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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1710)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>P S A L M S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>PSALM CXXII.</FONT>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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This psalm seems to have been penned by David for the use of the people
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of Israel, when they came up to Jerusalem to worship at the three
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solemn feasts. It was in David's time that Jerusalem was first chosen
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to be the city where God would record his name. It being a new thing,
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this, among other means, was used to bring the people to be in love
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with Jerusalem, as the holy city, though it was but the other day in
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the hands of the Jebusites. Observe,
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I. The joy with which they were to go up to Jerusalem,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+122:1,2">ver. 1, 2</A>.
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II. The great esteem they were to have of Jerusalem,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+122:3-5">ver. 3-5</A>.
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III. The great concern they were to have for Jerusalem, and the prayers
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they were to put up for its welfare,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+122:6-9">ver. 6-9</A>.
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In singing this psalm we must have an eye to the gospel church, which
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is called the "Jerusalem that is from above."</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Ps122_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps122_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps122_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps122_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps122_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Pleasures of Public Worship.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<CENTER>
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<P>A song of degrees of David.</P>
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</CENTER>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 I was glad when they said
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unto me, Let us go into the house of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>.
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2 Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.
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3 Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:
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4 Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, unto the
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testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>.
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5 For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the
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house of David.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here we have,</P>
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<P>
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I. The pleasure which David and other pious Israelites took in
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approaching to and attending upon God in public ordinances,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+122:1,2"><I>v.</I> 1, 2</A>.</P>
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<P>
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1. The invitation to them was very welcome. David was himself glad, and
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would have every Israelite to say that he <I>was glad, when</I> he was
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called upon to <I>go up to the house of the Lord.</I> Note,
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(1.) It is the will of God that we should worship him in concert, that
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many should join together to wait upon him in public ordinances. We
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ought to worship God in our own houses, but that is not enough; we must
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<I>go into the house of the Lord,</I> to pay our homage to him there,
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and <I>not forsake the assembling of ourselves together.</I>
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(2.) We should not only agree with one another, but excite and stir up
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one another, to go to worship God in public. <I>Let us go;</I> not, "Do
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you go and pray for us, and we will stay at home;" but, <I>We will go
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also,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Zec+8:21">Zech. viii. 21</A>.
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Not, "Do you go before, and we will follow at our leisure;" or, "We
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will go first, and you shall come after us;" but, "<I>Let us go</I>
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together, for the honour of God and for our mutual edification and
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encouragement." We ourselves are slow and backward, and others are so
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too, and therefore we should thus quicken and sharpen one another to
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that which is good, as iron sharpens iron.
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(3.) Those that rejoice in God will rejoice in calls and opportunities
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to wait upon him. David himself, though he had as little need of a spur
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to his zeal in religious exercises as any, yet was so far from taking
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it as an affront that he was glad of it as a kindness when he was
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called upon to <I>go</I> up <I>to the house of the Lord</I> with the
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meanest of his subjects. We should desire our Christian friends, when
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they have any good work in hand, to call for us and take us along with
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them.</P>
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<P>
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2. The prospect of them was very pleasing. They speak it with a holy
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triumph
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+122:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>):
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<I>Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem!</I> Those that
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came out of the country, when they found the journey tedious, comforted
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themselves with this, that they should be in Jerusalem shortly, and
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that would make amends for all the fatigues of their journey. We shall
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stand there as servants; it is desirable to have a place in Jerusalem,
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though it be <I>among those that stand by</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Zec+3:7">Zech. iii. 7</A>),
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though it be the door keeper's place,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+84:10">Ps. lxxxiv. 10</A>.
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We have now got a resting-place for the ark, and where it is there will
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we be.</P>
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<P>
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II. The praises of Jerusalem, as
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:12">Ps. xlviii. 12</A>.</P>
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<P>
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1. It is the beautiful city, not only for situation, but for building.
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It is built into <I>a city,</I> the houses not scattered, but
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contiguous, and the streets fair and spacious. It is built uniform,
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<I>compact together,</I> the houses strengthening and supporting one
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another. Though the city was divided into the higher and lower town,
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yet the Jebusites being driven out, and it being entirely in the
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possession of God's people, it is said to be compact together. It was a
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type of the gospel-church, which is compact together in holy love and
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Christian communion, so that it is all as one city.</P>
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<P>
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2. It is the holy city,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+122:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>.
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It is the place where all Israel meet one another: <I>Thither the
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tribes go up,</I> from all parts of the country, as one man, under the
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character of <I>the tribes of the Lord,</I> in obedience to his
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command. It is the place appointed for their general rendezvous; and
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they come together,
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(1.) To receive instruction from God; they come <I>to the testimony of
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Israel,</I> to hear what God has to say to them and to consult his
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oracle.
