The LORD’s House: an Exposition of the 122nd Psalm
What brings you joy? This is a very personal question which will bring many different answers. For some, it will be the expectant birth of a child or grandchild. For some, it will be having the family together for Thanksgiving or another holiday. For others, it will be a dream house. Some might say that winning the lottery will give them joy. How you answer this question says a lot about you. In the text this morning, we will see what brings the Psalmist joy. Turn now to the 122nd Psalm.
This psalm is one of a collection of fifteen psalms which are grouped together and titled the “Songs of Ascents.” They were sung and chanted by people coming up to Jerusalem to worship. They seem to have been written by different people at different times and collected together by common themes. This one is said to be a Psalm of David as well. This is disputed, but in the absence of proof to the contrary, this should be accepted. The attribution of author is sometimes vital. For example, Jesus calls David the author of the 110th Psalm, and His exegesis of it would make no sense otherwise. Here, it isn’t as important, although David was certainly one who rejoiced to come up to Jerusalem.
The city of Jerusalem is an ancient city. Its name means “Foundation of Peace.” Melchizedek was called the Prince of Salem, which is probably Jerusalem. It was held by the Jebusites until the time of David who took it and made it the capital of the unified tribes of Israel. Its walls and natural defenses made it a refuge to people in the time of war. Later Jerusalem had 12 gates for people to enter.
The Temple in Jerusalem did not exist in the days of David. Instead, the Ark of the Testimony was placed in a tent. David tried to bring the ark into Jerusalem in an ox cart, but when Uzziah the driver touched it to stabilize the Ark when the oxen stumbled, he was struck dead. The Ark should have been carried on the shoulders of the Levites. As a result, the Ark was left outside the city in the threshing floor or Ornan the Jebusite. Later on the Ark of the Covenant would be brought into the city by the Levites, with David dancing for joy before the LORD. But there was no permanent home for this Ark, which represented the presence of Yahweh. David wanted to build the LORD a house, but was prevented because he had shed so much blood. One cannot establish the House of the LORD in the city of Peace with blood on one’s hands. Solomon, whose name means “peace” built the Temple in Jerusalem instead.
David would certainly have agreed with the sentiment of the psalm. He took great joy in coming up to the LORD’s house. This was more than just climbing the hill into Jerusalem. Pilgrims from all over the world who would come to Jerusalem always went up to Jerusalem, even if the elevation of their home was higher than Jerusalem. As far as a mountain is concerned, nearby place like Mt. Hermon are much higher. But there is a moral quality in going up to Jerusalem. There was the uplift of the soul as well.
Whenever the psalmist heard the words: “Let us go into the house of the LORD, he was full of joy. Notice here the “us.” The worship of Yahweh was not just a personal encounter. “Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.” The LORD is not Lord of one, but of a people. It is a time of joy when God’s people come together into the house of the LORD for worship. He talks about all the tribes coming up together into Jerusalem to the Ark of the Testimony. Jerusalem was the place God chose in Israel for His people to come to worship. Yahweh is at the center of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem is at the center of Istael’s identity as a people. The city is said to be compacted together, which seems to imply that the city was laid out in an orderly fashion. This reflects the unity of Israel and the orderliness of their God. Everything was in its proper place.
Even the thrones of judgment were arranged in an orderly fashion. Justice was usually administered at the gates of the city, so judges were placed at these locations to see that justice was fairly administered. There can be no peace without justice. It is justice which makes society possible. This is not the substitution of our concept of righteousness for God’s, however. Inside the Ark of the Testimony were the tablets of the Law, God’s Law written by His own fingers. It is this justice that needs to be established.
The psalm continues with a prayer for the peace of Jerusalem. Peace is mentioned three times in the psalm as well as the prosperity of the palaces. In other words, the prayer is for the city to live up to its name. It was the very foundation of peace. When there is true justice, there will be peace in the walls and palaces as well. The psalm ends with the acknowledgement that because Jerusalem is the LORD’s house, he would seek the LORD’s good. In other words, God’s people are called to establish the LORD’s ways and not their own. When God’s good it sought, it is good for all of God’s people.
This is, or course, a very idealized portrait of Israel. Jerusalem has for centuries been shaken by war and bloodshed. The unity of Israel only lasted through David and Solomon’s day before it was divided. All sorts of palace intrigues shook the just foundation of the city, from David on. It would later be called a “city of harlots.” And in Revelation, it would be called “Sodom.” Today there is much tension in Jerusalem, as three faiths claim it as a holy city. The Jewish pilgrim which today ascends into Jerusalem does not come to the House of Yahweh, but the Mosque of Omar.
Even in the church which likes to model itself as the new Israel, we groan through two thousand years of injustice and intrigue. “Christians” have lifted the sword against other “Christians.” A Medieval Pope was seen in battle armor leading his army against his own subjects. So we come to this Advent season in much sorrow. We cry: “When will Jerusalem be freed again?” “When will justice flow down from her as a stream?” “When will the swords be beaten into plowshares, and the spears into pruning hooks?” We seem to have done no better than those before us.
We have the United Nations which was supposed to establish world peace and brotherhood? Has it worked. I think we all know the answer. Like all human institutions, the United Nations is hopelessly corrupts. They have lorded upon themselves to make new conditions and moral standards apart from those established in the Word of God. Of course, these attempts will bring neither peace nor justice. If anything, the table seems to be set for yet another explosion of violence.
We must realize that true peace can only come from God. God says that Jerusalem will be the city He has called it to be. God’s decree cannot fail. There will be justice in that city. Not only Israel, but all the nations will come up to her to worship. There will be unity and joy, for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” We should not despair overmuch at the current situation. God’s will will happen here on earth as it is in heaven. This is what we celebrate in the season of Advent. Our hope is based on certainty.
In the meanwhile, what shall we do? We do not yet see the New Jerusalem. We live in a world full of injustice and corruption. We certainly of ourselves lack the power to change the world’s situation. But we can anticipate the kingdom. We can try to live our lives as though the kingdom in its final reality is already here. We can live just lives here. We can endeavor to live at peace with all people, especially our Christian brothers and sisters. This is part of our witness. It is when we can have this joy in the midst of sorrow to call out to others: “Let us go up to the House of the LORD.” We can strive for unity within our churches. We can pray for peace. We can proclaim the gospel to the nations. There are many things we can do. We also should avoid being bad advertisements for the coming kingdom. We need to put off all things which are offensive. We need to make Jerusalem as much a reality in our lives, individually and as a church. Our greatest witness is the joy we have as we ascend up to Him. The Prince of Peace is coming! King Jesus is returning. Are you ready?
