Psalms 122

1 A Song of degrees of David. 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 shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.

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

3 Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together:

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

4 Where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, to the testimony of 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 of judgment, the thrones of 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 for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.

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

7 Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy 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 my brethren and companions’ sake, I will now say, Peace be within thee.

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 will seek thy 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].