Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

1. A City of Unity- “And now we are standing here inside your gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is a well-built city, knit together as a single unit.”(3) As the natural city of Jerusalem was built close together, the believers are to experience closeness and intimacy in an atmosphere of worship. This closeness is described as ‘ …that which is harmoniously, per- fectly, and snugly closed up,’ 2 representing the New Testament church; “We who believe are carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.” (Eph. 2:21) 2. A City of Praise- “All the people of Israel-the Lord’s people-make their pilgrimage here. They come to give thanks to the name of the Lord as the law requires.” (4) The Israelites were required to make pilgrimage at the three great feasts in Jerusalem each year to give thanks to the Lord. Worship was the ‘ancient sacral union of the 12 tribes,’ 3 the one element that gave them identity and held them together. Worshiping the Lord has become one of the central things that unite the various ‘tribes’ of believers around the world today. It is not where, but in what manner we worship that concerns Jesus: “Believe me, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father here or in Jerusalem…true worshippers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth.” (Jn. 4:21,23) 3. A City of Justice- “Here stand the thrones where judgment is given, the thrones of the dynasty of David.”(5) Jerusalem was the civic center of nation where its citizens could receive justice. The King of Israel was to preside over the final court of appeals and although there were additional courts, he could issue the deciding verdict. “There was also the Hall of the Throne, also known as the Hall of Judgment, where Solomon sat to hear legal matters.” (1 Kgs. 7:7) The church is to be a place where the justice of the King- dom of Heaven is rendered: “When you have something against another Christian, why do you file a law- suit and ask a secular court to decide the matter, instead of taking to other Christians to decide who is right? Don’t you know that someday we Christians are going to judge the world?” (1 Cor. 6:1, 2) Jesus is the one who now occupies the throne as the ‘Judge of Israel’, Isaiah prophesies of him: “He will never judge by appearance, false evidence, or hearsay. He will defend the poor and the exploited. He will rule against the wicked and destroy them with the breath of his mouth. He will be clothed with fairness and truth.” (Isa. 11: 2)

II

PRAY FOR PEACE AND PROSPERITY (6-9)

This section represents the ‘ascending thoughts’, each verse building upon the thoughts and phrases of the previous ones. The words “peace”, and “prosperity” and the phrase “for the sake of…” are re- peated.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper.” (6)

We are to pray fervently for Jerusalem although there can be no lasting peace without Jesus, the Prince of Peace. He personally wept over the rejection from his beloved city: “But as they came closer to Jerusalem and Jesus saw the city ahead, he began to cry. ‘I wish that even today you would find the way of peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from you.’”(Lk.19:41,42) That everlasting peace and prosperity is now found with Christ in the ‘New Jerusalem’ that is from above: “And now Jerusalem is just like Mount Sinai in Arabia, because she and her children live in slavery. But Sarah, the free woman, represents the heavenly Jerusalem. And she is our mother.”(Gal.4:25,26) There is to be un- ceasing prayer for Jerusalem as the final act of human history is destined to be played out on her stage. ‘Peace and prosperity go together and this is secured by prayer.’ 4

“O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls and prosperity in your palaces.” (7)

Prosperity in life is the outward result of the gift of peace that lives within a person. Prosperity does not result in peace but peace often leads to prosperity. The church is to have walls of protection from divisive relationships and palaces of peace for her inhabitants. The church becomes the place of rec- onciliation and resolving of contention: “Blessed are the peacemakers (NIV) for they will be called the children of God.” (Mt. 5:9)

“For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, ‘Peace be with you.” (6)

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