Psalm 122:3
New International Version
Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together.

New Living Translation
Jerusalem is a well-built city; its seamless walls cannot be breached.

English Standard Version
Jerusalem—built as a city that is bound firmly together,

Berean Standard Bible
Jerusalem is built up as a city united together,

King James Bible
Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:

New King James Version
Jerusalem is built As a city that is compact together,

New American Standard Bible
Jerusalem, that has been built As a city that is firmly joined together;

NASB 1995
Jerusalem, that is built As a city that is compact together;

NASB 1977
Jerusalem, that is built As a city that is compact together;

Legacy Standard Bible
Jerusalem, which is built As a city joined altogether;

Amplified Bible
Jerusalem, that is built As a city that is firmly joined together;

Christian Standard Bible
Jerusalem, built as a city should be, solidly united,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Jerusalem, built as a city should be, solidly joined together,

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

Contemporary English Version
Jerusalem, what a strong and beautiful city you are!

English Revised Version
Jerusalem, that art builded as a city that is compact together:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Jerusalem is built to be a city where the people are united.

Good News Translation
Jerusalem is a city restored in beautiful order and harmony.

International Standard Version
Jerusalem stands built up, a city knitted together.

Majority Standard Bible
Jerusalem is built up as a city united together,

NET Bible
Jerusalem is a city designed to accommodate an assembly.

New Heart English Bible
Jerusalem, that is built as a city that is joined together;

Webster's Bible Translation
Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together:

World English Bible
Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Jerusalem—the built one—[Is] as a city that is joined to itself together.

Young's Literal Translation
Jerusalem -- the builded one -- Is as a city that is joined to itself together.

Smith's Literal Translation
Jerusalem was built as a city, joined to it together.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Jerusalem, which is built as a city, which is compact together.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Jerusalem has been built as a city, whose participation is unto itself.

New American Bible
Jerusalem, built as a city, walled round about.

New Revised Standard Version
Jerusalem—built as a city that is bound firmly together.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Jerusalem is built like a city that is surrounded by a wall,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Jerusalem is a building like a city surrounded with a wall.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Jerusalem, that art builded As a city that is compact together;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Jerusalem is built as a city whose fellowship is complete.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem
2Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem. 3Jerusalem is built up as a city united together, 4where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as a testimony for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.…

Cross References
Nehemiah 4:6
So we rebuilt the wall until all of it was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

Nehemiah 7:4
Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt.

1 Kings 6:7
The temple was constructed using finished stones cut at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any other iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built.

1 Kings 9:15
This is the account of the forced labor that King Solomon imposed to build the house of the LORD, his own palace, the supporting terraces, and the wall of Jerusalem, as well as Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer.

2 Chronicles 8:5
He rebuilt Upper and Lower Beth-horon as fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars,

2 Samuel 5:9
So David took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built it up all the way around, from the supporting terraces inward.

Isaiah 65:18-19
But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for I will create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight. / I will rejoice in Jerusalem and take delight in My people. The sounds of weeping and crying will no longer be heard in her.

Jeremiah 31:38-40
“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when this city will be rebuilt for Me, from the tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. / The measuring line will once again stretch out straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn toward Goah. / The whole valley of the dead bodies and ashes, and all the fields as far as the Kidron Valley, to the corner of the Horse Gate to the east, will be holy to the LORD. It will never again be uprooted or demolished.”

Ezekiel 40:2
In visions of God He took me to the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, on whose southern slope was a structure that resembled a city.

Zechariah 8:3-5
This is what the LORD says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of Hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.” / This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Old men and old women will again sit along the streets of Jerusalem, each with a staff in hand because of great age. / And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing there.”

Matthew 5:14
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

Matthew 23:37
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!

Luke 19:41-44
As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it / and said, “If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes. / For the days will come upon you when your enemies will barricade you and surround you and hem you in on every side. ...

John 2:19-21
Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again.” / “This temple took forty-six years to build,” the Jews replied, “and You are going to raise it up in three days?” / But Jesus was speaking about the temple of His body.

