Today’s post is part of our Psalm Saturdays series from guest blogger Robert Chamberlain. You can read more about Robert after the article below.

Psalm 122:1–9 (ESV)
1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD!”
2 Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!
3 Jerusalem—built as a city that is bound firmly together,
4 to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
5 There thrones for judgment were set, the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! “May they be secure who love you!
7 Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!”
8 For my brothers and companions’ sake I will say, “Peace be within you!”
9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good.

David was glad to meet up with God’s people in His worship. Are we? Going to Jerusalem in David’s day was like going to a Christian conference or camp for us nowadays. It was the highlight of the year.

God decreed the tribes of Israel to go up and praise Him in Jerusalem at set times. Similarly, those of us who have been grafted into spiritual Israel ought to give thanks to God, not just at summer gatherings or weekly church. Paul tells us to give thanks in everything.

We don’t like the idea of judgement. But as Paul says, judgement starts with the house of God. We can’t remain part of God’s house if we’re willfully persisting in unrepentant sin.

We should pray for the peace of Jerusalem to this day. It seems an impossible prayer when we consider the seemingly intractable conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. But we know that when the new Jerusalem descends, all conflict will be done away forever.

Whilst there’s no room for antisemitism or apartheid among the people of God, I think the main spiritual lesson of this Psalm is about spiritual rather than ethnic Israel. If we belong to the Lord God of Israel, we ought to be at peace and harmony with one another.

“God our Lord, we pray for peace among Your true people, not just those who profess You in word only and not in deed. Please help us to genuinely thank and worship You from the heart, for Your honour and praise, amen.”

---

About the author: Robert is a child of God, the husband of Joy, and the father of Grace. He’s from “God’s own county” of Yorkshire in the United Kingdom. Writing in earnest began for Robert when a friend prophetically told him that he should write. Although he isn’t currently publishing himself on WordPress, you can read the archives at www.roberlain.wordpress.com and a few other blogs linked from there. You can also find his up-to-date notes on the YouVersion Bible App. Also, The Believer’s Post is a WhatsApp platform for Christian bloggers which you can request him to join.

Email Robert at bobjc88 @ gmail.com if you want to get in touch.