How do you feel about getting up on a Sunday morning to attend church? Would you rather roll back over in bed to sleep some more, as perhaps that is the only day that you might be able to sleep a little later? Some denominations also frequently offer an additional church service later on a Saturday afternoon. But would that also elicit complaints of inconvenience, as it messes up Saturday plans? Are you glad to be able to attend church, or is it something that you do out of habit, something instilled in you from childhood? In our psalm today, King David speaks of his feelings about going to worship. Let’s see what he has to say.
It is probably safe to assume that as king, David led a rather busy life. There are all sorts of things that need to be done by a king in order to keep the country running smoothly. Kings, even if they are not the absolute ruler, have rather tight schedules. King David, though, as busy as he might have been on any given day, was glad when any one of his friends invited him to go along together to God’s house to worship (vs. 1).
At this time the Temple in Jerusalem had not yet been built. That would be built later by David’s son, Solomon. Worship, particularly on holy days, along with all animal sacrifices, were done at the Tabernacle, which was an enclosure made by heavy curtains on poles. The Tabernacle contained the altar for sacrifices, along with the Ark of the Covenant. David rejoiced at the invitation to worship in God’s house. Even if it meant having to delay reviewing important papers, sending out dispatches, keeping track of military strategies, or postponing an important state meeting, David was always willing to attend worship services. David was a man after God’s heart, and as a true believer, he delighted in gathering to worship with God’s people. This wasn’t entertainment for him, but was obedience to God’s command.
David loved the city of Jerusalem. One of the city’s titles is “The City of David”. He had made it his capital city. The previous king, King Saul, had ruled out of Gibeah, which is about five or so miles north of Jerusalem. During his reign, David tried to keep Jerusalem stable and unified (vs. 3-5). He described it as “compact together”, a city unified and orderly. It is the place of God’s throne, where judgment and authority are exercised.
The Church today should also reflect unity in truth, built firmly on the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:20-22). The unity that we have as believers must be grounded in sound doctrine, not in giving in to compromising Biblical truths just to keep the peace. Though we should always strive for unity in our churches, that should never be at the expense of doctrinal purity. Always stand firm on God’s Word, the Bible.
As our psalm continues, we are told to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (vs. 6-9). The name “Jerusalem” in Hebrew means city of peace, or foundation of peace. The Hebrew root word yru means both foundation and city. And the Hebrew word shalem, or more commonly shalom, means peace and wholeness. Shalom is more than just an absence of conflict. It means that things are as they should be. Our relationship with God, one another, and the world is as it was designed to be. David knew that peace in the city meant stability for worship and national life.
As we have seen in previous studies, Jerusalem is not merely historical, it is central to God’s future kingdom plan, pointing to Jesus’ future reign in the Millennial Kingdom. Praying for peace in Jerusalem and Israel isn’t just something that was for back in David’s day. It is still a command from God’s Word. Today Christians should still be praying for Israel and anticipating Christ’s return when true peace will reign.
Looking back over Psalm 122, though it is a relatively short psalm, it still has practical lessons for us today. As Christians, we should have a love for gathering with other believers. Jesus promised that whenever two or more are gathered in His Name, He is there in the midst of them (Matthew 18:20). We should have joy at that privilege. The joy of worship here foreshadows the eternal gladness we will experience in the New Jerusalem. We also need to remember to strive for unity, but never compromise what we know is taught in God’s Word. And finally, we should always be interceding for God’s people and God’s City.
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