Psalm 122 is a song of Ascents written by David and the Jews sing this when they make their way to Jerusalem. It begins with a familiar verse, “I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”” When I was a young believer, this is a verse that I memorized using the Navigators’ Topical Memory System. I recall this verse on some Sundays especially when my heart is indeed glad to be found in the house of the Lord.

The context of this verse and the background of this Psalm happen when the Jews from all of Judah make their annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem to offer their sacrifices and worship God in the holy temple. David uses terms like “city” (verse 3), “the tribes of the Lord go up” (verse 4a), “give thanks to the name of the Lord” (verse 4b), “thrones for judgment” (verse 5a), “thrones of the house of David” (verse 5b), “secure” (verse 6b) and “security” (verse 7b) to describe the place, activities and characteristics of the temple at Jerusalem.

When Hamas attacked Israel in 2023 and killed about 1000 people, war started between the two. Israel retaliated with war crime atrocities and they killed more than 60,000 people. This news caught the attention of the world till today and God-fearing Christians are also wondering why this is happening from a nation that is supposed to be following God. The geographical locality of Psalm 122 shows that the present-day controversial city of Jerusalem is a place where mosques, synagogues and religious schools are situated.

Interestingly, the word “peace” which is “shalom” in Hebrew appears thrice in verses 6a, 7a and 8b. The first occurrence “peace of Jerusalem” is a promise of security to those who love the temple at Jerusalem. The idea of security in also in the second occurrence and the scope of the promise now expands and applies to the geographical area within the city. David, the writer uses the third occurrence to refer to the peace, shalom that is within God’s people. The Jews will usually greet each other with “Shalom” whenever they meet.

With that being said about the meaning, background and context of Psalm 122, what lesson can we draw for our meditation today? The Illustrated Bible Dictionary defines the word “Shalom” as completeness, soundness and well-being. The calmness that Shalom brings is much more than what is happening on the outside of us – the external circumstances. But the meaning and significance of Shalom sits right in the heart - the spiritual faculty of a person. This is precisely what happens when the disciples were in the boat with Jesus, the Prince of Peace and a sudden storm struck (Mk 4:35-41). There was no completeness; they could not complete their journey to the other side of the lake. There was no soundness; there were waves, winds and water all around them and they were probably trying desperately to get the water out of the boat. There was no well-being; they woke Jesus up and told Him that they were perishing.

Jesus woke up, stood at the stern and called out to the storm, “Hush, be still!” And the wind, the waves died down immediately and there was complete calm in contrast to all the extreme weather elements beforehand. Jesus then rebuked the disciples of their lack of faith. He was not saying that they did not trust Him enough for the storm not to strike them. But it was a vivid objection lesson for them to appreciate the fact that the Prince of Peace whose Father is the LORD of Peace is with them despite the storm.

Dear brothers and sisters, what is happening in your life right now that causes you to be panicky and makes you feel that there is no completeness, no soundness or well-being within you. In the same way that the disciples marveled at who and what Jesus can do as the Prince of Peace, He can also hush and call to stillness - all the noises and voices within you that are caused by the external situation outside of you. Shalom.

Prayer

Dear God, you are Yahweh Shalom – the LORD of Peace and your son, Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace. There are so many turbulences within me that is caused by the following things… [pray and tell God what these things are in details]. I claim upon the meaning of Shalom for Jesus to quieten down all the disturbances that within me. You are in sovereign control of all. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.