What is Psalm 120 about?

Answer 1

The traditional rendering of this Psalm is in the King James version as below:-

Ps 120:1-7 (KJV)

Ps 120 (v.1) A Song of degrees. In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me. Ps 120 (v.2) Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue. Ps 120 (v.3) What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? Ps 120 (v.4) Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper. Ps 120 (v.5) Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar! Ps 120 (v.6) My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. Ps 120 (v.7) I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war. However, a modern translation with footnotesto explain the verses , such as the "NET" Bible will make things clearer:-

Psalm 120 [Note http://wiki.answers.com/psa120_notes.htm#1201

A song of ascents [Note 2]]

120:1 In my distress I cried out

to the Lord and he answered me.

120:2 I said [Note 3] "O Lord, rescue me [Note 4]

from those who lie with their lips [Note 5]

]and those who deceive with their tongue. [Note 6]

120:3 How will he severely punish you,

you deceptive talker? [Note 7]

120:4 Here's how! [Note 8] With the sharp arrows of warriors, with arrowheads forged over the hot coals. [Note 9]

120:5 How miserable I am! [Note 10]

For I have lived temporarily [Note 11] in Meshech;

I have resided among the tents of Kedar. [Note 12]

120:6 For too long I have had to reside

with those who hate [Note 13] peace.

120:7 I am committed to peace, http://wiki.answers.com/psa120_notes.htm#12014

but when I speak, they want to make war. [Note 15]

1sn Psalm 120. ...It begins like a Thanksgiving psalm, with a brief notice that God has heard the psalmist's prayer for help and has intervened. But v. 2 is a petition for help, followed by a taunt directed toward enemies (vv. 3-4) and a lament (vv. 5-7)....

2sn The precise significance of this title, ... worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.

3tn The words "I said" are supplied in the translation for clarification. ...

4tn Or "my life."

5tn Heb "from a lip of falsehood."

6tn Heb "from a tongue of deception."

7tn Heb "What will he give to you, and what will he add to you, O tongue of deception?" The psalmist addresses his deceptive enemies. The Lord is the understood subject of the verbs "give" and "add." The second part of the question echoes a standard curse formula, "thus the Lord/God will do … and thus he will add" (see Ruth 1:17; 1 Sam 3:17; 14:44; 20:13; 25:22; 2 Sam 3:9, 35; 19:13; 1 Kgs 2:23; 2 Kgs 6:31).

8tn The words "here's how" are supplied in the translation as a clarification. In v. 4 the psalmist answers the question he raises in v. 3.

9tn Heb "with coals of the wood of the broom plant." The wood of the broom plant was used to make charcoal, which in turn was used to fuel the fire used to forge the arrowheads.

10tn Or "woe to me." The Hebrew term אוֹיָה ('oyah, "woe") which occurs only here, is an alternate form of אוֹי ('oy).

11tn Heb "I live as a resident alien."

12sn Meshech was located in central Anatolia (modern Turkey). Kedar was located in the desert to east-southeast of Israel. Because of the reference to Kedar, it is possible that Ps 120:5 refers to a different Meshech, perhaps one associated with the individual mentioned as a descendant of Aram in 1 Chr 1:17. (However, the LXX in 1 Chr 1:17 follows the parallel text in Gen 10:23, which reads "Mash," not Meshech.) It is, of course, impossible that the psalmist could have been living in both the far north and the east at the same time. For this reason one must assume that he is recalling his experience as a wanderer among the nations or that he is using the geographical terms metaphorically and sarcastically to suggest that the enemies who surround him are like the barbarians who live in these distant regions. For a discussion of the problem, see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 146.

13tn The singular participial form probably has a representative function here. The psalmist envisions the typical hater of peace who represents the entire category of such individuals.

14tn Heb "I, peace."

15tn Heb "they [are] for war."

Because I don't know your hermeneutics, the best thing you can do is to read this yourself with the given footnotes and make up your own mind.

Answer 2

In this psalm, the writer prays for help from God against evil deed done and words spoken against him. He acknowledges the mercy of God.