Psalms 122

1 A Song of Degrees. I was glad when they said to me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.

I was glad/happy when people said to me, “We should go to the temple of Yahweh [in Jerusalem]!”

2 Our feet stood in your courts, O Jerusalem.

And now we are here, standing inside the gates/city of [APO] Jerusalem.

3 Jerusalem is built as a city whose fellowship is complete.

Jerusalem is a city that has been rebuilt, with the result that people can gather together in it.

4 For there the tribes went up, the tribes of the Lord, as a testimony for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.

We [people of the] tribes of Israel who belong to Yahweh can now go up there as Yahweh commanded that we should do, and we can thank him.

5 For there are set thrones for judgement, [even] thrones for the house of David.

There the kings of Israel who were descendants of [King] David sit on their thrones and decide cases [fairly when the people have disputes].

6 Pray now for the peace of Jerusalem: and [let there be] prosperity to them that love you.

Pray that there will be peace in Jerusalem; I desire that those who love Jerusalem will (prosper/live peacefully).

7 Let peace, I pray, be within your host, and prosperity in your palaces.

I desire that there will be peace inside the walls of the city and that [people who are] inside the palaces will be safe.

8 For the sake of my brethren and my neighbours, I have indeed spoken peace concerning you.

For the sake of my relatives and friends, I say, “My desire is that that inside Jerusalem [people will live] peacefully.”

9 Because of the house of the Lord our God, I have diligently sought your good.

And because I love the temple of Yahweh our God, I pray that things will go well for the people who live [in Jerusalem].