Psalm 121

To the hills (121:1). It is possible that looking to the hills evokes images of danger and difficulty, especially the rugged terrain of the hill country on approaching Jerusalem, where robbers lurked. At such times, the psalmist looks to Yahweh. But the “hills” may be a figure of speech for the location of Jerusalem, situated on a hilltop, where God inhabits his temple. Looking to the hills, then, is a search for divine help, similar in spirit to 123:1. For an Israelite living at a distance from Jerusalem or traveling there, looking toward the hills of Jerusalem was “looking up” toward God’s abode, his or her only source of help (125:2).

Sleep (121:4). See comment on 44:23.

Sun … moon (121:6). The oppressive heat of the sun is a common human experience (Isa. 49:10; Jonah 4:8). Whether or not the ancients thought that special dangers were posed by the moon is unknown (i.e., “moonstruck”). Mesopotamian medical texts diagnose some illnesses in association with the “hand of the moon god,” but this is not unique to this deity and other gods and goddesses are named more frequently in this regard.577 One text mentions the moon god (Sin) and the sun god (Shamash) together in conjunction with the same illness.578

Both in Mesopotamia and at Ugarit (ca. 1300 B.C.), evil omens were associated with some manifestations of the moon, such as a red or yellow color at moonrise.579 But it is doubtful that the psalmist would acknowledge the potency of these foreign gods, though this verse addresses any anxiety that may haunt the pilgrim. Most likely, the mention of the moon balances the parallelism with the sun, which extends the potential harms to include all dangers of the night as well as the day.

Psalm 122

O Jerusalem (122:2). See the sidebar “Hymns to Holy Cities” at Psalm 48.

Tribes go up (122:4). Three times a year all the males of Israel were required by God’s law to attend feasts in Jerusalem (see the sidebar “Pilgrim Psalms” at Psalm 120).

Thrones for judgment (122:5). The psalmist revels in the virtues of the city of Jerusalem, and one test of the quality of any community is its judicial system. A “throne” was a seat of authority where justice was dispensed (see comment on 47:8). The city gates were places in ancient Israel where judicial matters were often settled (Deut. 21:19; 22:15, 24; 25:7; Ruth 4:1–11; 2 Sam. 15:2), and archaeological excavations at the northern Israelite city of Dan have uncovered a throne platform at the entrance to the city where a magistrate would sit to render judgment.580 So perhaps such seats of justice were in place at Jerusalem’s gates, which served the needs of pilgrims on their annual visits to the city.

Ruler’s podium at the gate of Dan

William D. Mounce

Psalm 123

I lift my eyes (123:1). Lifting up one’s eyes is a natural attitude of prayer. At Ugarit, a city to the north of Israel that shared common features with Canaanite and Israelite culture, a prayer for help during a time of siege instructs worshipers to “lift your eyes to Baal.”581 But for the psalmist, Yahweh (v. 3) is the one who reigns in heaven.

Psalm 124

Torrent (124:4). This word is literally a “wadi,” which can be a perennial stream but more often refers to a dry river bed that fills with water only during rain. A sudden rainstorm can cause a flash flood that sweeps treacherously down the canyon.

Fowler’s snare (124:7). Remnants of an Egyptian bird snare have been found. A circular net was held flat on the ground by two semi-circular bows framing the circumference and hinged across the middle. A bird, lured by bait set at the middle of the net, was caught when the two sides of the circle sprang to close around the bird.582 A variety of other netting systems were also used (see comment on 140:5).

Fowler’s snare

Kim Walton, courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

Psalm 125

Cannot be shaken (125:1). See comment on 46:5.

Mountains surround (125:2). Jerusalem was built on a hill in the southern mountain range of Israel, and the temple was located at its crest (called Mount Zion; see comments on 48:1–2). However, other hills exist in the surrounding area, some even higher than the temple mount. The psalmist uses this geographical image as a metaphor of Yahweh’s protection.

Psalm 126

Captives to Zion (126:1). After Cyrus conquered Babylon in 539 B.C., he issued a proclamation allowing captive peoples, including the Israelites, to return to their homeland and rebuild their cities and temples (2 Chron. 36:22–23; Ezra 1:1–11; 3:7).583 Isaiah attributes this to the sovereign providence of Yahweh (Isa. 44:24–45:4). The effect on the returnees was dreamlike (see comments on 107:3; 147:3).

Streams in the Negev (126:4). The Negev is the desert region south of Judah where stream beds are dry most of the year and refreshed only by a rare rain.

Psalm 127

Builds the house (127:1). In Old Testament usage, “house” can refer to a physical structure or to a family. This double meaning appears in Nathan’s oracle to David regarding the future temple and his own future dynasty (2 Sam. 7:5, 11b–12). The psalmist draws on the same wordplay here, since “house” is parallel to “city” and is also echoed in the second half of the psalm as “sons.”584 The Lord’s help is the decisive factor in success.

These are fundamental concerns for any society. Numerous Mesopotamian texts refer to the crucial role of deities in the building of a city.585 Prayers and incantations also recognized the necessity of divine help in procreation (see comment on 113:9). The joining of these two themes is illustrated as well in a Sumerian hymn to the goddess Nisaba: “Nisaba, where you do not establish it, the human being builds no (house), builds no city…. You are the mistress who grants joy of the heart, good seed you introduce into the womb.”586

Arrows … quiver (127:4–5). Archery units were the most critical component of an ancient army—useful on foot, on horseback, and as part of the chariot corp.587 The psalmist’s choice of arrows as a metaphor is appropriate to the analogy of multiple children, but it also underscores that the growth of the next generation is vital to the future well-being of both city and society.

Bronze arrowhead

© The Trustees of the British Museum

Psalm 128

Fruitful vine … olive shoots (128:3). The metaphor of a vine is used for a wife, both for its connotations as a delectable fruit (Song 7:8) and for suggestions of fertility (Gen. 49:22; Isa. 5:1). An olive tree was versatile, useful for its wood, leaves, and oil; it also symbolized well-being (Gen. 8:11) and splendor (Hos. 14:6). It tenaciously produces new shoots even after being cut down.588

The size of the typical family in ancient Israel is difficult to estimate, but some studies suggest that an average number of live births might be four with a 50 percent mortality rate.589 Mesopotamians worshiped a birth goddess, Ninmah, to whom they would pray: “O Ninmah … multiply my descent, make numerous my posterity.”590 But Psalm 128 affirms that such blessing is the natural hope of one who fears the Lord.

Children’s children (128:6). Seeing one’s grandchildren was a blessing (Gen. 48:11); living to see great-grandchildren was exceptional (Job 42:16). The tomb inscription of a non-Israelite priest who lived in Syria about 700 B.C. states: “On the day I died … with my eyes I beheld children of the fourth generation.”591 The psalmist measures a successful life in similar terms.

Psalm 129

Grass on the roof (129:6). Houses in ancient Israel were designed with flat roofs that served as a major living and sleeping area (1 Sam. 9:25–26; 2 Sam. 11:2). They were constructed of timber beams spanning the roof, cross-hatched with branches, and covered with mud and perhaps a plaster top coat (see comment on Ps. 118:22).592 Seeds naturally settled and germinated in this material, but the root system found no adequate soil base and new growth whithered.

Psalm 130

The depths (130:1). Deep waters, whether they be the ocean or a flood, suggested life-threatening danger to the ancient Israelite. The same word is used in 69:2, 14 in conjunction with ocean waters (cf. Jonah 2:3), and in Isaiah 51:9–10 with the chaos monster Rahab (see comments on 74:13–14).