A Song of Ascents. Of David.

 I was glad when they said to me,
    “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”
 Our feet have been standing
    within your gates, O Jerusalem!

 Jerusalem—built as a city
    that is bound firmly together,
 to which the tribes go up,
    the tribes of the Lord,
as was decreed for Israel,
    to give thanks to the name of the Lord.
 There thrones for judgment were set,
    the thrones of the house of David.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
    “May they be secure who love you!
 Peace be within your walls
    and security within your towers!”
 For my brothers and companions’ sake
    I will say, “Peace be within you!”
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
    I will seek your good.

Psalm 122

“Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.” Dr. Clarke, in his travels, speaks of the companies that were traveling from the East to Jerusalem, represents the procession as being very long, and, after climbing the extending and heavy ranges of hills that bounded the way, some of the foremost at length reached the top of the last hill, and stretching up their hands in gestures of joy, cried out, “The Holy City! The Holy City! – and fell down and worshipped, while those who were behind pressed forward to see. So the dying Christian, when he gets on the last summit of life, and stretches his vision to catch a glimpse of the heavenly city, may cry out of its glories, and incite those who are behind to press forward to the sight. – Edward Payson 1783 – 1827

“O Jerusalem.” The celestial city is full in my view. Its glories beam upon me, its breezes fan me, its odors are wafted to me, its sounds strike upon my ears, and its spirit is breathed into my heart. Nothing separates me from it but the river of death, which now appears but as an insignificant rill, that may be crossed at single step, whenever God shall give permission. The Sun of Righteousness has been gradually drawing nearer and nearer, appearing larger and brighter as he approached, and now he fills the whole hemisphere; pouring forth a flood of glory, in which I seem to float like an insect in the beams of the sun, wondering, with unutterable wonder, why God should deign thus to shine upon a sinful worm. – Edward Payson’s dying experience.

 “It is mainly the deeds of a love so noble that lead many to put a brand upon us. See how they love one another… how they are ready even to die for one another”. Tertullian