Psalm 122:5 kjv
For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.
Psalm 122:5 nkjv
For thrones are set there for judgment, The thrones of the house of David.
Psalm 122:5 niv
There stand the thrones for judgment, the thrones of the house of David.
Psalm 122:5 esv
There thrones for judgment were set, the thrones of the house of David.
Psalm 122:5 nlt
Here stand the thrones where judgment is given,
the thrones of the dynasty of David.
Psalm 122 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Sam 7:16 | Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever... | God's covenant establishing David's eternal throne. |
| Ps 89:3-4 | I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: 'I will establish your offspring forever and build your throne for all generations.'" | Divine promise of David's enduring throne. |
| Isa 9:6-7 | For to us a child is born, to us a son is given...of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom... | Prophecy of Messiah on David's throne. |
| Jer 33:15 | In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. | Messianic heir of David administering justice. |
| Luke 1:32 | He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, | Gabriel's prophecy of Jesus inheriting David's throne. |
| Acts 2:30 | Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, | Peter linking David's throne to Jesus' resurrection. |
| Ps 72:1-2 | Give the king your justice, O God... May he judge your people with righteousness and your poor with justice. | A prayer for a king who governs with justice. |
| Deut 1:16 | I charged your judges at that time, 'Hear the cases between your brothers and judge righteously...' | Israel's foundation on divine justice. |
| Amos 5:15 | Hate evil, love good, and establish justice in the gate; | Calls for justice to be upheld at public spaces (gates). |
| Ruth 4:1-2 | Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there... | City gate as the customary place for legal matters. |
| Ps 9:7 | But the LORD sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice, | God as the ultimate and eternal source of justice. |
| Ps 96:13 | He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness. | God's ultimate role as judge of all the earth. |
| Zech 8:3 | Thus says the LORD: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city... | God's presence in Jerusalem, making it a place of truth. |
| Jer 22:2-3 | Hear the word of the LORD, O King of Judah... Thus says the LORD: Do justice and righteousness... | Prophetic call to Davidic kings for righteous rule. |
| Dan 7:9-10 | As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; ...The court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. | Divine council in heaven setting up judgment. |
| Matt 19:28 | Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. | Future judgment with Christ on His throne. |
| 1 Cor 6:2 | Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? | The church's future role in judgment. |
| Rev 3:21 | The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. | Believers sharing in Christ's authority and rule. |
| Rev 21:10-12 | And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God... having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes... | New Jerusalem, emphasizing structure and ordered entry, the culmination of God's city. |
| Isa 2:3-4 | For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples... | Future global judgment and teaching from Jerusalem. |
| Ezek 43:7 | and he said to me, "Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the people of Israel forever." | God's eternal dwelling and rule from Zion/Temple. |
| Matt 25:31 | When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. | Christ's future global judgment from His glorious throne. |
Psalm 122 verses
Psalm 122 5 Meaning
Psalm 122:5 declares the foundational role of Jerusalem as the divinely appointed center for judgment and royal authority. It specifically highlights the establishment of the thrones of the Davidic dynasty within the city, signifying that justice and righteous rule, based on God's covenant, originated and were administered from this sacred place. The verse emphasizes that these thrones were "set" or "established" by divine ordination, underscoring the legitimacy and stability of God's chosen reign on Earth.
Psalm 122 5 Context
Psalm 122 is one of the Songs of Ascents, sung by pilgrims traveling "up" to Jerusalem for the annual feasts. The preceding verses express the pilgrim's joy in going to the LORD's house (vv. 1-2) and describe Jerusalem as a compact city where the tribes gather to give thanks to the LORD, according to the custom of Israel (vv. 3-4). Verse 5 provides a foundational reason for this pilgrimage and Jerusalem's centrality: it is the seat of royal and judicial authority. This explains why the "tribes go up," not only for worship but also for matters of justice and administration, grounding their identity and governance in this holy city. Historically, King David established Jerusalem as both the political capital of the unified kingdom and its spiritual center by bringing the Ark of the Covenant there. Judgment often took place at the city gates, making Jerusalem's gates synonymous with the dispensing of justice and authority. The emphasis on "the house of David" directly connects the city's legal and governmental functions to God's enduring covenant with David, highlighting the stability and legitimacy derived from this divine appointment, especially when contrasting with other unstable kingdoms of the ancient Near East.
