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy

good.

     

Here,

I. David calls upon others to which well to Jerusalem,

v. 6, 7.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, for the welfare of it, for all

good to it, particularly for the uniting of the inhabitants among

themselves and their preservation from the incursions of enemies. This

we may truly desire, that in the peace thereof we may have peace; and

this we must earnestly pray for, for it is the gift of God, and for it

he will be enquired of. Those that can do nothing else for the peace of

Jerusalem can pray for it, which is something more than showing their

good-will; it is the appointed way of fetching in mercy. The peace and

welfare of the gospel church, particularly in our land, is to be

earnestly desired and prayed for by every one of us. Now,

1. We are here encouraged in our prayers for Jerusalem’s peace:

Those shall prosper that love thee. We must pray for Jerusalem,

not out of custom, nor for fashion’s sake, but out of a principle of

love to God’s government of man and man’s worship of God; and, in

seeking the public welfare, we seek our own, for so well does God

love the gates of Zion that he will love all those that do love

them, and therefore they cannot but prosper; at least their souls shall

prosper by the ordinances they so dearly love.

2. We are here directed in our prayers for it and words are put into

our mouths

(v. 7):

Peace be within thy walls. He teaches us to pray,

(1.) For all the inhabitants in general, all within the walls, from the

least to the greatest. Peace be in thy fortifications; let them never

be attacked, or, if they be, let them never be taken, but be an

effectual security to the city.

(2.) For the princes and rulers especially: Let prosperity be

in the palaces of the great men that sit at the helm and have

the direction of public affairs; for, if they prosper, it will be well

for the public. The poorer sort are apt to envy the prosperity of the

palaces, but they are here taught to pray for it.

     

II. He resolves that whatever others do he will approve himself a

faithful friend to Jerusalem,

1. In his prayers: “I will now say, now I see the tribes so

cheerfully resorting hither to the testimony of Israel, and the

matter settled, that Jerusalem must be the place where God will record

his name, now I will say, Peace be within thee.” He did not say,

“Let others pray for the public peace, the priests and the prophets,

whose business it is, and the people, that have nothing else to do, and

I will fight for it and rule for it.” No; “I will pray for it too.”

2. In his endeavours, with which he will second his prayers: “I

will, to the utmost of my power, seek thy good.” Whatever

lies within the sphere of our activity to do for the public good we

must do it, else we are not sincere in praying for it. Now it might be

said, No thanks to David to be so solicitous for the welfare of

Jerusalem; it was his own city, and the interests of his family were

lodged in it. This is true; yet he professes that this was not the

reason why he was in such care for the welfare of Jerusalem, but it

proceeded from the warm regard he had,

(1.) To the communion of saints: It is for my brethren and

companions’ sakes, that is, for the sake of all true-hearted

Israelites, whom I look upon as my brethren (so he called them,

1 Chron. xxviii. 2)

and who have often been my companions in the worship of God, which has

knit my heart to them.

(2.) To the ordinances of God: He had set his affections to the

house of his God

(1 Chron. xxix. 3);

he took a great pleasure in public worship, and for that reason would

pray for the good of Jerusalem. Then our concern for the public

welfare is right when it is the effect of a sincere love to God’s

institutions and his faithful worshippers.

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Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

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