Psalms 122:3

Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:

Jerusalem {H3389} is builded {H1129} as a city {H5892} that is compact {H2266} together {H3162}:

Yerushalayim, built as a city fostering friendship and unity.

Jerusalem is built up as a city united together,

Jerusalem, that art builded As a city that is compact together;

Commentary

Psalms 122:3 offers a vivid description of Jerusalem, emphasizing both its physical construction and its symbolic meaning for the people of Israel.

Context of Psalms 122:3

This verse is part of a Psalm of Ascent (Psalms 120-134), a collection of songs sung by Jewish pilgrims as they made their way up to Jerusalem for the three annual festivals. Psalms 122 expresses the deep joy and reverence felt upon arriving at the holy city. After declaring the joy of going to the house of the Lord in verse 1, and standing within its gates in verse 2, verse 3 hones in on Jerusalem's distinctive architecture and its profound implications.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Unity and Cohesion: The phrase "compact together" (Hebrew: chabarah) literally describes Jerusalem's physical layout. Due to its hilly terrain and defensive needs, buildings were often constructed closely, sharing walls, creating a dense, integrated urban fabric. This physical closeness served as a powerful metaphor for the spiritual and national unity of the twelve tribes of Israel who gathered there. Just as the city's structures were tightly integrated, so too were the people meant to be unified in their worship and purpose, particularly as the tribes of the Lord went up to Jerusalem.
  • Security and Strength: A city built "compact together" was inherently more defensible. Its dense construction provided a strong, unified front against external threats, symbolizing the security and peace found in God's presence within the city.
  • Divine Purpose: Jerusalem was not merely a physical place but a divinely appointed center for worship and justice, where the "thrones of judgment" were set (Psalms 122:5). Its compact nature facilitated its role as a spiritual and governmental hub for the nation.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word chabarah (Χ—Χ‘Χ¨Χ”), translated as "compact together," is significant. It implies more than just physical closeness; it carries connotations of fellowship, association, or being joined in a covenant relationship. This deepens the verse's meaning, suggesting that Jerusalem was not just physically dense but spiritually and socially integrated, a symbol of the people's unity in the Spirit and their collective identity before God.

Practical Application

For believers today, Jerusalem can be seen as a type or symbol of the church, the spiritual body of Christ. Just as ancient Jerusalem was "compact together," the church is called to be unified, with believers knit together in love and purpose (Ephesians 4:16). This verse encourages us to value and strive for strong fellowship, mutual support, and a shared commitment to God's purposes, recognizing that our collective strength and testimony are enhanced when we are truly "compact together" in faith and love, building each other up as a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5).

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Cross-References

  • 2 Samuel 5:9

    So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward.

  • Ephesians 2:20

    And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner [stone];

  • Ephesians 2:21

    In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

  • Psalms 147:2

    The LORD doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.

  • Ephesians 4:4

    [There is] one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

  • Ephesians 4:7

    But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

  • Nehemiah 4:6

    So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
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