First of the ‘Psalms of Ascent’ (Ps 120 to 134) sung by pilgrims traveling to the holy hill of Zion. Compared to this sacred land, the whole world is corrupt. However, the psalm must be interpreted through the lens of the Christian faith: the Spirit of the New Testament is different. ‘Pray for them that calumniate you’ is our Lord’s instruction (Mt 5:43ff). We recognize no enemy but the soul. We pray that God will pour down his destructive judgments upon our enemy, who wages deceitful and treacherous war against us. We pray against our selfish selves.