Acts 2:46
With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart,


Treasury of Scripture

Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together:

builded

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 2:20,21
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; …

Ephesians 4:4-7
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; …

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Psalm 122
1. David professes his joy for the church
6. And prays for the peace thereof














Jerusalem
The name "Jerusalem" is deeply rooted in biblical history and theology. In Hebrew, it is "Yerushalayim," which is often interpreted as "City of Peace." Jerusalem holds a central place in the biblical narrative as the city chosen by God for His dwelling place, the location of the Temple, and the spiritual heart of Israel. Historically, Jerusalem has been the focal point of Jewish worship and pilgrimage, and it remains a symbol of God's covenant with His people. Theologically, it represents the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises and the future hope of peace and restoration. In the Christian tradition, Jerusalem is also significant as the site of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, symbolizing the new covenant and the hope of eternal peace through Christ.

is built
The phrase "is built" suggests a sense of completion and divine purpose. In the Hebrew context, the verb "banah" implies not just physical construction but also the establishment of something enduring and significant. Jerusalem's construction is not merely a human endeavor but is seen as an act of divine will. This reflects the biblical theme that God is the ultimate architect of His people's destiny. The city's physical and spiritual foundations are laid by God, emphasizing His sovereignty and the fulfillment of His promises. Theologically, this can inspire believers to trust in God's plan and His ability to build and establish His purposes in their lives.

as a city
The description "as a city" highlights Jerusalem's role as a communal and organized center. In ancient times, a city was more than just a collection of buildings; it was a place of governance, worship, and social interaction. Jerusalem, as a city, represents the unity and order that God desires for His people. It is a place where the tribes of Israel come together to worship and celebrate God's festivals, symbolizing the unity of God's people under His rule. This imagery can inspire Christians to seek unity and community within the body of Christ, reflecting the order and harmony that God intends for His church.

knit together
The phrase "knit together" conveys a sense of unity and cohesion. In Hebrew, the word "chabar" means to join or bind together, suggesting a strong and inseparable connection. This imagery reflects the ideal of Jerusalem as a city where all parts are harmoniously integrated, symbolizing the unity of God's people. Historically, Jerusalem was a place where diverse tribes and families came together to worship, reflecting the unity that God desires among His people. For Christians, this can be seen as a call to unity within the church, where believers are bound together in love and purpose, reflecting the unity of the body of Christ. This unity is not just organizational but spiritual, rooted in the shared faith and mission of God's people.

(3) This verse is somewhat perplexing. It is explained to refer either to the rebuilding of the city and reuniting of the parts which had been disconnected in the destruction, or, which is far better (see Introduction), is taken as a rustic's impression on first seeing a compact city after being accustomed to straggling villages. The astonishment of Virgil's shepherd is aptly compared: "Urbem quam dicunt Romam, Melibaee putavi, Stultus ego, huic nostrae similem." But a far more satisfactory meaning is suggested by the LXX. They (comp. Symmachus) take the word rendered compact as a noun, meaning union. The verse then may run: Jerusalem, the (one) built like a city, union is in it together, i.e., it is the rallying point of all the tribes. (See next verse.)

Verse 3. - Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together; rather, Jerusalem that art builded. The primary reference is probably to the compact shape and look of the ancient city, which, as Josephus says, was "one and entire," with no straggling suburbs, shut in on the north by a wall, and on the three other sides both by walls and by deep, rocky valleys. But the material "compactness" was perhaps taken to symbolize the close internal union of the inhabitants one with another, whereby they were all knit together into one Church and people.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Jerusalem
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֥ם (yə·rū·šā·lim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3389: Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israel

is built up
הַבְּנוּיָ֑ה (hab·bə·nū·yāh)
Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular
Strong's 1129: To build

as a city
כְּ֝עִ֗יר (kə·‘îr)
Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

united
שֶׁחֻבְּרָה־ (še·ḥub·bə·rāh-)
Pronoun - relative | Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 2266: To unite, be joined, to tie a magic knot or spell, to charm

together,
יַחְדָּֽו׃ (yaḥ·dāw)
Adverb
Strong's 3162: A unit, unitedly


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OT Poetry: Psalm 122:3 Jerusalem that is built as a city (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 122:2
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