Psalm 122:1
“I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Context
Psalm 122 is a Song of Degrees celebrating Jerusalem, opening with the pilgrim's joy at being called to worship in the temple.
What Does Psalm 122:1 Mean?
This verse expresses heartfelt gladness at the invitation to go and worship in the house of the LORD. The psalmist remembers the moment others called him to join them in going to God's house, and his response was joy. The invitation to worship was not a burden but a delight, something that gladdened him at the very mention.
The setting is the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, where the temple stood as the center of Israel's worship. To "go into the house of the LORD" meant joining the gathered community in God's presence. What stands out is that the psalmist's gladness came from being summoned together with others -- worship here is communal, a shared journey toward God rather than a solitary act. The verse measures the heart: a person who loves God responds to the call to worship with eagerness, not reluctance. For believers in any age, this gladness is a healthy sign of spiritual life. When the gathering of God's people stirs joy rather than obligation, it reveals a heart that treasures God's presence and the fellowship of those who seek Him together.
In the Original Language
"Glad" translates the Hebrew samach, to rejoice or be joyful, expressing genuine delight rather than mere willingness.
Cross References
“For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God.”
- Psalm 84:10
“That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD.”
- Psalm 27:4
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is.”
- Hebrews 10:25
Application
Let the call to gather and worship stir genuine gladness in you, treasuring God's presence and the fellowship of His people.