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(2.) To ascribe the glory to God, <I>to give thanks to the name of the
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Lord,</I> which we have all reason to do, especially those that have
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the testimony of Israel among them. If God speak to us by his word, we
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have reason to answer him by our thanksgivings. See on what errand we
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go to public worship, <I>to give thanks.</I></P>
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<P>
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3. It is the royal city
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+122:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>):
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<I>There are set thrones of judgment. Therefore</I> the people had
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reason to be in love with Jerusalem, because justice was administered
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there by a man after God's own heart. The civil interests of the
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people were as well secured as their ecclesiastical concerns; and very
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happy they were in their courts of judicature, which were erected in
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Jerusalem, as with us in Westminster Hall. Observe, What a goodly sight
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it was to see <I>the testimony of Israel</I> and the <I>thrones of
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judgment</I> such near neighbours, and they are good neighbours, which
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may greatly befriend one another. Let the testimony of Israel direct
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the thrones of judgment, and the thrones of judgment protect the
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testimony of Israel.</P>
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<A NAME="Ps122_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps122_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps122_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps122_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Prayer for the Church.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love
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thee.
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7 Peace be within thy walls, <I>and</I> prosperity within thy
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palaces.
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8 For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace
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<I>be</I> within thee.
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9 Because of the house of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> our God I will seek thy
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good.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here,
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I. David calls upon others to which well to Jerusalem,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+122:6,7"><I>v.</I> 6, 7</A>.
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<I>Pray for the peace of Jerusalem,</I> for the welfare of it, for all
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good to it, particularly for the uniting of the inhabitants among
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themselves and their preservation from the incursions of enemies. This
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we may truly desire, that in the peace thereof we may have peace; and
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this we must earnestly pray for, for it is the gift of God, and for it
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he will be enquired of. Those that can do nothing else for the peace of
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Jerusalem can pray for it, which is something more than showing their
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good-will; it is the appointed way of fetching in mercy. The peace and
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welfare of the gospel church, particularly in our land, is to be
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earnestly desired and prayed for by every one of us. Now,
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1. We are here encouraged in our prayers for Jerusalem's peace:
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<I>Those shall prosper that love thee.</I> We must pray for Jerusalem,
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not out of custom, nor for fashion's sake, but out of a principle of
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love to God's government of man and man's worship of God; and, in
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seeking the public welfare, we seek our own, for so well does God
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<I>love the gates of Zion</I> that he will love all those that do love
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them, and therefore they cannot but prosper; at least their souls shall
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prosper by the ordinances they so dearly love.
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2. We are here directed in our prayers for it and words are put into
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our mouths
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+122:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>):
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<I>Peace be within thy walls.</I> He teaches us to pray,
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(1.) For all the inhabitants in general, all within the walls, from the
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least to the greatest. Peace be in thy fortifications; let them never
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be attacked, or, if they be, let them never be taken, but be an
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effectual security to the city.
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(2.) For the princes and rulers especially: Let <I>prosperity</I> be
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<I>in the palaces</I> of the great men that sit at the helm and have
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the direction of public affairs; for, if they prosper, it will be well
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for the public. The poorer sort are apt to envy the prosperity of the
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palaces, but they are here taught to pray for it.</P>
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<P>
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II. He resolves that whatever others do he will approve himself a
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faithful friend to Jerusalem,
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1. In his prayers: "<I>I will now say,</I> now I see the tribes so
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cheerfully resorting hither to <I>the testimony of Israel,</I> and the
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matter settled, that Jerusalem must be the place where God will record
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his name, now I will say, <I>Peace be within thee.</I>" He did not say,
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"Let others pray for the public peace, the priests and the prophets,
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whose business it is, and the people, that have nothing else to do, and
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I will fight for it and rule for it." No; "I will pray for it too."
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2. In his endeavours, with which he will second his prayers: "<I>I
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will,</I> to the utmost of my power, <I>seek thy good.</I>" Whatever
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lies within the sphere of our activity to do for the public good we
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must do it, else we are not sincere in praying for it. Now it might be
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said, No thanks to David to be so solicitous for the welfare of
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Jerusalem; it was his own city, and the interests of his family were
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lodged in it. This is true; yet he professes that this was not the
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reason why he was in such care for the welfare of Jerusalem, but it
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proceeded from the warm regard he had,
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(1.) To the communion of saints: It is <I>for my brethren and
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companions' sakes,</I> that is, for the sake of all true-hearted
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Israelites, whom I look upon as my brethren (so he called them,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+28:2">1 Chron. xxviii. 2</A>)
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and who have often been my companions in the worship of God, which has
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knit my heart to them.
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(2.) To the ordinances of God: He had <I>set his affections to the
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house of his God</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+29:3">1 Chron. xxix. 3</A>);
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he took a great pleasure in public worship, and for that reason would
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pray for the good of Jerusalem. <I>Then</I> our concern for the public
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welfare is right when it is the effect of a sincere love to God's
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institutions and his faithful worshippers.</P>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1710)
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