G2/1 A 1. Hezekiah and Yahaveh.
B 2. His prayer to Yahaveh.
B 3,4. His apostrophe to Rab-shakeh.
A 5-7. Hezekiah and Yahaveh.
(One of the Songs promised by Hezekiah in Isa. 38:20. The "degrees" mention 6 times in 2 Kings 20:8-11, and 5 times in Isa. 35:8. No other "degrees" known to Scripture which are connected to the shadow of the sun.)
Psalm 120)
1 In my distress (the 1st Psalm of each of the 5 groups speaks of distress; the 2nd of trust; the 3rd of blessing and peace in Zion. The distress, here, refers to Sennacherib's siege of Jerusalem [2 Kings 19:3. Isa. 37:3]) I cried to the LORD (Yehovah),
And He answered me.
2 Pluck me (the reference is to 2 Kings 18:30,32), O LORD, from lying lips, (I.e. Rab-shakeh's. The reference is to 2 Kings 18:19-35; 19:8-13; 2 Chron. 32:10-19. Isa. 36:4-20; 37:8-13)
And from a deceitful tongue.
3 What shall be given to you? or what shall heaped upon (i.e. added to) you, (Cp. 1 Sam. 3:17; 20:13,&c.)
You false tongue?
4 Sharp arrows of the Mighty [One],
With coals of juniper.
5 Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech,
That I dwell in the tents of Kedar! (Usually typical of cruel and merciless peoples; as we use the term Vandals, Goths, Philistines.)
6 My soul has long dwelt
With them that hates peace.
7 I [even I] am for peace:
But when I speak [of peace], they are for war. (The reference is to 2 Kings 18:19. 2 Chron. 32:2. Isa. 36:5)