The Meaning of Psalms 122:3 Explained

Psalms 122:3

KJV: Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:

YLT: Jerusalem -- the builded one -- Is as a city that is joined to itself together.

Darby: Jerusalem, which art built as a city that is compact together,

ASV: Jerusalem, that art builded As a city that is compact together;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Jerusalem  is builded  as a city  that is compact  together: 

What does Psalms 122:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 122:1-9 - Joy In God's House
As in the other psalms of the series there is here alternation between soloist and choir. In Psalms 122:1 the soloist rejoices in the proposal made to go on a pilgrimage. The chorus announces that the journey is already accomplished, Psalms 122:2-5. The Church of Christ is compacted, built together, by His tears, and blood, and risen power. In Psalms 122:6, the soloist bids the company salute Jerusalem, r.v. margin, and the chorus replies. In Psalms 122:7-9 the soloist announces three reasons why they should pray for Jerusalem's peace: They who love her prosper; those who reside within her precincts are our brethren and companions; hers is the house of God builded for His habitation.
Psalms 123:1-4
The life of the pilgrim is full of sharp contrasts. Yesterday he was rejoicing in Jerusalem and sharing her peace; today he is grieved with the contempt of her foes. Hence this tiny psalm, which has been compared to "a sigh, an upward look, a sigh." The oriental servant is an adept at reading the meaning of his master's slightest gesture, Psalms 123:2. Let us live, as our Savior did, with our eye fixed on the least indication of God's will. See Acts 16:1-10. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 122

1  David professes his joy for the church
6  And prays for the peace thereof

What do the individual words in Psalms 122:3 mean?

Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact to together
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֥ם הַבְּנוּיָ֑ה כְּ֝עִ֗יר שֶׁחֻבְּרָה־ לָּ֥הּ יַחְדָּֽו

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֥ם  Jerusalem 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
הַבְּנוּיָ֑ה  is  built 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, feminine singular
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
כְּ֝עִ֗יר  as  a  city 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
שֶׁחֻבְּרָה־  that  is  compact 
Parse: Pronoun, relative, Verb, Pual, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: הִתְחַבְּרוּת 
Sense: to unite, join, bind together, be joined, be coupled, be in league, heap up, have fellowship with, be compact, be a charmer.
יַחְדָּֽו  together 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יַחַד 
Sense: union, unitedness adv.