Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 122:5

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Psalms 122:5. There are set thrones of judgment — There were the public courts, and thither the people went to obtain justice; and while the thrones of the house of David were there, they had justice.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms 120-124 To Jerusalem for worship

Each of the fifteen Psalms 120:0 to 134 is entitled ‘A Song of Ascents’ (RSV; NIV). These psalms were apparently sung by worshippers from the country areas as they made the journey up to Jerusalem for the various annual festivals.

Whether or not the psalms were written for this purpose, they have been arranged in a sequence that reflects the feelings of the travellers. They provide expressions of worship for the travellers as they set out from distant regions, travel through the country, come to Jerusalem, and finally join in the temple ceremonies.
The collection opens with a cry from one who lives in a distant region and is bitterly persecuted by his neighbours (120:1-2). Their insults pierce him like sharp arrows and burn him like red-hot coals. He prays that God’s punishment of them will be just as painful (3-4). He is tired of being victimized. He feels as if he lives in a far-off land where he is surrounded by attackers from hostile tribes. He will set out for Jerusalem and seek some peace and refreshment of spirit in God’s house (5-7).
As he journeys through the hill country, the man knows that God who made the hills cares for him (121:1-2). Even when he sleeps by the roadside at night, God, who never sleeps, watches over him (3-4). God protects him from dangers by day and by night (5-6). Surely, God will take him to Jerusalem and bring him safely home again (7-8).
In the excitement of anticipation, the traveller pictures his dream as fulfilled. He recalls a psalm of David and pictures himself at last standing in Jerusalem as David once did (122:1-2). He sees it as a beautiful, well-built city, where the tribes of Israel are united in their worship of God, and where God rules his people through the throne of David (3-5). He prays that God will always preserve the city and prosper its people (6-8). He himself will do all he can for the city’s good (9).
Ungodly people mock the poor traveller, and others who have now joined him, for putting up with such hardships just to attend a religious festival in Jerusalem. The worshippers ask God to give them some relief by silencing those who mock them (123:1-4).
The persecuted travellers once more recall the experience of David and sing one of his psalms that reflects their own experience. As David was persecuted, so are they. Only through God’s grace and power have they been kept from much worse treatment (124:1-3). Their enemies are as violent and destructive as a raging flood (4-5), as cruel as wild animals (6) and as cunning as bird-trappers (7), but the travellers have the great Creator on their side (8).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

“For there are set thrones for judgment, The thrones of the house of David.”

McCaw thought “thrones” as used here was a “Plural of majesty, referring to the `great throne’ of David and his dynasty.”The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 530. Dummelow also pointed out that it might refer to, “The princes of the house of David.”J. R. Dummelow’s Commentary, p. 373. If that meaning should be allowed here, then we have positive proof that this psalm must be identified with the reign of David and not with some later historical circumstance.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

For there are set - Margin, Do sit. The Hebrew is, “For there sit thrones for judgment.” They are established there; or, That is the appointed place for administering justice.

Thrones of judgment - Seats for dispensing justice. The word throne is now commonly appropriated to the seat or chair of a king, but this is not necessarily the meaning here. The word may denote a seat or bench occupied by a judge. The meaning here is, that Jerusalem was the supreme seat of justice; the place where justice was dispensed for the nation. It was at once the religious and the civil capital of the nation.

The thrones of the house of David - Of the family of David, who performed the office of magistrates, or who administered justice. The family of David would naturally be employed in such a service as this. This office, Absalom - who had not been appointed to it - earnestly desired, in order that he might secure popularity in his contemplated rebellion. “Oh that I were made a judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!” 2 Samuel 15:4.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

5.For there were set thrones for judgment. He means, that the throne of the kingdom was fixed or established at Jerusalem, or that there it had its permanent seat. Among that people some order of judgments had always existed; these, however, had formerly been in an unsettled state, and frequently changed, but God at length ordained, in the person of David, a new government which should flow in a continual course; for it was his will that the children of David should succeed their father in this royal dignity from age to age until the coming of Christ. The Prophet has a little before spoken of the Temple and the priesthood; and now he affirms, that this kingdom, which God had erected, will be firm and stable; in order to distinguish it from all the other kingdoms of the world, which are not only temporary, but also frail and subject to a variety of changes. This everlastingness of the kingdom has been expressly confirmed by other Prophets in various parts of their’ writings, and not without cause; for the object was, to teach the faithful that God would be the guardian of their welfare only upon the supposition of their remaining under the protection and defense of David, and that, therefore, if they desired to continue in safety and to prosper, they should not make for themselves new kings at their own pleasure, but should live quietly under that kind of government which God had set up among them. The repetition of the word throne is emphatic. There, says the Psalmist, the throne of judgment and equity is erected. Then he adds, the throne of the house of David; for it was the will of God that the right and prerogative of reigning should continue in David’s posterity, until the true everlastingness of this kingdom should be manifested in the person of Christ.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 122:1-9 continues. The idea is I'm traveling now towards Jerusalem. I'm with probably a company of fifty, a hundred people. They always got together for these trips to Jerusalem. That is why, actually, when Jesus was twelve years old, when his parents left Jerusalem, they left with a big company of people going back up towards Nazareth. And that's why they could get out a whole day's journey without missing Him. You know, He's probably with His cousins or you know, with part of the crowd. And it wasn't until dinnertime that they began to look around and couldn't find Him. And then is when they had to retrace their steps back to Jerusalem, because they would always travel with a big company.

