(א) שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת לְדָוִד, שָׂמַחְתִּי בְּאֹמְרִים לִי בֵּית ה’ נֵלֵךְ:
(1) A song of the steps, by David. I rejoiced when they said to me, “Let us go to the House of Hashem.”
NOTE: For a PDF of this mizmor, please click here. This will enable you to print out the entire text of the article. [Rev. 6]
Key Concepts of Mizmor 122 – Remembered Glory
As in the previous mizmor, King David foresees a time in the future when the Jewish people are in Exile. Although the Bais HaMikdash and the glory of Yerushalayim are only a memory, David offers a tefillah to be said by the Jewish people for the restoration of the city and its place of avodas Hashem. The mizmor begins with a nostalgic recollection of the joy that the Jewish people shared in going up to Yerushalayim three times a year for the shalosh regalim (pilgrimage festivals). The singer of the mizmor visualizes the glory of the city and the happiness of the people as they experienced the love and brotherhood of coming together from all over the land in the service of Hashem.
Of course, when David composed the mizmor, the Bais HaMikdash had not yet even been built and the prospect of future exile and redemption were matters of prophetic vision.
Navigating Tehillim (1). This is the third in the series of 15 mizmorim to be sung by the Leviim in the Beis HaMikdash while standing on the 15 steps leading up from the women’s courtyard to the men’s courtyard.
Navigating Tehillim (2). In Mizmor 042 we find another example of people remembering the joy that they felt in their nearness to Hashem when they came to Yerushalayim three times a year. In that case the emphasis is on the yearning for redemption, whereas here the emphasis is on the prayer for peace.
Exploring the Mizmor
PART 1. MEMORIES. The singer nostalgically recalls the times gone by when Jews went up to Yerushalayim to serve Hashem in the Bais HaMikdash.
(א) שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת לְדָוִד, שָׂמַחְתִּי בְּאֹמְרִים לִי בֵּית ה’ נֵלֵךְ: (ב) עֹמְדוֹת הָיוּ רַגְלֵינוּ בִּשְׁעָרַיִךְ יְרוּשָׁלָ ִם: (ג) יְרוּשָׁלַ ִם הַבְּנוּיָה כְּעִיר שֶׁחֻבְּרָה לָּהּ יַחְדָּו: (ד) שֶׁשָּׁם עָלוּ שְׁבָטִים שִׁבְטֵי יָ־הּ עֵדוּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְהֹדוֹת לְשֵׁם ה’: (ה) כִּי שָׁמָּה יָשְׁבוּ כִסְאוֹת לְמִשְׁפָּט כִּסְאוֹת לְבֵית דָּוִיד:
(1) A song of the steps, by David. I rejoiced when they said to me, “Let us go to the House of Hashem.” (2) “Our feet were standing within your gates, O Yerushalayim.” (3) Yerushalayim, massively built, like a city to which [people of the distant regions] come together. (4) For there the 12 tribes went up, the tribes of G-d — a testimony for Yisrael, to give thanks to the Name of Hashem. (5) For there sat [wise men on] the seats of judgment [and] the thrones of the house of David.
PART 2. LOOKING TO THE FUTURE. The singer calls upon Jews wherever they are in the lands of Exile to pray for the restoration of Yerushalayim and the Bais HaMikdash. The city of Yerushalayim is so real in the mind of the singer that it has a personality of its own. He calls upon the people of each generation to bless the city as one blesses a loved one, fondly wishing the city peace and tranquility, for the sake of its people and for the sake of the Bais HaMikdash.
(ו) שַׁאֲלוּ שְׁלוֹם יְרוּשָׁלָ ִם יִשְׁלָיוּ אֹהֲבָיִךְ: (ז) יְהִי שָׁלוֹם בְּחֵילֵךְ שַׁלְוָה בְּאַרְמְנוֹתָיִךְ: (ח) לְמַעַן אַחַי וְרֵעָי אֲדַבְּרָה נָּא שָׁלוֹם בָּךְ: (ט) לְמַעַן בֵּית ה’ אֱלֹקֵינוּ אֲבַקְשָׁה טוֹב לָךְ:
(6) Pray for the peace of Yerushalayim: “Let those who love you, [O Yerushayim,] enjoy the tranquility. (7) May there be be peace within your outer defenses; may there be tranquility in your inner citadels. (8) For the sake of my brethren and my comrades, I shall speak of peace in your midst. (9) For the sake of the House of Hashem, our G-d, I will request good for you.”
Additional Thoughts
Mizmor 122 is a heartfelt tefillah for the in-gathering of the exiles, while at the same time being a song of praise for Yerushalayim as it once was, a city where a united people came together in peace three times a year to be near the Shechinah (Divine Presence). Many of us who live outside of Eretz Yisrael today are privileged to visit Yerushalayim from time to time, hoping to recapture some of the spirit expressed in this Shir Hamaalos.
