Psa 120:6 | KingComments | STEP | The righteous, and in him the remnant, cries out “woe is me” over himself because he is surrounded by barbarous people ( ). Isaiah cries “woe is me” because he sees himself as an unclean sinner in the light of the holy God ( ). That far the righteous is not yet here. That comes in Psalm 130. He is now more concerned with his surroundings and the feelings there toward him. He “sojourns”, or he is a stranger, “in Meshech”, meaning that he is not at home there, but is staying there temporarily. In other words, he is saying the same thing when he then says that he dwells “among the tents of Kedar”. The righteous lives in the midst of an aggressive, intolerant, and discriminatory population. Meshech is a descendant of Japheth ( ; ). His descendants were in the far north, first around the Black Sea, later even further north to what is now known as Moscow. They were known as rough, uncivilized people. Kedar is the second son of Ishmael ( ; ), with cruel, merciless descendants. It has become a designation for the various Arab tribes. Together they are Israel’s last enemies in the end time, namely the king of the North, with a coalition of ten Islamic nations ( ), backed by Gog, that is prince of Great Russia. Their area is the area to which the ten tribes were taken away at the time. This was also later confirmed by the historian Flavius Josephus. The sojourn with them has been long ( ). It is a ceaseless sorrow for their souls that they “hate peace”. Their daily practice is murder and mayhem. Justice and righteousness are completely foreign to these peace-haters. The truth is trampled upon by them. This is evident in the gross lies they spread about him. He suffers from this. He wants to be delivered from it. He himself is a man of peace; he is “ [for] peace” ( ). Literally it says: I [am] peace, which implies that he is characterized by peace. He is not out to quarrel, but wants to live together in peace with all people (cf. ; ). Of this he also testifies before those in the midst of whom he dwells. His attempts, however, are in vain. They are refused. They are even met with a bellicose response. These people want no peace and are unstoppable on their warpath.

‏ Psalms 120:6

Longing For Peace

The righteous, and in him the remnant, cries out “woe is me” over himself because he is surrounded by barbarous people (Psa 120:5). Isaiah cries “woe is me” because he sees himself as an unclean sinner in the light of the holy God (Isa 6:5). That far the righteous is not yet here. That comes in Psalm 130. He is now more concerned with his surroundings and the feelings there toward him.

He “sojourns”, or he is a stranger, “in Meshech”, meaning that he is not at home there, but is staying there temporarily. In other words, he is saying the same thing when he then says that he dwells “among the tents of Kedar”. The righteous lives in the midst of an aggressive, intolerant, and discriminatory population.

Meshech is a descendant of Japheth (Gen 10:2; Eze 38:1). His descendants were in the far north, first around the Black Sea, later even further north to what is now known as Moscow. They were known as rough, uncivilized people. Kedar is the second son of Ishmael (Gen 25:13; Isa 21:13-17), with cruel, merciless descendants. It has become a designation for the various Arab tribes. Together they are Israel’s last enemies in the end time, namely the king of the North, with a coalition of ten Islamic nations (Psa 83:5-8), backed by Gog, that is prince of Great Russia.

Their area is the area to which the ten tribes were taken away at the time. This was also later confirmed by the historian Flavius Josephus. The sojourn with them has been long (Psa 120:6). It is a ceaseless sorrow for their souls that they “hate peace”. Their daily practice is murder and mayhem. Justice and righteousness are completely foreign to these peace-haters. The truth is trampled upon by them. This is evident in the gross lies they spread about him. He suffers from this. He wants to be delivered from it.

He himself is a man of peace; he is “ [for] peace” (Psa 120:7). Literally it says: I [am] peace, which implies that he is characterized by peace. He is not out to quarrel, but wants to live together in peace with all people (cf. Rom 12:18; Heb 12:14). Of this he also testifies before those in the midst of whom he dwells. His attempts, however, are in vain. They are refused. They are even met with a bellicose response. These people want no peace and are unstoppable on their warpath.