Psalm 122:1

Context

Psalm 122 in the Book of Psalms is one of the "Songs of Ascents" (pilgrim songs) that run from Psalm 120 through Psalm 134. Its superscription bears the name of David, though some scholars regard it as a song of later pilgrims. Israelite men were required to go up to Jerusalem for three festivals: Passover, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles (Deuteronomy 16:16). Because Jerusalem stood on high ground, the pilgrimage was described as "going up."

In verse 1 the speaker recalls a neighbor's invitation to set out together on the journey and expresses his joy. By verse 2 he is already standing within the gates of Jerusalem. The psalm then celebrates the strength of the city and the thrones of the house of David, and it closes in verses 6–9 with a prayer for the peace of Jerusalem. "The house of the LORD" in verse 1 originally referred to the Temple in Jerusalem.

Interpretation

• Historical and literal reading: The psalm is read as a song expressing the joy of Israelites preparing for a festival pilgrimage and the unity of the community of faith. This reading notes that the pilgrim does not set out alone but in response to the invitation of others: "when they said unto me."
• Christian liturgical reading: Many Protestant interpreters apply the verse to the believer's delight in gathering together for worship. They present it as a text that models the proper disposition for coming to corporate worship.
• Spiritual and eschatological reading: Augustine and other early Church Fathers are known to have interpreted the Songs of Ascents as the journey of the heart ascending toward the heavenly Jerusalem. In this tradition, "the house of the LORD" ultimately refers to the heavenly dwelling place in the presence of God.

Questions Concerning Application

There is little dispute among denominations over the interpretation of the verse itself. Some, however, caution against applications that directly equate "the house of the LORD" with present-day church buildings. Protestants generally do not regard a building in itself as a holy place equivalent to the Temple, citing John 4:20–23 and 1 Corinthians 3:16–17. From this perspective, the verse should be read with a focus not on the place but on the joy of the community gathering together to come before God. Other readings, by contrast, emphasize the significance of gathering in a space set apart for worship. It has also been observed that when the verse is used as a slogan to encourage church attendance, the spontaneous joy expressed in "I was glad" becomes an emphasis on obligation.

In the Korean Church

The verse is sometimes read as a call to worship or as an opening sentence of Scripture at the beginning of Lord's Day worship. It is also frequently quoted in church bulletins, on church banners, and in invitations to worship. In Western church music, Hubert Parry's anthem "I was glad," a setting of this psalm, is widely known for having been sung at the coronations of British monarchs.

Related Passages

• Psalm 84:10
• Psalm 42:4
• Deuteronomy 16:16
• John 4:21–23
• Hebrews 10:24–25