In this entry, I would like to summarize what we have learned from Psalm 122:4 and to share a final thought on this very important verse. Before I start, I must say that I was deeply touched by the LORD as I was studying, preparing, and writing about this profound verse. The more I studied it, the more I saw how important it is, and how many precious nuggets of truth we can discover in it.
“It is to there that the tribes go up, the tribes of God; a testimony of Israel to give thanks to the Name of the Lord.” Psalm 122:4
The tribes of the Lord – the people of God, those who were His followers –would go up to the house of God for five primary reasons:
1) To meet with God. What an anticipation it must have been to sojourn together as a people to the house of the Lord, and to be in His presence!
2) To be obedient to God. Obedience to the LORD Almighty is the byproduct of our faith and love for Him (John 14:15).
3) To remember. We tend to have short memories when it comes to what God has done for us. He wanted His people to remember all that He had done for them, especially how He delivered them with a mighty hand out of slavery in Egypt.
4) To worship and give thanks. The collective act of going up to the house of the LORD was ultimately an act of worship and thanksgiving to Him.
5) To testify of God’s faithfulness through generations. The people of Israel continued to come up to Jerusalem year after year as an amazing testimony of His existence and faithfulness!
It is clear that God was the reason and the center of it all! Different people from different places, hailing from different tribes, all came together because of HIM.
What a great testimony and declaration it was for Israel and the world to see this mass of people who would come to the House of the Lord. What a great testimony and declaration it is today for the people of Israel and the rest of the world that, once again, we can come to Jerusalem to worship the God of Israel, in spirit and truth, as He foretold through His prophets.
As a final thought, I think few can argue that we are living in special times, where once again, God’s children are back in the Land. Once again, we see people from all nations, coming to the house of the Lord to meet Him, remember Him, praise Him and thank Him. I am reminded of the wonderful words from the book of Micah:
“And it will come about in the last days that the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains. It will be raised above the hills, and the peoples will stream to it. And many nations will come and say, “Come and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD and to the house of the God of Jacob, that He may teach us about His ways and that we may walk in His paths.” For from Zion will go forth the law, even the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And He will judge between many peoples and render decisions for mighty, distant nations. Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they train for war. And each of them will sit under his vine and under his fig tree, with no one to make them afraid, for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken. Though all the peoples walk each in the name of his god, as for us, we will walk In the name of the LORD our God forever and ever. “ Micah 4:1-5
My brothers and sisters, I would like to invite you to come to the city of our God, to worship Him together as a declaration and testimony to Israel and the nations, that the one and only true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob, is alive and is coming soon. May we all start to learn from His ways, and walk in them as we are approaching these final days…
Shabbat Shalom,
Moran
5 Comments on “A Final Thought on Psalm 122, Verse 4”
Moran, Shalom
This has been the best study yet. Although I’m unable to go to Jerusalem year after year, I’m reminded that God wants me to sup with Him wherever I am. Thank you for reminding me of what’s important to God and not for me. Sometimes we get busy doing what we think is important instead of being still and knowing He is God. I’m also reminded of dwelling in unity with my brothers and sisters. Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! What a great day that will be! God has created many tribes and one is not more important than the other. As in the body of Yeshua. And finally Micah 4:1-5. I’ve sang the song “Come Let Us Go Up” many times, but now it has a new and refreshing meaning. Thank you God for your promises and the fact You will never change. And, may I never stop learning and growing in Him. Todah and Shalom, Cheryl
Amen! What a fantastic study! One of the things I was deeply affected by on tour with you in Israel last year Moran, was the great joy of meeting and seeing sisters & brothers from all over the world worshipping and praising the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob. What a divine gift it was to meet open hearted Indian believers wearing gorgeous saris at the Jordan River. Sharing with them, hugging one another, we knew our hearts were one, we truly loved one another in the LORD. On Mount Carmel, I was overwhelmed by the incredible worship and praise of African brothers and sisters as they passionately poured out their hearts & souls to the LORD in song and dance. Then in Jerusalem in the gardens around the Garden Tomb, the prayers, praise & worship of such diverse believers from all over the world blessed me so deeply. It was in Jerusalem that I was overwhelmed with the incredible blessing it was to see for myself the fulfillment of so many of Gods promises regarding the gentile nations who would be grafted into Israel and come to worship Him there. What an honour and a responsibility we who are redeemed have to be a humble, respectful living testimony before the Jewish people, that they too may know “the reason for the hope that is in you..” 1 Peter 3:15 I’m also reminded of 2 Corinthians 3:3, and pray many more believers would come to Israel to be an:
“…epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ…written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.”
Praying for the peace of Jerusalem & all Israel.
Shabbat Shalom Moran!
We know from the Zechariah prophesy, that the Feast of Tabernacles will be fulfilled in the Messianic Kingdom. All the nations will be expected to come to Jerusalem to pay homage to Yeshua, who will be ruling from Jerusalem for 1000 years.
…. Until Shiloh comes. The ONE who is worthy!
to give thanks unto the Name of the Lord
its about his Name
amen