Praying for Jerusalem’s Peace – Psalm 122

At our Wednesday night prayer meeting, we have started to look at Psalms 120 – 134, the “songs of ascents”. Another name for them might be “songs for going up” or “songs for the journey”. In ancient Israel, they were probably sung by travelers making their way to Jerusalem for the annual feasts. Jerusalem was a high point in the land of Palestine, and as they journeyed, they were literally “ascending”. And these songs we intended to help them also ascend spiritually as they joined together in song and prepared their hearts to worship the Lord.

I intended to share some thoughts about Psalm 122 on Wednesday, but didn’t make it back in time due to some car trouble As I read this psalm and you follow along, I want you to see if you can pick out a key word or idea in this psalm. The very first verse captures some of the excitement, the anticipation, of the psalmist preparing for the journey. “I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.”” (Psalm 122:1).

Psalm 122

1 A song of Ascents. Of David.
I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go into the house of the Lord.”

2 Our feet have been standing
Within your gates, O Jerusalem!

3 Jerusalem is built
As a city that is compact together,

4 Where the tribes go up,
The tribes of the Lord,
To the Testimony of Israel,
To give thanks to the name of the Lord.

5 For thrones are set there for judgment,
The thrones of the house of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you.

7 Peace be within your walls,
Prosperity within your palaces.”

8 For the sake of my brethren and companions,
I will now say, “Peace be within you.”

9 Because of the house of the Lord our God
I will seek your good.

This psalm is all about a special place—the holy city of Jerusalem. That makes sense. Jerusalem played an incredibly important role in the life of the ancient Israelites. The David and the other kings of Judah had their thrones in Jerusalem. The temple of the Lord was there. It was where the tribes of Israel gathered for the required feasts to worship.

But it is a bit tricky for us to listen to a psalm all about Jerusalem, because we are not ancient Jews. Most of us have never been there. Jerusalem doesn’t mean the same thing to us as it did to them. In the Old Testament, God chose a place to dwell. After the first temple was built, we read about God’s presence filling the temple. 1 Kings 8:10-11 says,

And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.

For ancient Jews, Jerusalem was the place where God chose to dwell in a unique and powerful way. The temple in Jerusalem was the center of their worship. When we read of the Psalmist going up, should we also buy our plane tickets to Jerusalem and go there with gladness?

In a sense, we too are a people on our way to a city, and we should be full of joyful anticipation as we look forward to the day when we will gather in the New Jerusalem, the heavenly city of God (Rev. 21-22). But what about today? Are we not to worship the Lord even now? Where do we do that? Do we have a Jerusalem, a specific place where we go to worship God?

Because places are so important to us, we might be tempted to take the reference to Jerusalem and substitute a different city or place where we gather for worship. People sometimes talk about going to the “house of the Lord” in that way, and by that, they usually mean the physical building that they go to as Christians in order to worship. But is this how we are to apply this psalm as new covenant believers in Christ?

I believe we are living in the time that Jesus spoke about in John 4 when Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well,

“Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:21-24)

When Jesus died, the veil of the temple in Jerusalem was torn in two (Matt. 27:51). And fifty days after Jesus’ death and resurrection, the glory of God once again descended and chose to make God’s presence uniquely real. But this time The Lord didn’t just indwell a place. Instead, He indwelt a people. Acts 2:1-4a reads,

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit …

So now, we don’t have a place where God’s presence is uniquely manifest. Now we have a people. Paul says, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). That people in whom God dwells is the church of Jesus Christ. In Ephesians 2 Paul says about us in the church,

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:19-22).

Someone has said, “The church is not a building; the church is not a steeple; the church is not a resting place; the church is a people.” What Jerusalem was to ancient Jews, the church is to us.

But the church isn’t a place and it isn’t an event. It’s a people. You don’t “go to church.” You are the church. The church is a community of God’s people. So, as we look at Psalm 122, and we hear the psalmist talking about Jerusalem I believe we can apply this to the church. And we’ll see that this psalm is an incredibly powerful description of who the church is and how the church worships.

1. The Pilgrim’s Passion for the City of God (Ps. 122:1–2)

How should we come to worship?

We come with Joy (Psalm 122:1-2).

You know that feeling when you finally get somewhere after a long road trip? That’s where the psalmist starts. This psalm begins with the incredible feeling of standing within the gates of the city enjoying the experience.

