On My Way Up: Psalms of Ascent | Psalm 122

1 Kings 9:3 3 The Lord said to him: “I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.
Ezekiel 48:35b… “And the name of the city from that time on will be: the Lord is there.”

Psalm 122 I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” 2 Our feet are standing in your gates, Jerusalem. 3 Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together. 4 That is where the tribes go up— the tribes of the Lord— to praise the name of the Lord according to the statute given to Israel. 5 There stand the thrones for judgment, the thrones of the house of David. 6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure.7 May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.” 8 For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.” 9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your prosperity.

The text breaks down in 3 sections:

Verses 1-2: An invitation to worship is an invitation to joy.

Verses 3-5: Refuge, unity, justice are found in worship.

Verses 6-9: Peace, security and prosperity are petitions of worship.

A.   An invitation to worship is an invitation to joy. I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” 2 Our feet are standing in your gates, Jerusalem.

David is teaching each successive generation that any invitation to enter into presence of God is an invitation to joy. Worship isn’t inconvenient or an “add on” activity. Worship is central to our identity as a people. 

Worship anywhere marks (re-marks) that geography as the place of His presence.

Part of the Western Christian problem is that we have so personalized God that we have made worship an isolated/insulated event apart from other followers of Christ. Our personal relationship with God has superseded our corporal identity as the people of God. These options are not “either or” but “both and.”

B. Refuge, unity, justice are found in worship. 3 Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together. 4 That is where the tribes go up— the tribes of the Lord— to praise the name of the Lord according to the statute given to Israel.5 There stand the thrones for judgment, the thrones of the house of David.

We find refuge, unity when we worship together. In worship, we petition God on behalf of one another (seeking justice). We borrow faith, lend faith and link faith.

C. Peace, security and prosperity are petitions of worship.  6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure. 7 May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.” 8 For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.” 9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your prosperity.

When Jerusalem was the target, Israel was at war. When Jerusalem was at peace the people were at peace.

Shalom = Peace = Wholeness

Sala = Security = Ease

Tov = Prosperity = Moral goodness

When Jerusalem was whole, secure and morally good, the people were whole secure and morally good.
Have you noticed, when Israel is at war the world is at war and when Israel is at peace the world is at peace.

Jerusalem still matters to but His God’s presence, emotions and attention are not self-limited to that dirt. This dirt we stand on is also the tabernacle of God. The dirt at my house is the tabernacle of God. My life dirt is a tabernacle of God. Wherever we worship we mark as God’s present presence.