Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 120:6

"My soul hath long had her dwelling With him that hateth peace." — Psalms 120:6 (ASV)

My soul has long dwelt with him who hates peace - This trouble is no new thing. It has been long continued and has become intolerable. Who this was that troubled him in this way is, of course, now unknown.

It is only necessary to remark that there can scarcely be any source of trouble more bitter than sustaining such relations with others—whether in business, in office, or through family ties (by marriage or by blood), in school, in college, or in corporate bodies. These are relations that constantly expose us to quarrels.

This means being compelled to have constant contact with people of sour, perverse, crooked tempers, who are satisfied with nothing; who are suspicious or envious; who pervert our motives and our conduct; who misrepresent our words; who demand more than is due to them; who refuse to perform what may reasonably be expected of them; and who make use of every opportunity to involve us in difficulties with others.

There are many trials in human life, but there are few which are more galling or harder to bear than this.

The literal rendering of the passage would be, “Long for her has my soul dwelt,” etc. That is, long (or too long) for her good—for the welfare of my soul. It has been an injury to me—to my piety, to my comfort, to my salvation. It has vexed me, tried me, hindered me in my progress in the divine life. Nothing would have a greater tendency of this kind than to be compelled to live in the manner indicated above.