David rejoiced to enter Jerusalem. It’s clear that he loved Jerusalem. But why? It is because there is “the house of the LORD.” He loves the city of Jerusalem because he loves the LORD who dwells there with His people. Listen, a joyful worship experience is not found by pursuing joy in worship. Joy is found in pursuing and knowing God Himself. Peter wrote to the New Testament saints about their relationship with Christ Jesus, “whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,” (1 Pet. 1:8). Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ expressed in love for Him.

Does it bring you joy to gather with other Christians to express your love for Christ? Put simply, do you enjoy church? And remember, I don’t mean the event of a church service. I mean the people. Do you enjoy the people of God, gathered to honor the Lord?

Each Sunday when we gather for worship we are anticipating and rehearsing for our arrival in the city of God – and we should have joy as we come together.

2. The Pilgrim’s Praise for the City of God (Ps. 122:3–5)

What makes worship with God’s people so special? (Psalm 122:3-5)

If we are going to worship together and enjoy the Lord together, we need to know how to be God’s people. What made Jerusalem so special?

There are three things that the author praises about Jerusalem. The way it’s constructed, the way the tribes go up to it every year, and the fact that the thrones of the house of David are there. So, what do these things mean?

First, he talks about the way the city is built. It is …

Built for Safety: “Jerusalem is built As a city that is compact together,” (Psalm 122:3). What that probably refers to is the security and safety of the city. The compact arrangement of the city gives an added advantage in defending the city. So, Jerusalem is safe. It also could mean it is “solidly united” (CSB), where the people are closely held together. It’s a place of refuge—a place where the people of God come together and find unity, comfort, and safety.

Is our church like that? Are we like a city that is compact together? The church should be a community of people where you feel safe, where we can talk without fear about our lives and our relationship with God. There are so few places in our world where it is safe to let down your guard. We must be a safe place of love, peace, and unity in the Spirit (Eph. 4:1-3).

Second, Jerusalem gives a …

Sense of Identity: The second point the psalmist makes is that this city is where the tribes come regularly. “Where the tribes go up, The tribes of the LORD, To the Testimony of Israel, To give thanks to the name of the LORD.” (Psalm 122:4). Jerusalem gives the people a sense of identity. All of Israel is supposed to travel there regularly—all the tribes converge there. It gives them a sense of belonging.

Is the church community where we find our identity? We belong together because we each belong to Christ. First and foremost, we are followers of Jesus Christ. The world divides people by nations, languages, ethnicities, gender, and social and economic status. In Christ, all those barriers are removed.

And finally, Jerusalem …

Promotes Justice:, the thrones of the house of David are there. “For thrones are set there for judgment, The thrones of the house of David.” (Psalm 122:5). He says he’s talking about the thrones of judgment. So, when you come to Jerusalem, you find justice because the King is there. The church cares about justice inside and justice outside.

The psalmist praises Jerusalem for its safety, the identity it creates, and the justice it promotes. As those who belong to Christ, with His Spirit inside of us, our gathering should be a foretaste of the refuge, worship, and justice we will experience in the heavenly New Jerusalem (Hebrews 10:23-25). The church needs to be a safe place. The church should give us our identity. The church needs to love justice and equality.

3. The Pilgrim’s Petition (Ps. 122:6–9)

How do we pray for God’s people? (Psalm 122:6-9)

We’ve seen the psalmist respond to being in Jerusalem. First, he arrives in the city and talks about the joy he has for visiting it. Then he praises the city. Finally, the psalmist concludes by offering prayers for the city. Here’s what the psalmist prays for in verses 6-9.

There is one overall theme of what the psalmist prays for: peace. That’s the Hebrew word shalom and it’s one of the richest and most meaningful words in all of Hebrew. Peace is repeated three times in these four verses.

First he prays for the peace of the city and upon those who love the city. Then he prays for peace within the walls and the security of the city. Then he prays “for the sake of my brothers” that there is peace within the city. Finally, he prays “for the sake of the house of the LORD our God.”

God is Here.

So, the psalmist prays for the city and for its people, and he builds in intensity as he moves toward the center. At the center is God’s presence. It’s the goodness of that presence that creates the peace of the city. The heart of the city is the presence of God.

And as we’ve been reflecting on the church, this is our final observation about the church as well. It may sound like an obvious thing to say. It may not even need saying. Except that it does. The heart of the church is the presence of God. We are where God dwells. God is here. Not in this building, but in this people.

At the heart of Jerusalem is “the house of the LORD our God.” At the heart of the church is the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. Jerusalem wasn’t just a city. God lived dwelt with His people there. We aren’t just social group. God lives here.