Psalms 120:1

David prayeth against Doeg, and reproveth his tongue. He complaineth of his necessary conversation with the wicked.

A Song of Degrees.

Title. המעלות שׁיר Shiir hammangaloth. A song of degrees] Or ascent: It is very uncertain why this title is prefixed to this and the following psalms. The more general opinion seems to be that of those who conjecture that they were so called, because, after the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, they were sung by the Levites as they went up the stairs or steps of the temple. See Ezekiel 40. Others, however, think that this title refers to some gradual rise or exaltation of the voice in singing: Others render the words by "A song of excellencies;" supposing the words to express the excellence of the composition; and Mr. Fenwick, agreeably to his plan, understands them to be, "Songs for ascending or aspiring souls." The reader will find a dissertation on the subject prefixed by Calmet to his commentary on this psalm. As far as one may guess from the general import of the psalms which have this title, says Mr. Mudge, they mean psalms sung upon the occasion of the Jews coming up from the country, as they did three times a year, to pay their devotions at Jerusalem. Thus the reader sees what different sentiments there are upon the subject; and the truth of the matter seems to be, that, as neither the author nor the occasion of these psalms can be determinately fixed, so it is impossible to say what is the exact meaning of the title. The English argument asserts, that the psalm is a prayer of David against Doeg, when his calamities reduced him to the necessity of taking refuge in the country of the Arabians, expressed in the fifth verse by the tents of Kedar. The Syriac title intimates, that it was a prayer used by the Jews during their captivity in Babylon. Both these opinions may be reconciled, by supposing that, though the psalm was originally composed by David on account of the calumnies of Doeg, yet it was so well adapted to the situation of the captive Jews, that they made use of it as descriptive of the distress which they groaned under in Babylon.