Psalm 122--Let Us Go to the House of the LORD

Psalm 122
English Standard Version

Let Us Go to the House of the LORD
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
122 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.

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David said it made his heart glad to hear people say, "Let's go up to Jerusalem" (to worship before the LORD there).  While the Temple was not built yet in the time of David, the Ark of the Covenant resided in Jerusalem for a while in a tent that David set up for it, and the priests and musicians ministered before it.  There were also other priests that ministered before the LORD's Altar and the Tabernacle that were set up elsewhere, but this passage refers to people wanting to come worship before the LORD in Jerusalem.  Soon, all the Jewish people would come to Jerusalem to worship together at least three times a year, and this would be one of the songs that they would sing as they were making the journey up to Jerusalem--for it was on the top of a tall mountain.  You will always see the Bible referring as someone going "up" to Jerusalem because they are going up in elevation and "down" when going away from Jerusalem as they are going down in elevation.

Jerusalem holds a special place for the people--it is the place where the LORD put his Name and His Presence, and it is also the place where He established the throne for His princes to rule from (I say princes, because the LORD Himself is the King of the people, and that is how the LORD refers to David and his sons--as princes).

Since this is such a special place for God's people (and they had no idea the significance that Jerusalem held in the eternal plan of salvation nor that the coming kingdom would be called The New Jerusalem) that we are to pray for the peace of Jerusalem which can only happen when The Prince of Peace reigns in majesty from His throne--the throne of David--which is located there.  Right now, there is anything but peace in Jerusalem as the world and the devil hate what the LORD loves, and there is a coordinated effort by the evil powers of this world to try to destroy the City of God and the people of God so that the LORD will not be able to keep His covenant promises to His people.  Because of what Jesus did on the cross there in Jerusalem Jews and Gentiles alike can have the peace of God and can have peace with God right now, even with all the wars raging around us and people vying for control over the Holy Land and Jerusalem specifically.  We join with David to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and that God's plan for His city and His people would come to fruition soon and very soon.  Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!