After we return from such a trip, this mizmor may have special meaning for us. We may be able to fondly recall the happy experience of planning our visit, thinking of the holy places of Yerushalayim, and saying, “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the House of Hashem.’” We may recall the excitement and the thrill of standing on the holy soil, “Our feet were standing within your gates, O Yerushalayim.”
And when the time comes to leave Yerushalayim and return to our homes, we may visualize the people of the city calling out to us and asking us not to forget them, but to pray for their welfare, “Pray for the peace of Yerushalayim.” As we leave, our tefillah should be for the sake of our loving brothers, “For the sake of my brethren and my comrades,” and for the sake of the Bais HaMikdash to be rebuilt speedily in our days, “For the sake of the House of Hashem, our G-d.”
Learning the Mizmor
PART 1. MEMORIES.
(א) שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת לְדָוִד
A song of the steps — שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת , composed by David — לְדָוִד .
שָׂמַחְתִּי בְּאֹמְרִים לִי בֵּית ה‘ נֵלֵךְ:
I rejoiced when the Bais HaMikdash was in its glory and they said to me — שָׂמַחְתִּי בְּאֹמְרִים לִי , three times a year, “Let us go to the House of Hashem — בֵּית ה’ נֵלֵךְ .”
(ב) עֹמְדוֹת הָיוּ רַגְלֵינוּ
בִּשְׁעָרַיִךְ יְרוּשָׁלָ ִם:
בִּשְׁעָרַיִךְ יְרוּשָׁלָ ִם:
As we entered the great city, our feet were standing — עֹמְדוֹת הָיוּ רַגְלֵינוּ – within your gates, O Yerushalayim — בִּשְׁעָרַיִךְ יְרוּשָׁלָ ִם , watching the throngs of people coming and going. We were not impatient about having to wait our turn. We were happy just to admire the beauty of the city and see our fellow Jews.
(ג) יְרוּשָׁלַ ִם הַבְּנוּיָה
כְּעִיר שֶׁחֻבְּרָה לָּהּ יַחְדָּו:
כְּעִיר שֶׁחֻבְּרָה לָּהּ יַחְדָּו:
We admired Yerushalayim, which was massively built — יְרוּשָׁלַ ִם הַבְּנוּיָה – like a centrally located city — כְּעִיר , in which people of the distant regions confidently come together — שֶׁחֻבְּרָה לָּהּ יַחְדָּו – in brotherhood and goodwill.
(ד) שֶׁשָּׁם עָלוּ שְׁבָטִים שִׁבְטֵי יָ־הּ
עֵדוּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל
לְהֹדוֹת לְשֵׁם ה‘:
עֵדוּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל
לְהֹדוֹת לְשֵׁם ה‘:
For there the 12 tribes went up — שֶׁשָּׁם עָלוּ שְׁבָטִים – during the shalosh regalim (pilgrimage festivals). They were uplifted in spirit because they were the tribes of G-d — שִׁבְטֵי יָ־הּ , each of which maintained its individual identity, serving Hashem in its own way, while still serving as part of one nation.
The miracles that occurred then in Yerushalayim were a testimony for Yisrael — עֵדוּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , that the Shechinah (Divine Presence) dwells within the nation. Yerushalayim was seen to absorb all 12 tribes and yet they did not feel cramped. And so the people were inspired to give thanks to the Name of Hashem — לְהֹדוֹת לְשֵׁם ה’ .
(ה) כִּי שָׁמָּה יָשְׁבוּ כִסְאוֹת לְמִשְׁפָּט
כִּסְאוֹת לְבֵית דָּוִיד:
כִּסְאוֹת לְבֵית דָּוִיד:
It was fitting that the Shechinah should dwell in Yerushalayim for there sat — כִּי שָׁמָּה יָשְׁבוּ – respected chachamim on the many seats of judgment — כִסְאוֹת לְמִשְׁפָּט , including the Sanhedrin. The people were united in brotherhood and comradeship because they trusted the judgment of their courts and because they were loyal to the noble kings on the thrones of the house of David — כִּסְאוֹת לְבֵית דָּוִיד , who worked devotedly to bring the people to avodas Hashem.
PART 2. LOOKING TO THE FUTURE.
