Psalms 120 - Clarke's commentary and critical notes on the Bible

A Song of degrees. In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me. In my distress - Through the causes afterwards mentioned.

I cried unto the Lord - Made strong supplication for help.

And he heard one - Answered my prayer by comforting my soul.

It appears to be a prayer of the captives in Babylon for complete liberty; or perhaps he recites the prayer the Israelites had made previously to their restoration.

Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue. Lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue - From a people without faith, without truth, without religion; who sought by lies and calumnies to destroy them.

What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? What shall be given unto thee? - Thou art worthy of the heaviest punishments.

Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper. Sharp arrows - The Chaldee has, "The strong, sharp arrows are like lightning from above, with coals of juniper kindled in hell beneath." On the juniper, see the note on Job 30:4, where this passage is explained. Fiery arrows, or arrows wrapped about with inflamed combustibles, were formerly used in sieges to set the places on fire. See my notes on Ephesians 6:16 (note).

Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar! That I sojourn in Mesech - The Chaldee has it, "Wo is me that I am a stranger with the Asiatics, (אוסאי useey), and that I dwell in the tents of the Arabs." Calmet, who understands the Psalm as speaking of the state of the captives in Babylon and its provinces, says, "Meshec was apparently the father of the Mosquians, who dwelt in the mountains that separate Iberia from Armenia, and both from Colchis. These provinces were subjugated by Nebuchadnezzar; and it is evident from 2 Kings 17:23, 2 Kings 17:24; 2 Kings 18:11; 2 Kings 19:12, 2 Kings 19:13, that many of the Jews were held in captivity in those countries. As to Kedar, it extended into Arabia Petraea, and towards the Euphrates; and is the country afterwards known as the country of the Saracens."

My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace - A restless, barbarous, warlike, and marauding people.

I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war. I am for peace - We love to be quiet and peaceable; but they are continually engaged in excursions of rapine and plunder. It is evident that the psalmist refers to a people like the Scenitae or wandering Arabs, who live constantly in tents, and subsist by robbery; plundering and carrying away all that they can seize. The poor captives wished them to cultivate the arts of peace, and live quietly; but they would hear of nothing but their old manner of life.

Commentary on the Bible, by Adam Clarke [1831].