The Meaning of Psalms 120:5 Explained

Psalms 120:5

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

YLT: Woe to me, for I have inhabited Mesech, I have dwelt with tents of Kedar.

Darby: Woe is me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!

ASV: Woe is me, that I sojourn in Meshech, That I dwell among the tents of Kedar!

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Psalms 120:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 120:1-7 - Where To Find Help
This is the first of the "Songs of Degrees." It has been suggested that they were pilgrim-songs to beguile the journeys from all parts of the country to the great annual feasts. They have been associated with the reign of the good Hezekiah. Mesech and Kedar are typical enemies, who forced their way into the kingdom of Judah and vexed the people of God. They are compared to sharp swords and arrows in Psalms 57:4; Psalms 64:3, but now in turn they shall be pierced and scorched. How many who start on a pilgrimage to the Celestial City must run a similar gauntlet! Their enemies arise from their own household. In such distress of soul, prayer is our only hope, Psalms 120:1.
Psalms 121:1-8
The keynote of this psalm is the word keep, which occurs in one form or another six times. In Psalms 121:1 and Psalms 121:2 the soloist suggests that in hours of trial we should look beyond mountains and hills to the Lord who made them all. In Psalms 121:3-8 the chorus endorses and commends the choice. All the saints of every dispensation add their cumulative testimony to the wisdom of entrusting the keeping of soul and body to our faithful Creator. Notice the exquisite sequence of phrases: neither slumber nor sleep; by day, by night; thy going out, and thy coming in; thee and. thy soul; this time forth and for evermore. The meshes are woven very closely. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 120

1  David prays against Doeg
3  Reproves his tongue
5  Complains of his necessary conversation with the wicked

What do the individual words in Psalms 120:5 mean?

Woe is me that I dwell in Meshech [That] I dwell among the tents of Kedar
אֽוֹיָה־ לִ֭י כִּי־ גַ֣רְתִּי מֶ֑שֶׁךְ שָׁ֝כַ֗נְתִּי עִֽם־ אָהֳלֵ֥י ! קֵדָֽר

אֽוֹיָה־  Woe  is 
Parse: Interjection
Root: אֹויָה  
Sense: woe!.
לִ֭י  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
כִּי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
גַ֣רְתִּי  I  dwell 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: גּוּר 
Sense: to sojourn, abide, dwell in, dwell with, remain, inhabit, be a stranger, be continuing, surely.
מֶ֑שֶׁךְ  in  Meshech 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶשֶׁךְ  
Sense: son of Japheth, grandson of Noah, and progenitor of peoples to the north of Israel.
שָׁ֝כַ֗נְתִּי  [That]  I  dwell 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁכַן  
Sense: to settle down, abide, dwell, tabernacle, reside.
אָהֳלֵ֥י  the  tents 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
! קֵדָֽר  of  Kedar 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: קֵדָר  
Sense: a son of Ishmael.