Psalm 122:3

Psalm 122:3

Jerusalem

You may recall that Psalm 48 extolled the construction and appearance of the City of Jerusalem. “Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth …. the city of the Great King. Walk about Zion, go around her, count her towers, consider well her ramparts, view her citadels, that you may tell of them to the next generation.” Psalm 48:2, 12-13. Indeed, there is a certain “compactness” about this city, it has no river to divide it and, it is contained by the surrounding mountains / hills. Jerusalem is located roughly in the middle of a range of low mountains running north to south throughout central Israel between the Mediterranean and the Jordan Valley, stretching from the Jezreel Valley in the far north all the way to Beer Sheva in the south. Topographically, Jerusalem is not built ON a mountain, rather it is built IN the mountains, and the city is in fact sprawled over seven mountain peaks! That might well add to its “compactness” in David’s mind.

In addition, there was no doubt that what made this City so special for David was that the Lord was enthroned in Zion. His heavenly throne was replicated in the Sanctuary that housed the Ark of the Covenant, from this place the Lord ruled the world or at least the affairs of His chosen people, Israel. From Zion it was they who had been empowered to rule the world. It says much about the ambitions and powers of the enemy that Jerusalem today is seen as one of the most troubled and unstable places on earth, indeed even as I write it is being attacked by missiles from Iran! It has been fought over, destroyed and rebuilt so many times and it is still the focus of the nations. One of the greatest days in world history will be when all Jerusalem’s enemies are silenced; when Messiah stands on the Holy Mount and is worshipped as Lord and King, and when the inhabitants of that great city finally are at peace. 

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