Psalm 122 celebrates time spent in the presence of God.
Sure enough, it’s also about location. It’s about Jerusalem, the place God’s glory dwells. A city bound firmly together, ‘walled round about’ as one translation renders it. A place to which pilgrims obediently ascend and place where a chosen people discover and rediscovered their identity, and fuelled their faithfulness.
Jerusalem, the city of the great King and the location of the Temple was a place of encounter. A place to praise God. To enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.
Googlemaps places me 121 degrees and 11,033km from Jerusalem as the (high endurance) crow flies. That’s a long way. 17.5 hours on a plane it tells me, before I can be in house of the Lord.
Until Jesus.
Jesus changed everything forever when, having lived amongst us, he bore our sin and once and for all removed the dividing wall of hostility between our sin and God’s holiness.
122 isn’t stripped of meaning in this light, it’s worthy of deeper celebration. In Him we have redemption through the forgiveness of sin, Paul writes to the Ephesians. He goes onto to say to the Colossians that God has delivered us from darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His beloved Son. That’s God’s Kingdom…and God’s presence.
Jesus’ work on our behalf adds an infinite dimension to 122. It’s great news because His atoning sacrifice allows us, an imperfect people, to be in God’s presence by Jesus’ righteousness. If that’s seems a mouthful, try this: you can enjoy the presence and the fullness of God right now because of Jesus.
If sin is keeping you from coming into the presence of God, this is a good day. Jesus has done it. He’s covered it. No barriers in the way No jacket required. We can approach God’s throne of grace with boldness and receive the mercy and grace we need. Rejoice!
Simon Elliott, October 2014