And how glorious that must have been, coming towards Jerusalem with a large company of people. Of course, let us say that we here... say it was the big conclave that's going to be in San Bernardino. And we all decided you know, "Well, let's go and let's worship the Lord in San Bernardino. Or up at the conference center." So we get the idea of going up, but we didn't have cars. We're going to have to walk. So we all have our provisions. We start out together. We're singing as we're going down the road. The children are throwing rocks and taking sticks and beating trees and this kind of stuff, you know. And it's a big kind of an occasion going to worship the Lord.

I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go to the house of the LORD ( Psalms 122:1 ).

Someone suggested, "Well, let's go up this year. Come on, let's go up to the house of the Lord." All right. "I was glad when they said unto me, 'Let us go into the house of the Lord.'"

For our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem ( Psalms 122:2 ).

The anticipation. Now there is something about Jerusalem, once your feet have stood within the gates, you always want to go back and stand again. There's something magnetic about that place. Once having stood there, there's always a yearning to go back.

Every year after our visit to Israel, Kay and I come home and we're trying to get over jet lag and we'll say, "Well, this is our last year. You know, this will be it. It's just, you know." But my, as the time approaches to leave again, we get so excited. We're all planning and getting things all set and ready to go, and we're eager and raring to go again. There's just something about the place; you just love to go back again and again. "Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem." Glorious anticipation.

For Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together: Whither the tribes go up ( Psalms 122:3-4 ),

And that is, the people. All the word compact together means that all the people gather together within it in a compact type of a group. "Whither the tribes go up."

the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD ( Psalms 122:4 ).

So all of the people gathering together to give thanks to the Lord.

For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David ( Psalms 122:5 ).

Jerusalem is the capital. Jerusalem is the center.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee ( Psalms 122:6 ).

We had a fellow come in this past week who God has given the gift of giving. And he said, "I like to give where I know that God is going to bless me." And so a while back, he gave money designated to be distributed to the poor. Because the scriptures said, "He who lends to the poor lends to the Lord" ( Proverbs 19:17 ). He said, "I like to just lend some money to the Lord." So he said, "Just distribute this to the poor, because I know God's interested in the poor and God's going to bless me."

Well, he came back and he said, "Well, God has blessed me because I distributed to the poor." He said, "Now I want to give again where I know that God will bless. And God said that He would bless those that bless Israel. And so I want to give a gift just for the nation of Israel. Let it come from the church and I want you to take it over with you when you go." So we'll be taking a gift to Israel when we go over in January. We're going to give it to Prime Minister Begin and just tell him it's from the Christians at Calvary Chapel because we're praying for the peace of Jerusalem and we love them for preserving the Bible for us and for bringing us our Savior. And we're just going to give it in the name of the Lord to the nation. And if you'd like to contribute to that fund, you can just designate it. "They shall prosper," it says, "that love thee."

He said, "God has so blessed me for giving to the poor, loaning to Him for the poor. Now I want to give into something else that God has declared Himself for." So he gave me a check for $450,000 that I'll be taking over. He says, "My accountant says this is what I need to write off for the end of the year." So loaning to the poor pays pretty good interest.

Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee ( Psalms 122:7-8 ).

He tells us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and then he offers sort of a prayer, "Peace be within thy walls. For the companions' sake, I will now say, 'Peace be within thee.'"

Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good ( Psalms 122:9 ).

