# 40 2021 Dev. Psalm 122:1. Rejoice in the Lord! Read all of Psalm 122 first. The purpose of these devotionals is to draw closer to God and grow spiritually by applying His Word to our daily living. All passages are taken from the NIV.
Psalm 122:1 “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
Intro. Ps. 120-137 is a series of Psalms that include 15 “songs of ascent.” Songs of ascent were sung at the temple by the Priests walking up the 15 steps entering the sanctuary, also sung by pilgrims going up to Jerusalem for the three feasts required, Pentecost, Passover and Tabernacles, as well as during the return from Babylon back to Jerusalem.
Psalm 122 is a psalm of ascent with a two verse introduction and two stanzas framed with “the house of the Lord.”
Vs.1-2 A fellow pilgrim or a group of pilgrims said at the beginning of their journey, “let us go up the the house of the Lord.” They rejoiced at the prospect to worship at the temple at a time of one of the required feasts. They have arrived after a long uphill journey and “our feet are standing in your gates, Jerusalem.”
This Introduction reflect our present lives, we are on a pilgrimage, heading for our heavenly home, along the way do we rejoice at every worship opportunity? Do we worship daily? All of life is worship! What is important, the trip or the destination? Some have only just started, some are half way, some are standing at the gate. What is important to you? As for me it is the pilgrimage itself: the opportunity to influence the world around me, the people around us, the execution of and the fulfillment of God’s calling on our lives no matter our occupation. The goal is assured; like the early travelers we only have to cross the threshold.
Vs. 3-5 “Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together”, a place where there is contact with everyone, no escaping those unlike you, those who have a different orientation or those you want to avoid. Grace is required, forgiveness is required, compassion and tolerance. This is the place of ultimate worship, a place to praise, a place of Judgment by our God the King.
The above is the goal of our pilgrimage, our heavenly home, where we arrive by God’s leading and by His timing, and we will all arrive. What are the works that follow us? Only works done in the name of Jesus follow us because we are saved by the works of Jesus, not anything done on our own.
Vs. 6-9 “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May those who love you be secure”. May there be be peace, security, prosperity, “For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, ‘peace be within you”
Like those pilgrims before us the goal begins to be reached at the beginning of the journey. New Life in Christ begins the day one is converted and puts their trust in Jesus. It is therefore that the pilgrimage, our life’s journey, is important.
We may legitimately say: “for the sake of my family and friends, I will say, ‘Peace be within you.” And for the sake of the church, and followers of Jesus (the house of the Lord’) “I will seek your prosperity.” We pray for a blessing on all churches, on all followers of Jesus, on all works of promoting the Gospel, on all works of mercy done in the name of Jesus and on all those who are in search of the truth. Amen!
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