Psalm 122 5 Word analysis
- For there (שָׁמָּה - shammāh): The adverb "there" immediately localizes the profound truth that follows, directing the listener's focus specifically to Jerusalem, which has just been described in the previous verses. This emphasis implies not just a physical location, but a uniquely consecrated and significant place where God's purposes for justice and governance are manifested. It points to a unique significance tied to the geography of Jerusalem.
- the thrones (כִּסְאוֹת - kiss'ōt): The plural form suggests multiple instances of royal and judicial authority. It could imply either the various judges and officials who sat to hear cases, or it collectively refers to the concept of powerful, established governmental rule. The term evokes dignity, authority, and settled governance.
- of judgment (מִשְׁפָּט - mishpāṭ): This rich Hebrew term encompasses a wide range of meanings, including justice, legal decision, righteousness, divine ordinance, and civil administration. It refers to the application of God's law and righteous principles in societal matters, ensuring equity and order. This is not merely human jurisprudence but justice administered in accordance with God's will.
- were set (הוּשָׁבֽוּ - hushābū): This is a Pual stem (passive form) of the verb יָשַׁב (yashab), meaning "to sit," "to dwell," or "to be established." The passive voice is significant as it indicates that these thrones were not merely installed by human effort, but divinely ordained or firmly established by a higher power. It conveys a sense of stability, permanence, and divine authorization.
- the thrones of the house of David: This phrase acts as an apposition, clarifying which specific thrones of judgment are in view. It is the Davidic dynasty (beit Dawid)—the lineage of kings descended from David—to whom God made an eternal covenant (2 Sam 7). The repetition of "thrones" emphasizes both their judicial function and their royal authority as the ruling line in Israel. It underscores that God's justice would be dispensed through His chosen, covenantal kings.
Psalm 122 5 Bonus section
The historical practice of justice being rendered at the city gates adds a visual layer to Psalm 122:5. When pilgrims "go up to the gates" (v. 2), they are entering the very place where legal disputes were settled, agreements were made, and royal edicts were issued. This fusion of sacred pilgrimage and daily justice reinforces Jerusalem's comprehensive role as the center of the nation's life—spiritual, political, and social. The phrase also implicitly contrasts the stable, covenant-based rule of the Davidic line, rooted in divine appointment, with the often volatile and unrighteous rule of pagan kings surrounding Israel. This provided comfort and assurance to the faithful, knowing their system of governance, imperfect as its human agents might be, was fundamentally grounded in God's eternal decree. The repetition of "thrones" acts as a strong literary device, deepening the focus on this particular aspect of Jerusalem's significance over others previously mentioned.
Psalm 122 5 Commentary
Psalm 122:5 encapsulates a core understanding of Jerusalem's enduring significance: it is not merely a religious center for worship but also the heart of God's established civil and judicial order. The phrase "thrones of judgment were set" powerfully conveys divine establishment, indicating that the authority to dispense justice and govern was not accidental or self-assumed, but deliberately positioned by God within the Davidic monarchy. This highlights a crucial theological truth: God's people were meant to live under a just and righteous rule, ideally reflective of His own character. The pilgrim's joy in approaching Jerusalem, therefore, was tied to the anticipation of a city where order, righteousness, and the covenantal promises of God (specifically the Davidic line) were visibly manifest. It provided reassurance that a divine pattern of governance was at work among them, distinguishing Israel from nations without such a divinely appointed system. Ultimately, this verse serves as an anticipatory note for the perfect, ultimate rule of Jesus the Messiah, the true heir to David's throne, who will establish and execute all judgment in perfect righteousness.