Still in the anticipation of gathering in Jerusalem to worship the Lord. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 122

David spoke of his delight in going up to the temple to worship God in this short psalm. He exhorted the Israelites to pray for the security of Jerusalem so that this blessing might continue. Such a condition, i.e., a peaceful state, would glorify God, as well as benefit His people.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

2. Jerusalem’s privileged condition 122:3-5

God had blessed Jerusalem by giving it a large, compact population. He appointed it the center of national life and worship, to which people from all the tribes of Israel resorted for festive occasions. They also traveled there for judicial verdicts from the righteous king, whom God had provided for His people.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

For there are set thrones of judgment,.... In Jerusalem as the Targum; here were courts of judicature, and thrones for the judges to sit upon, to execute judgment and justice to the people;

the thrones of the house of David; the Targum is,

"thrones in the house of the sanctuary, for the kings of the house of David;''

who might sit there, as the Jews say, when others might not. In the church of Christ, the heavenly Jerusalem, every saint is a king, as well as a priest, and all have thrones and seats there; have a power of judging, not only lesser matters pertaining to this life, but such as regard the spiritual peace and welfare of the church and interest of Christ; having laws and rules given them to go by, in the admission and exclusion of members, and respecting their conduct to each other, and to their Lord and head: and in the New Jerusalem there will be thrones set, not only for the twelve apostles of Christ, and for the martyrs of Jesus, but for all the saints; there will be the thrones of God and of the Lamb, and every overcomer shall sit down on the same; this honour will have all the saints, Matthew 19:28.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

A song of degrees of David.

      1 I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.   2 Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.   3 Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:   4 Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.   5 For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.

      Here we have,

      I. The pleasure which David and other pious Israelites took in approaching to and attending upon God in public ordinances, Psalms 122:1; Psalms 122:2.

      1. The invitation to them was very welcome. David was himself glad, and would have every Israelite to say that he was glad, when he was called upon to go up to the house of the Lord. Note, (1.) It is the will of God that we should worship him in concert, that many should join together to wait upon him in public ordinances. We ought to worship God in our own houses, but that is not enough; we must go into the house of the Lord, to pay our homage to him there, and not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. (2.) We should not only agree with one another, but excite and stir up one another, to go to worship God in public. Let us go; not, "Do you go and pray for us, and we will stay at home;" but, We will go also,Zechariah 8:21. Not, "Do you go before, and we will follow at our leisure;" or, "We will go first, and you shall come after us;" but, "Let us go together, for the honour of God and for our mutual edification and encouragement." We ourselves are slow and backward, and others are so too, and therefore we should thus quicken and sharpen one another to that which is good, as iron sharpens iron. (3.) Those that rejoice in God will rejoice in calls and opportunities to wait upon him. David himself, though he had as little need of a spur to his zeal in religious exercises as any, yet was so far from taking it as an affront that he was glad of it as a kindness when he was called upon to go up to the house of the Lord with the meanest of his subjects. We should desire our Christian friends, when they have any good work in hand, to call for us and take us along with them.

      2. The prospect of them was very pleasing. They speak it with a holy triumph (Psalms 122:2; Psalms 122:2): Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem! Those that came out of the country, when they found the journey tedious, comforted themselves with this, that they should be in Jerusalem shortly, and that would make amends for all the fatigues of their journey. We shall stand there as servants; it is desirable to have a place in Jerusalem, though it be among those that stand by (Zechariah 3:7), though it be the door keeper's place, Psalms 84:10. We have now got a resting-place for the ark, and where it is there will we be.

      II. The praises of Jerusalem, as Psalms 48:12.

      1. It is the beautiful city, not only for situation, but for building. It is built into a city, the houses not scattered, but contiguous, and the streets fair and spacious. It is built uniform, compact together, the houses strengthening and supporting one another. Though the city was divided into the higher and lower town, yet the Jebusites being driven out, and it being entirely in the possession of God's people, it is said to be compact together. It was a type of the gospel-church, which is compact together in holy love and Christian communion, so that it is all as one city.

      2. It is the holy city, Psalms 122:4; Psalms 122:4. It is the place where all Israel meet one another: Thither the tribes go up, from all parts of the country, as one man, under the character of the tribes of the Lord, in obedience to his command. It is the place appointed for their general rendezvous; and they come together, (1.) To receive instruction from God; they come to the testimony of Israel, to hear what God has to say to them and to consult his oracle. (2.) To ascribe the glory to God, to give thanks to the name of the Lord, which we have all reason to do, especially those that have the testimony of Israel among them. If God speak to us by his word, we have reason to answer him by our thanksgivings. See on what errand we go to public worship, to give thanks.

      3. It is the royal city (Psalms 122:5; Psalms 122:5): There are set thrones of judgment. Therefore the people had reason to be in love with Jerusalem, because justice was administered there by a man after God's own heart. The civil interests of the people were as well secured as their ecclesiastical concerns; and very happy they were in their courts of judicature, which were erected in Jerusalem, as with us in Westminster Hall. Observe, What a goodly sight it was to see the testimony of Israel and the thrones of judgment such near neighbours, and they are good neighbours, which may greatly befriend one another. Let the testimony of Israel direct the thrones of judgment, and the thrones of judgment protect the testimony of Israel.