The house of the Lord
by Peter Bean
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I was glad when they said to me: ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord’ (Psalm 122:1).
Read Psalm 122
The last day of the church year. A good day to go to the house of the Lord. But where will you go? What do you understand by the house of the Lord?
You might immediately think of a church, referring to the physical building. But most aren’t open on Saturdays. And is that what is really meant? This psalm is very much a ‘local’ psalm, praising Jerusalem and all that it involves. But when we read and hear Jesus, we remember he said, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up’ (John 2:19). He relocated the house of the Lord to his own self, his own body (John 2:21).
And Paul said, ‘Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit’ (1 Corinthians 6:19a), echoing Jesus’ words, ‘I will be with you always’ (Matthew 28:20b). This suggests perhaps that the house of the Lord is now contained within each one of us! ‘It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me’ (Galatians 2:20a).
So, perhaps, today, you don’t need to go to the house of the Lord, but you are carrying the house of the Lord around with you. When you go shopping, do some gardening, watch the children’s sports, go for a walk along the beach or in a park or ring a friend, the house of the Lord is present. The Spirit of the Lord is alive within you. What difference will that make to your shopping, gardening, cheering, walking or listening?
Perhaps, then, we can all see what is best (verse nine) for the house of the Lord and all who have the Spirit of God living in them.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you have changed history. Thank you for being willing to dwell in me through your Holy Spirit. May I bring honour and glory to your house every day. Amen.
Despite the cold spring in South Australia’s Adelaide Hills, it is mulberry-picking time, which means mulberry jam, pies and mulberries every way you can imagine. Peter prays that you enjoy whatever God offers you each day. Having now paraphrased Psalms 1–100, Peter invites you to read them anew, applying them to your lives. If you would like his paraphrase of any of these psalms, send your request to pbean087@gmail.com
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