Psalms 120:5-7
Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar! Too long have I had my dwelling among those who hate peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war!
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The Psalmist doesn't just feel far from home; he describes his surroundings using names of notoriously wild, distant peoples. This isn't about geographical location so much as it is about being surrounded by people who are fundamentally hostile and uncivilized, making his inner turmoil manifest in his external circumstances.
The psalmist feels deeply out of place, lamenting his existence among people who are violent and hostile, like the distant and barbarous tribes of Meshech and Kedar. He's not literally living among these specific groups, but uses their names to represent the wicked and unpeaceful people he's forced to endure, whether they are foreign enemies or even his own ungodly countrymen. This intense discomfort and yearning for peace sets the stage for his cry to God in the following verses.
The psalmist cries out in distress, feeling surrounded by hostility. But who were these 'Meshech' and 'Kedar,' and why did they evoke such woe?
The names Meshech and Kedar represent peoples known for their wild, uncivilized, and often hostile ways. Scholars point to their historical locations in the north and south, respectively, suggesting they served as poetic symbols for any group deeply opposed to peace and righteousness.
Who they were:
While David might have literally encountered people like these, the commentary suggests he's using their names metaphorically. He's not necessarily saying he lived physically among them, but that his own people, or those in power around him, exhibited the same kind of barbarity, hatred for peace, and violent opposition that these distant tribes represented. It's a powerful way to express the pain of being surrounded by those who fundamentally oppose your values and seek your harm, even when they are fellow countrymen.
Why would someone cry 'Woe is me' when they are actively seeking peace? This verse reveals a deep frustration with a situation that feels stuck.
The word 'sojourn' implies a temporary stay, while 'dwell' suggests a longer, more settled existence. The Hebrew wording here, using perfect tenses, actually conveys a sense of ongoing experience – this isn't a past event, but a present reality that has been going on for a long time and continues.
This highlights the psalmist's profound weariness. He's not just in a bad place; he's stuck there. He desires peace (as seen later in the psalm, v. 7), but his current environment seems to thwart every effort. The 'woe' isn't necessarily about the inherent wickedness of Meshech and Kedar (or their metaphorical counterparts), but about the of having to endure such company and the prolonged struggle to find peace and safety.
Understand the original words
gur · Hebrew Verb
To reside temporarily in a foreign land or a place where one does not hold citizenship. It carries the theological theme that God's people are pilgrims or strangers on the earth.
'oy · Hebrew Interjection
A pronouncement of grief, judgment, or impending disaster. It indicates the gravity of the speaker's spiritual or physical condition.
shalom · Hebrew Noun
A multifaceted Hebrew concept representing not just the absence of conflict, but completeness, wholeness, prosperity, and relational harmony with God and others. It describes the state of well-being intended by God for His creation.
sane · Hebrew Verb
A strong verb denoting intense hostility, animosity, or aversion toward someone or something. In a biblical context, it often signifies a deep-seated rejection of God's ways or those who represent His truth.
The Psalmist uses Meshech and Kedar not necessarily as literal geographical locations, but as powerful symbols of harsh, uncivilized, and peace-hating peoples. This verse powerfully conveys the deep distress of living amongst those who oppose peace and righteousness, a situation David himself experienced vividly during his persecution by Saul.
c. 10th century BC— this verse
David's Early Life and Saul's Persecution
David, a fugitive from King Saul, spent years hiding in various wilderness areas. He experienced betrayal and hostility from those within his own people, compelling him to associate with, or be surrounded by, individuals who were antagonistic and lacked a desire for peace.
c. 9th-8th century BC
Assyrian Expansion and Influence
Powerful empires like Assyria exerted influence over regions including Anatolia (where Meshech was located) and the areas inhabited by Arab tribes like the Kedarites. This period saw various nomadic and settled peoples interacting, often through conflict or subjugation.
8th-7th century BC
Kedarites' Dominance in Arabia
The Kedarites, an influential nomadic Arab tribe, became prominent in northern Arabia. They were known for their mobility, living in tents, and their interactions, sometimes hostile, with settled populations and other tribes.
c. 6th century BC
This verse echoes the sentiment of Psalm 120 by calling down destruction upon the nations who do not know God, highlighting the same deep distress that arises from being surrounded by those who oppose divine order and peace.
Acts 17:16Paul's distress in Athens, where he was 'greatly provoked' by the idolatry and sin he witnessed, mirrors the Psalmist's lament. It shows how a righteous soul can be deeply troubled by an environment steeped in paganism and moral corruption.
2 Peter 2:7-8This passage speaks directly to the anguish of righteous Lot, who was tormented by the lawless conduct of the people around him. It illustrates the emotional and spiritual toll of dwelling amongst those whose ways are contrary to righteousness and peace.
Ezekiel 38:1-2The mention of 'Gog, of the land of Magog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal' in this prophecy connects directly to the place names in Psalm 120. It positions these regions as associated with forces that will ultimately oppose God's people, amplifying the Psalmist's sense of dread.
poolePsalms 120:5: "Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!"
Mesech and Kedar are two sorts of people, oft mentioned in Scripture, and reckoned amongst the heathen and barbarous nations. But their nurses are not here to be understood properly, (for we do not read that either David or the Israelites in the Babylonish captivity dwelt in their lands,) but only metaphorically, as the ungodly Israelites are called Sodom and Gomorrah, Isaiah 1:10 , and Amorites and Hittith…
clarkePsalms 120:5: "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. Thes…
The Psalmist doesn't just feel far from home; he describes his surroundings using names of notoriously wild, distant peoples. This isn't about geographical location so much as it is about being surrounded by people who are fundamentally hostile and uncivilized, making his inner turmoil manifest in his external circumstances.
The psalmist feels deeply out of place, lamenting his existence among people who are violent and hostile, like the distant and barbarous tribes of Meshech and Kedar. He's not literally living among these specific groups, but uses their names to represent the wicked and unpeaceful people he's forced to endure, whether they are foreign enemies or even his own ungodly countrymen. This intense discomfort and yearning for peace sets the stage for his cry to God in the following verses.
The psalmist feels deeply out of place, lamenting his existence among people who are violent and hostile, like the distant and barbarous tribes of Meshech and Kedar. He's not literally living among these specific groups, but uses their names to represent the wicked and unpeaceful people he's forced to endure, whether they are foreign enemies or even his own ungodly countrymen. This intense discomfort and yearning for peace sets the stage for his cry to God in the following verses.
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It's the ache of being a peacemaker in a place that rejects peace, of trying to live righteously among those whose ways are fundamentally different and hostile. This enduring hardship, coupled with the constant seeking of peace that seems to go unrewarded, leads to the lament.
milchamah · Hebrew Noun
A general term for an armed conflict or battle between individuals, groups, or nations. Biblically, it is frequently contrasted with peace and often represents the turmoil caused by human sin and rebellion against God's order.
Babylonian Exile
Many Jews were exiled to Babylon and surrounding regions. While not directly living among the Meshech or Kedar, the experience of exile and living among foreign, often hostile, peoples mirrored the Psalmist's lament.
"Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar! Too long have I had my dwelling among those who hate peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war!" — The Psalmist doesn't just feel far from home; he describes his surroundings using names of notoriously wild, distant peoples. This isn't about geographical location so much as it is about being surro…
