Psalms 120 · Verse 5

Psalms 120:5

Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!
Psalms 120:5, King James Version

Psalms 120:5 in other translations

BSBWoe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar!
WEBWoe is me, that I live in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
ASVWoe is me, that I sojourn in Meshech, That I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
YLTWoe to me, for I have inhabited Mesech, I have dwelt with tents of Kedar.
DARBYWoe is me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
BBESorrow is mine because I am strange in Meshech, and living in the tents of Kedar.
WebsterWoe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!

What does Psalms 120:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
5. A residence in these remote lands pictures his miserable condition.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 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 2Kgs 17:23, 2Kgs 17:24; 2Kgs 18:11; 2Kgs 19:12, 2Kgs 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."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 120:5-7
It is very grievous to a good man, to be cast into, and kept in the company of the wicked, from whom he hopes to be for ever separated. See here the character of a good man; he is for living peaceably with all men. And let us follow David as he prefigured Christ; in our distress let us cry unto the Lord, and he will hear us. Let us follow after peace and holiness, striving to overcome evil with good.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Psalms 120:5 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אֽוֹיָה\־'o.yah-woe!H190
לִ֭יlito me
כִּי\־ki-thatH3588
גַ֣רְתִּיGar.tiI have sojournedH1481
מֶ֑שֶׁךְMe.shekhMeshechH4902
שָׁ֝כַ֗נְתִּיSha.Khan.tiI have dweltH7931
עִֽם\־'im-withH5973
אָהֳלֵ֥י'o.ho.Lei[the] tents ofH168
קֵדָֽר\׃ke.DarKedarH6938

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 120:5

  • Genesis 10:2

    The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.

  • Genesis 25:13

    And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,

  • Ezekiel 27:13

    Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were thy merchants: they traded the persons of men and vessels of brass in thy market.

  • Song of Solomon 1:5

    I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.

  • Isaiah 60:6-7

    The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.

  • 2 Peter 2:7-8

    And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

  • Ezekiel 38:2-3

    Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:

  • Jeremiah 9:2-3

    Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men. And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the Lord.

  • Ezekiel 27:21

    Arabia, and all the princes of Kedar, they occupied with thee in lambs, and rams, and goats: in these were they thy merchants.

  • Ezekiel 39:1

    Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:

  • Micah 7:1-2

    Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grapegleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the firstripe fruit. The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.

  • Jeremiah 49:28-29

    Concerning Kedar, and concerning the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon shall smite, thus saith the Lord; Arise ye, go up to Kedar, and spoil the men of the east. Their tents and their flocks shall they take away: they shall take to themselves their curtains, and all their vessels, and their camels; and they shall cry unto them, Fear is on every side.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Woe.
Jer 9:2,3,6; 15:10; Mic 7:1,2; 2Pe 2:7,8; Re 2:13
Mesech.
Ge 10:2; Eze 27:13
Meshech. the tents.
Ge 25:13; 1Sa 25:1; So 1:5; Isa 60:6,7; Jer 49:28,29

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 120:4

    Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.

  • Psalms 120:5

    Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!

  • Psalms 120:6

    My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace.

Read all of Psalms 120

Psalms 120:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
¡Ay de mí, que peregrino en Mesech, y habito entre las tiendas de Kedar!
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Malheur à moi de ce que je séjourne en Méshec, de ce que je demeure avec les tentes de Kédar; –
German
Elberfelder 1871
Wehe mir, daß ich weile in Mesech, daß ich wohne bei den Zelten Kedars!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Dominus custodit te; Dominus protectio tua super manum dexteram tuam.