Let Us Go to the House of the Lord

A Song of Ascents. Of David. I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” 2Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem! 3Jerusalem—built as a city that is bound firmly together, 4to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. 5There thrones for judgment were set, the thrones of the house of David. 6Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! “May they be secure who love you! 7Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!” 8For my brothers and companions' sake I will say, “Peace be within you!” 9For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.

At the beginning of the journey to some place, what do you need to prepare for the journey? Clothes, shave kit items, enough medicine (prescribed) and medicine (off the shelf) in order to treat what has been diagnosed or what might be, snacks, and essentials like a map (hard copy), a charger, and of course, the phone.

David is extending an invite to go to the temple for worship. For him, it's a walk, and for others, it's a longer journey. This journey is a metaphor for our faith lives. The Psalms of Ascents (Psalms 120 - 134) prepare our posture for worship. David's contribution in Psalm 122 includes an invite to worship, and he speaks of why we go - to give thanks, to pray, and to seek a common good. David opens by saying he finds joy in being invited to God's house.

Pray we invite people to join us in this journey and that we prepare ourselves for a proper posture in this journey to heed God's call in our lives. Pray we find joy in being invited to be in God's house. Pray we seek to live Christ's greater purpose in our own lives as we journey to hear his Word.