(ו) שַׁאֲלוּ שְׁלוֹם יְרוּשָׁלָ ִם
Pray for the peace of Yerushalayim — שַׁאֲלוּ שְׁלוֹם יְרוּשָׁלָ ִם – so that there will be an ingathering of exiles to the city at peace from its enemies. Wherever you are, your tefillah should be directed to Yerushalayim:
יִשְׁלָיוּ אֹהֲבָיִךְ:
O Yerushalayim, let Hashem grant that those who love you and are now mourning your destruction enjoy the tranquility — יִשְׁלָיוּ אֹהֲבָיִךְ – of a city at peace.
(ז) יְהִי שָׁלוֹם בְּחֵילֵךְ
שַׁלְוָה בְּאַרְמְנוֹתָיִךְ:
שַׁלְוָה בְּאַרְמְנוֹתָיִךְ:
May there be peace within your outer defenses — יְהִי שָׁלוֹם בְּחֵילֵךְ ; may there be tranquility in your inner citadels — שַׁלְוָה בְּאַרְמְנוֹתָיִךְ . May your inhabitants be freed from the concerns of fending off foreign enemies and resolving internal dissension.
(ח) לְמַעַן אַחַי וְרֵעָי
אֲדַבְּרָה נָּא שָׁלוֹם בָּךְ:
אֲדַבְּרָה נָּא שָׁלוֹם בָּךְ:
It is not for myself that I ask but for the sake of my brethren and my comrades — לְמַעַן אַחַי וְרֵעָי – and my love for every Jew, I shall speak of peace in your midst — אֲדַבְּרָה נָּא שָׁלוֹם בָּךְ .
(ט) לְמַעַן בֵּית ה‘ אֱלֹקֵינוּ
אֲבַקְשָׁה טוֹב לָךְ:
אֲבַקְשָׁה טוֹב לָךְ:
For the sake of the House of Hashem, our G-d — לְמַעַן בֵּית ה’ אֱלֹקֵינוּ , which will be rebuilt, I will request good for you — אֲבַקְשָׁה טוֹב לָךְ .
Living the Mizmor
Listed below are some of the lessons that you can draw from this mizmor, as well as some of the thoughts you might have in mind when you say the words of the mizmor as a tefillah to Hashem.
Tehillos for Life – Contemplation of Hashem.
[122:1] THE HOUSE OF HASHEM. – שָׂמַחְתִּי בְּאֹמְרִים לִי בֵּית ה’ נֵלֵךְ: – “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the House of Hashem.’” The Bais HaMikdash is the place where the greatness of Hashem as Master of the universe is most clearly perceived. It is there that the intensity of His presence is most felt and so it is there that Hashem is seen as truly great.
[122:3] THE CITY OF HASHEM. – יְרוּשָׁלַ ִם הַבְּנוּיָה כְּעִיר שֶׁחֻבְּרָה לָּהּ יַחְדָּו: – “Yerushalayim, massively built, like a city to which [people of the distant regions] come together.” The City of Hashem is the place which people of distant regions come together in brotherhood and goodwill.
[122:4] A TESTIMONY FOR YISRAEL. – עֵדוּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְהֹדוֹת לְשֵׁם ה’ – “a testimony for Yisrael, to give thanks to the Name of Hashem.” The miracles that occurred in Yerushalayim were a testimony for Yisrael, that the Shechinah dwells within the nation. Yerushalayim was seen to absorb all 12 tribes and yet they did not feel cramped.
Tefillos for Life – Your Geulah.
[122:5] RESTORATION. – כִּי שָׁמָּה יָשְׁבוּ כִסְאוֹת לְמִשְׁפָּט כִּסְאוֹת לְבֵית דָּוִיד: – “For there sat [wise men on] the seats of judgment [and] the thrones of the house of David.” Ask Hashem to bring the Geulah (Redemption), restore the Sanhedrin, rebuild Yerusahayim, and establish again the reign of the House of David.
Tefillos for Life – Your Yeshuah.
[122:6] PEACE. – שַׁאֲלוּ שְׁלוֹם יְרוּשָׁלָ ִם יִשְׁלָיוּ אֹהֲבָיִךְ – “Pray for the peace of Yerushalayim: “Let those who love you, [O Yerushayim,] enjoy the tranquility.” Ask Hashem to restore the peace of Yerushalayim.
[122:7] – יְהִי שָׁלוֹם בְּחֵילֵךְ שַׁלְוָה בְּאַרְמְנוֹתָיִךְ – “May there be be peace within your outer defenses; may there be tranquility in your inner citadels.”
Sources
The primary sources used in the interpretation of the verses of this mizmor are listed below.
א – אבן עזרא, רד”ק, מצודות
ב – רד”ק, המאירי
ג – רד”ק, מלבי”ם
ד – רד”ק, המאירי, אבן יחייא
ד – רד”ק, המאירי, אבן יחייא
ה – מצודות, מלבי”ם
ו – רד”ק
ז – אבן יחייא
ח – נר לרגלי