Like other psalms of ascent, this one contains hints of pilgrimage. The call, “Let us go to the house of the LORD,” signals their journey’s departure, and the declaration, “our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem,” signals their arrival in the holy city. The description of the tribes “going up” (Hb. ʿlh, v. 4) uses a key term for the worshipers’ ascent to Yahweh’s mountain (cf. 24:3). The voice of a representative liturgist is evident. The speaking “I” in verse 1 shifts to “our” in verse 2. In verse 6, the speaker issues an imperative to a group of listeners. The psalm opens with joy expressed over the thought of making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem (vv. 1–2), then praises Jerusalem itself (vv. 3–5), and finally encourages pilgrims to bless the city (vv. 6–9).

The psalm should be read…