120:0
A song of the ascents.
In my distress I called out to Yahweh,
and he answered me.
120:2
Yahweh, deliver my soul from [the] lip[s] of deception,
for a tongue of treachery.
120:3
What will he give to you?
And what will he add to you, [you] tongue of treachery?
120:4
Arrows of a warrior [are] being sharpened
with coals of broom-trees.
120:5
Woe to me that I dwell as a foreigner in Meshech,
I tabernacle among the tents of Kedar.
120:6
Much has my soul dwelt
with those who hate peace.
120:7
I [am for] peace,
[and] when I speak, they [are] for war.
HEADING:
Psalm 120:0 WLC שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲלֹ֥ות
Psalm 120:0 MOMT A song of the ascents.
[Exod 34:24: “For I will cast out nations before you and enlarge your borders; no one shall covet your land, when you go up to appear before the Lord your God (בַּעֲלֹֽתְךָ֗ לֵרָאֹות֙ אֶת־פְּנֵי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ) three times in the year (שָׁלֹ֥שׁ פְּעָמִ֖ים בַּשָּׁנָֽה׃).” (ESV)’; 1 Kgs 12:27: “If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem … (אִֽם־יַעֲלֶ֣ה ׀ הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֗ה לַעֲשֹׂ֨ות זְבָחִ֤ים בְּבֵית־יְהוָה֙ בִּיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם)” (ESV); Isa 30:29: “as when one sets out to the sound of the flute to go to the mountain of the Lord, to the Rock of Israel (כַּֽהֹולֵךְ֙ בֶּֽחָלִ֔יל לָבֹ֥וא בְהַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־צ֥וּר יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃).” (ESV)
TESTIMONY ABOUT ANSWERED PRAYER (v. 1)
Psalm 120:1a WLC X-Renom-X-Qatal אֶל־יְ֭הוָה בַּצָּרָ֣תָה לִּ֑י קָ֝רָ֗אתִי
Psalm 120:1a MOMT In my distress I called out to Yahweh,
Psalm 120:1b WLC Wayyiqtol וַֽיַּעֲנֵֽנִי׃
Psalm 120:1b MOMT and he answered me.
THE DANGER OF LIARS (vv. 2-3)
Psalm 120:2a WLC Renom-Impv יְֽהוָ֗ה הַצִּ֣ילָה נַ֭פְשִׁי מִשְּׂפַת־שֶׁ֑קֶר
Psalm 120:2a MOMT Yahweh, deliver my soul from lip of deception
Psalm 120:2b WLC dependent מִלָּשֹׁ֥ון רְמִיָּֽה׃
Psalm 120:2b MOMT for a tongue of deceit/treachery.
Psalm 120:3a WLC Interrog-Yiqtol מַה־יִּתֵּ֣ן לְ֭ךָ
Psalm 120:3a MOMT What will he give to you?
Psalm 120:3b WLC We-Interrog-Yiqtol וּמַה־יֹּסִ֥יף לָ֗ךְ לָשֹׁ֥ון רְמִיָּֽה׃
Psalm 120:3b MOMT And what will he add to you, tongue of deceit/treachery.
THE DANGER OF WAR-MONGERS (vv. 4-7)
Psalm 120:4a WLC SNC חִצֵּ֣י גִבֹּ֣ור שְׁנוּנִ֑ים
Psalm 120:4a MOMT Arrows of a warrior [are] being sharpened
[Ps 127:4: Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth.
כְּחִצִּ֥ים בְּיַד־גִּבֹּ֑ור כֵּ֝֗ן בְּנֵ֣י הַנְּעוּרִֽים׃]
Psalm 120:4b WLC prep-phrase עִ֝֗ם גַּחֲלֵ֥י רְתָמִֽים׃
Psalm 120:4b MOMT with coals of broom-trees.
[The broom tree is a desert shrub that can be burnt for firewood.]
Psalm 120:5a WLC Interject-X-Ki-Qatal אֹֽויָה־לִ֭י כִּי־גַ֣רְתִּי מֶ֑שֶׁךְ
Psalm 120:5a MOMT Woe to me that I dwell as a foreigner in Meshech
[The Psalmist does not enjoy the places where he sojourns. Meshech was a son of Japheth (Gen 10:2; 1 Chron 1:5). Associated with Gog, Magog, and Tubal (Ezek 27:13; 32:26; 38:2-3; 39:1), this people group to the north of Israel appears to have settled between the Black and Caspian Seas south of the Caucasus mountains in and around modern-day Georgia. The lands identified as those of Meshech are far to the north of those of Kedar. See below. Verb גּוּר means ‘sojourn, dwell as a foreigner, abide for a time, live as a guest; also stir up strife, quarrel; and dread.]
Psalm 120:5b WLC Qatal שָׁ֝כַ֗נְתִּי עִֽם־אָהֳלֵ֥י קֵדָֽר׃
Psalm 120:5b MOMT I tabernacle/dwell among/with the tents of Kedar.
[That is, the Psalmist dwells among the Ishmaelites, who were known as nomadic herds people to the east of Israel (Gen 25:13; Isa 60:7; Jer 49:28; Ezek 27:21). Perhaps they have all been exiled and are refugees because of the resettlement policies of the conquering Assyrian and Babylonians. Qualitatively, these peoples are liars and warmongers.]
Psalm 120:6a WLC X-Qatal רַ֭בַּת שָֽׁכְנָה־לָּ֣הּ נַפְשִׁ֑י
Psalm 120:6a MOMT Much has my soul dwelt
Psalm 120:6b WLC Prep-clause עִ֝֗ם שֹׂונֵ֥א שָׁלֹֽום׃
Psalm 120:6b MOMT with those who hate peace.
Psalm 120:7a WLC SNC אֲֽנִישָׁ֭־שָׁ֭לוֹם
Psalm 120:7a MOMT I [am for] peace,
Psalm 120:7b WLC We-Ki-Yiqtol-SNC וְכִ֣י אֲדַבֵּ֑ר הֵ֝֗מָּה לַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃
Psalm 120:7b MOMT [and] when I speak, they [are] for war. [see Ps 109:40-5]