GOING HOME
Opening Prayer
Father in Heaven, as I come to your Word now, fill me with your Spirit. Use what I read to help me live this day in ways that bring you glory, in ways that encourage others to see who you are and want the life only you can give.
Read PSALM 122
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Psalm 122
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 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.
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Think of all that you love about the place where you live, and thank God for his blessings.This psalm is one that Israelite pilgrims would have sung as they made their way to Jerusalem to celebrate one of the great Jewish festivals (v. 4). It is a joyful celebration of the city and all that it stands for, both religiously and politically (vv. 1–5). Religiously, Jerusalem is home to the temple—symbol of God’s presence with his people (v. 1). Politically, Jerusalem is the seat of God’s justice—both social and economic—for his people (v. 5). Then, as now, what happens in the city shapes the lives, hopes, and well-being of those who live beyond the city, and God is interested in every sphere of life.
This song is also a summons to pray for the peace and prosperity of Jerusalem (vv. 6–9). The prayer is that the city should be a focus of peace (vv. 6–8)—a center for the flourishing of all creation, living in the presence of God and under his reign. Christians believe that Jesus is the fulfillment of Jerusalem’s religious and political functions. This psalm therefore confronts us with the challenge not only to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and other cities, but also to play our part as children of God in making our cities centers for the flourishing and well-being of all creation.
Apply
In what ways does your Christian community invest to make your town or city welcoming, accepting, and affirming?
Closing prayer
Lord, I lift up the area where I live; help me to be a part of its being a center for peace, for justice, and the flourishing of all.
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