Psalms 122:3

122:3 Jerusalem ¹  is a city designed

to accommodate an assembly. ² 

Psalms 120:6

120:6 For too long I have had to reside

with those who hate ³  peace.

Psalms 123:4

123:4 We have had our fill ⁴ 

of the taunts of the self-assured,

of the contempt of the proud.

Psalms 139:6

139:6 Your knowledge is beyond my comprehension;

it is so far beyond me, I am unable to fathom it. ⁵ 

Psalms 125:2

125:2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, ⁶ 

so the Lord surrounds his people,

now and forevermore.

Psalms 84:3

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.

[122:3]  ¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[122:3]  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).

[120:6]  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.

[123:4]  ⁵ tn Heb “greatly our soul is full to it.”

[139:6]  ⁷ tn Heb “too amazing [is this] knowledge for me, it is elevated, I cannot attain to it.”

[125:2]  ⁹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[84:3]  ¹¹ tn The word translated “swallow” occurs only here and in Prov 26:2.

[84:3]  ¹² tn Heb “even a bird finds a home, and a swallow a nest for herself, [in] which she places her young.”