Psalm 122

Psalm chapter 122 is a focus once again on location, and this time it focuses on Jerusalem, which, of course, was the destination of the pilgrims who were singing these Psalms of ascent as they made their way to the annual festivals. This Psalm is really a very short prayer for Jerusalem, and it is attributed, by the way, to David. I think, of all the 15 Psalms of ascent, I believed that 4 of them are attributed to the writing of David. So it goes like this:

Now, this is a beautiful, this is a beautiful prayer. It's a beautiful sentiment as David speaks about Jerusalem and praying for the peace of Jerusalem, something that has largely eluded the city of Jerusalem, I might add, for many, many years and continues, frankly, to elude the city of Jerusalem. But I think that we're still to be praying for the peace of Jerusalem. It's interesting that, as Christians who believe the Bible, we believe that the Old Testament is God’s Word. We believe the New Testament is God’s Word. We have a natural affinity for Jerusalem. We just, we just love Jerusalem, and we love the Jewish people because we know the role that they play within the context of God's plan of redemption. We understand that God spoke uniquely to the people of Israel, and that the Messiah comes from the lineage of the people of Israel, and that the city of Jerusalem will once again be a central focal point in the history of mankind. When Jesus returns to this earth and establishes His throne, He will be centered in Jerusalem. The government that is going to oversee the rulership of this world for a period of 1,000 years during the Millennial Kingdom will be centered in Jerusalem, and it will truly be the house of peace at that time, which is essentially what the name means. But, like I said, it has eluded the city for the most part until the Prince of Peace sits on the throne in Jerusalem. So, our hearts, our minds are focused many times on Jerusalem as we study the Word of God, as we see things in the news, and so forth, and I think it's a great idea to take up the refrain of this Psalm and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Once again, we're reminded of the fact that the house of the Lord is no longer in Jerusalem, though. The house of the Lord is you, and it is me, and we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Let me show you a couple of passages that underscore this. First of all, from Ephesians chapter 2, it says...

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens (right?), but (now) you (and I) are fellow citizens with the saints (and look at this) and members (first of all all) of the household of God, (which is) built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, (and then look at this) in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. Now, this is interesting because this passage says that, first of all, we're members of the household of God. And then it says we're all being built together as the temple itself. So we're members of the household of God, and also we are the temple of God, being built together in a powerful and holy sort of way. And then, look at what Peter says in his first letter.

1 Peter chapter 1, excuse me, chapter 2, verses 4 and 5, it says,

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house… Here it says again that we are the spiritual house that is being built up by God. Again, we're not going to Jerusalem anymore in this particular work of God; we're in the church age right now. And right now, the body of Christ is the spiritual house. But once again, after the church is taken away and then returns with the Lord during the Millennial Kingdom, the focus of everything will be back in Jerusalem.