Prayers for the City

Read: Psalm 122
Listen: Psalm 122

This year in Beyond the Weekend, journey through different biblical models of prayer—one each month. May’s focus is Intercession.

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.” Psalm 122:6–7

Psalm 122 appears within a broader collection of psalms referred to as the “songs of ascent.” These are a collection of shorter psalms Jewish people sang as they journeyed to Jerusalem for the major annual festivals. These psalms were intended to reorient people’s hearts toward God and his work in their lives and community. This psalm encouraged God’s people to pray for Jerusalem, which was at the heart of God’s work among them. Jerusalem served as home to the temple, making it the hot spot of God’s presence. The spiritual prosperity of the nation was linked closely with the well-being and peace of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem has played a key role in God’s work of redemption. It is where the temple resided, and it’s also where Jesus gave his life on the cross and eventually rose from the dead. As we learn from this psalm, we can look back on God’s powerful work in the city of Jerusalem. We can thank him for making his presence known on this earth, especially for bringing redemption through the person of Jesus. Even more, this ancient prayer can prompt us to pray for our own city, recognizing that God’s heart for the city is a theme echoed throughout Scripture (see Jeremiah 29:7). Our lives are deeply impacted by the wellness or ill health of the cities in which we reside. 

PRAYER DAY #19: This week we have been studying Jehoshaphat’s prayer in 2 Chronicles 20 for Jerusalem and the people. Use Psalm 122 to prompt your prayers of gratitude for God’s work in history (particularly all he has revealed and accomplished in Jerusalem) and your continued prayers for the well-being of the city of Grand Rapids.