Day 177, or June 26. May the Prince of Peace reign.
Our thoughts today are rooted in Psalm 122, verses 6 and 7.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May those who love you be secure.
May there be peace within your walls, and security within your citadels.
And now the big picture surrounding these verses.
Psalms 120 to 127 are often described as songs of ascent.
In the temple courtyard there was an ultra-wide stairway that consisted of 15 large semi-circular
steps that ascended into the inner section of the courtyard. The Levites, whose job it was to
accompany the temple service with songs and instrumental music, would stand on this staircase
and sing from the 15 Psalms that were the songs of ascent. They would have been regularly used in
the days of Jesus. A particularly poignant one is Psalm 122 that urges us all to pray for the
peace of Jerusalem. Another worthy of comment is Psalm 127, which is attributed to King Solomon,
who built the original temple to the glory of God.
Now today's action step. It has always seemed tragically ironic that so many wars have been
declared over the centuries in the name of the Prince of Peace. Psalm 122 includes a specific
appeal to pray for peace in Jerusalem, whose name can be translated as Place of Peace.
Significantly, the second part of the name is in daily use amongst Jews and Arabs as they greet
one another with the words Shalom or Salam respectively. I believe as Christians we ought
to pray for peace, but not just in Jerusalem, but also all around the world. Of course,
we must not limit peace to just being the absence of war, because it's so much more than that.
When the Prince of Peace rules in individual hearts, then true peace reigns. We will never
legislate our world into peace. We can never produce true peace by inventing lots of rules.
The only source of peace is Jesus himself, and as his representatives on earth,
it's our privilege and duty to reveal it to the world.