PSALM 122
1 I rejoiced with those who said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
2 Our feet are standing
in your gates, Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem is built like a city
that is closely compacted together.
4 That is where the tribes go up—
the tribes of the Lord—
to praise the name of the Lord
according to the statute given to Israel.
5 There stand the thrones for judgment,
the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May those who love you be secure.
7 May there be peace within your walls
and security within your citadels.”
8 For the sake of my family and friends,
I will say, “Peace be within you.”
9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek your prosperity.
PEACE BE WITHIN YOU
After being invited to join a group of worshippers on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, we read in verse 2 that the psalmist begins a song of gratitude for having been there. The high experience is now behind them, and they are returning home. The “tribes of the Lord” have been given a decree to give thanks to Yahweh.
This psalmist, according to some commentaries, has just experienced his first visit to Jerusalem, taking in the surroundings of tight streets and a closed-in or compact city. The psalmist notices the different tribes, cultures, and people filling the streets. This was a celebration pilgrimage, possibly after gathering their harvest to give thanks to Yahweh.
We have just celebrated our own Thanksgiving, giving thanks for the many blessings God has bestowed on us. We each have our reflections and gratitude. Some of us, however, may still bear burdens of sadness, or that for which we sought became an unmet healing or provision.
Let us follow the lead of the psalmist. “For my family and friends, I will say, ‘Peace be within you.’” This is a shining example of speaking the peace of God into the very heart and soul of those we love. Peace be within those who do not have peace. Peace be within those who have hurt and disappointed us. Peace be within the circle of those we know. Peace be within our church. Peace be within us!
The only remedy for pain and suffering, hurt and division, or crisis and sadness is peace. I join the psalmist and pray for peace to be within you.
Give