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psalm 122
Haystack bible commentary"Stacks and stacks of commentary...."
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==Psalm 122:1:
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I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.
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Worship is a necessity of our being. The Greeks called man “anthropos,” meaning the upward-looking one. Man is a creature of religious instincts and must worship something. Bob Dylan was absolutely correct when he sang “You Gotta Serve Somebody!” If dogmatism be suffered anywhere, surely it is here; for man, wherever he is found, is a worshipping creature, capable of appreciating, capable of admiring, capable of extolling. If there were no God, the human heart must make One, for where there is no vision of the infinite, the people perish. Worship is a true soul-view of God and it is a soul-view of the highest. Worship is “worthship” –a confession of worth. It is a reverential upward look.
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==Psalm 122:6-9:
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Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.
May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.’ For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, ‘Peace be within you.’ For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your prosperity. |
Jesus said in John 14:23: “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word.” And in Luke 11:28: “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and do it!”
Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and pin you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” |
The root of the Hebrew term used for “prosper” is shalah, which can be translated as to “put at ease” or to “quiet.” The prosperity described is therefore not a material blessing, but a quality of soul and life. This enables those who love Jerusalem to enjoy personally a similar peace as is enjoyed by God’s chosen city.
This is the central text, stating, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces".
The Meaning of Peace (Shalom): The Hebrew word shalom conveys a sense of complete well-being, wholeness, and security, extending beyond just a cessation of war.
Connection to God's Purposes: Praying for the peace of Jerusalem is linked to God's name and purposes for the city. It's a prayer for God's sovereign work in Jerusalem and Israel.
The Messiah's Role: The Bible teaches that ultimate and complete peace will be established when the Messiah, the Prince of Peace, returns. Praying for peace can be seen as an encouragement for the Lord's return and the fulfillment of salvation promises.
Blessing Those Who Love Zion: The verses also speak of prosperity for those who love Jerusalem, and a reciprocal blessing for those who bless them.
Intercessory Prayer: The command to pray for Jerusalem highlights the importance of intercession for God's people.
How to Pray for the Peace of Israel
For Jerusalem's Well-being: Pray for the complete security, stability, and harmony within the city.
For God's Purposes: Intercede for the Lord's plans and purposes for Israel and Jerusalem.
For God's People to Know the Messiah: Pray that the Jewish people will come to know their Messiah, Jesus, bringing true peace and reconciliation with God.
For God's Return: Pray for the return of the Messiah, the ultimate Prince of Peace, who will bring lasting peace to the city and the world.
For Unity and Harmony: Pray that divisions will cease, and that people will experience inner peace, peace with God, and peace with one another.
The Meaning of Peace (Shalom): The Hebrew word shalom conveys a sense of complete well-being, wholeness, and security, extending beyond just a cessation of war.
Connection to God's Purposes: Praying for the peace of Jerusalem is linked to God's name and purposes for the city. It's a prayer for God's sovereign work in Jerusalem and Israel.
The Messiah's Role: The Bible teaches that ultimate and complete peace will be established when the Messiah, the Prince of Peace, returns. Praying for peace can be seen as an encouragement for the Lord's return and the fulfillment of salvation promises.
Blessing Those Who Love Zion: The verses also speak of prosperity for those who love Jerusalem, and a reciprocal blessing for those who bless them.
Intercessory Prayer: The command to pray for Jerusalem highlights the importance of intercession for God's people.
How to Pray for the Peace of Israel
For Jerusalem's Well-being: Pray for the complete security, stability, and harmony within the city.
For God's Purposes: Intercede for the Lord's plans and purposes for Israel and Jerusalem.
For God's People to Know the Messiah: Pray that the Jewish people will come to know their Messiah, Jesus, bringing true peace and reconciliation with God.
For God's Return: Pray for the return of the Messiah, the ultimate Prince of Peace, who will bring lasting peace to the city and the world.
For Unity and Harmony: Pray that divisions will cease, and that people will experience inner peace, peace with God, and peace with one another.
We cannot merely take a neutral attitude and say, “Let’s see what happens.” We have to actively align ourselves with what God is saying in His Word and what He is doing in history.
The primary way in which we can do this is through our prayers. We can pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for its restoration—for Jerusalem to become all that God has declared in the Scriptures that it shall be. To those who pray and are concerned, this is the promise: “They shall prosper that love thee.” -Derek Prince |
The word Jerusalem means "the place of peace"—the place where the God of peace symbolically resided during the temple times. In ancient times, it may have been a common blessing to say "Peace be upon Israel." The phrase is found in Psalm 125:5 and Psalm 128:6. We also know that Jerusalem is where Jesus will return (Acts 1:11; Zechariah 14:4).
Jesus included peacemakers in His beatitudes, saying those who made peace would be called sons of God (Matthew 5:9). Romans 12:18 instructs us to seek peace with all people. Praying for the peace of Jerusalem certainly fits into these instructions. -Compelling Truth |