122:3 Jerusalem 1 is a city designed
to accommodate an assembly. 2
120:6 For too long I have had to reside
with those who hate 3 peace.
123:4 We have had our fill 4
of the taunts of the self-assured,
of the contempt of the proud.
139:6 Your knowledge is beyond my comprehension;
it is so far beyond me, I am unable to fathom it. 5
125:2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, 6
so the Lord surrounds his people,
now and forevermore.
84:3 Even the birds find a home there,
and the swallow 7 builds a nest,
where she can protect her young 8
near your altars, O Lord who rules over all,
my king and my God.
1 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
2 tc Heb “Jerusalem, which is built like a city which is joined to her together.” The meaning of the Hebrew text is unclear. Many regard this as a description of the compact way in which the city was designed or constructed. The translation assumes an emendation of the verb חֻבְּרָה (khubbÿrah, “is joined”) to a noun חֶבְרָה (khevrah, “association; company”). The text then reads literally, “Jerusalem, which is built like a city which has a company together.” This in turn can be taken as a reference to Jerusalem’s role as a city where people congregated for religious festivals and other civic occasions (see vv. 4-5).
3 tn The singular participial form probably has a representative function here. The psalmist envisions the typical hater of peace who represents the entire category of such individuals.
5 tn Heb “greatly our soul is full to it.”
7 tn Heb “too amazing [is this] knowledge for me, it is elevated, I cannot attain to it.”
9 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
11 tn The word translated “swallow” occurs only here and in Prov 26:2.
12 tn Heb “even a bird finds a home, and a swallow a nest for herself, [in] which she places her young.”