Occupying Jerusalem and Settling the Land
Resettling Jerusalem (1-24)
The majority of residents living in Jerusalem were the national political leaders, with a small number of other people. Largely, the priests, Levites, temple servants, and descendants of Solomon’s servants continued to reside in their own homes in various towns in the territory of Judea.
Resettling the sparsely-populated city to make it a thriving center of life in Israel became the need and desire of the national leaders. The plan was simple: as many as were willing offered their names to be chosen by lot to go resettle in the city as their primary residence. One in ten families who volunteered for the lot was to be chosen (1-2).
Nehemiah created an honor roll listing those who committed to resettling in Jerusalem (3):
468 sons of Judah (4-6)
928 sons of Benjamin (7-9)
822 priests (10-14)
284 Levites (15-18)
172 gatekeepers (19)
the singers, who were given distinction by King Artaxerxes for particular provisions (22-23)
In this chapter, Nehemiah twice refers to Jerusalem as the holy city (1, 18), indicating the perspective of Nehemiah and Jerusalem’s leaders to claim the city as being fully devoted to Yahweh as His city, existing for His presence and for devotion to be expressed to Him and for Him. The city was specifically administrated under chief officers (9, 14, 22), and those chosen from Judah were conspicuously outstanding men; they were even associated and thus compared by the name Perez (Genesis 38:27-30). Perez was the son of Judah born to his daughter-in-law, Tamar. Perez’s brother began to exit the womb first but then pulled back, so Perez was born first. These men of Judah were compared to the true firstborn of Judah (6).
This was all done, especially the permission to restore worship, under the order of the King of Persia (22-23). Nehemiah was giving both God’s power and Persian authority to accomplish and do what they wanted to do with Jerusalem. Last mentioned are the royal advisers from Persia for defining the public administrative and judicial rules regarding city life (24).
The Settlement of Towns around Jerusalem (25-36)
Seventeen towns were settled by the sons of Judah (25-30). Fifteen towns were settled by the sons of Benjamin; some of these towns were settled outside the territorial limit of the Persian Province of Judea (31-35). Finally, some of the Levites living in Jerusalem were sent to live in the surrounding towns of Judah and Benjamin, so every city would have adequate priestly presence (36).
In all of this, Nehemiah was seeking to give spiritual, historical, and political precedence for the rebuilding of Jerusalem as a key city in the Persian Empire, and thus in the world.
Psalms 120-134 are all “Pilgrimage Songs” and were written to be sung by the Jews on their way up to Jerusalem for the three feasts held there each year [the feasts: Passover, Pentecost, Booths]. Ten of the Psalms are anonymous, four are attributed to David (122, 124,131,133), and one to Solomon (127)].
I have written these chapter devotionals as Jesus would have sung them and heard them as He was going to Jerusalem to celebrate feasts as a Boy, as a Man, and then ultimately in His final ascent to Jerusalem as the Passover culminated at Calvary. I will especially let these Psalms flow from Jesus’ own lips as we imagine a bit of what might have been going through His mind as He walked His disciples to that city 3,800 feet above sea level—the city in these Psalms referred to as Jerusalem and Zion.
Some imagine these Psalms were written for Solomon's Temple, each Psalm written for the fifteen steps leading up to the inner court—one Psalm at a time sung by the Levitical choirs accompanied by musicians as the priest made his way up each step.
Others imagine the Psalms were written for the exiles returning from Babylon to Jerusalem. Still others place them at 445 B.C. during Nehemiah's time, after the walls were built, when the Jews ascended to the temple for the Feast of Tabernacles.
Whenever these Psalms were written, they became songs sung by Pilgrims moving toward Jerusalem for one of the three feasts of Israel.
Psalm 122
The Psalm of the Pilgrim’s Passion
This Psalm was probably written at the end of David's life. He was “standing,” waiting at the gates of Jerusalem, reminiscing the joy of hearing the people singing with gladness, “Let us go to the house of Yahweh.”
Next, David reminisced about the tribes “going up” or walking up to the city; their purpose in going to the feasts was to give thanks.
The three postures of this Psalm are:
standing before the House of Yahweh in gladness (1-2),
walking in to give thanks to Yahweh (3-4),
standing before the One sitting on the throne to give justice (5).
Of course, the exiles sang these psalms on the way back from exile. They were filled with joy at the invitation to go to the house of God and rebuild what was given to them by Cyrus.
They packed up and made their journey, singing and giving thanks, anticipating the throne of Yahweh would be reestablished so they could once again receive justice. Every step of the way, they prayed for the peace of their beloved city, asking for social calm within and safety from enemies without.
Passion for God's House (1-2)
David was filled with gladness when invited to join the pilgrimage to Jerusalem (1). He lived in Jerusalem, so his pilgrimage was to stand at the gates and welcome those coming (2).
Jesus moved toward Jerusalem during the Passover season; He would be made the sacrifice. His Father watched over Jesus’ coming as He brought His companions. At the last supper, they gave thanks; then, Jesus stood before the throne of God for the sins of the whole world.
Praise in God's House (3-5)
God's city existed as a magnet for the tribes who gathered in absolute harmony, as those who were perfected pledged to worship and give thanks to Yahweh (3-4).
The tribes gathered as brothers and sisters bound to Yahweh, their King, and Yahweh sat on His throne from where justice and righteousness flowed (5).
The peace of every city flowed from justice, and justice flowed from lives pledged to Yahweh, overflowing with thanks and praise, giving their hearts to His rule.
Prayer for God's City (6-9)
The pilgrims were bid to treat Jerusalem like a person and ask (pray) about her peace. “Is it good (“shallom”) with you, Jerusalem?” This is like how one would ask, “How are you doing, Mary?” (6)
The pilgrims were to ask about the city and find out if there was social calm within the walls and absence of dread toward the enemy (7).
The peace of Israel depended upon the pilgrims loving Jerusalem enough to gather as brothers and sisters, to give thanks, and then to give their hearts and lives to Yahweh's rule and justice (6).
They gathered not to harm the city but to establish peace within it by gathering around Yahweh, their true King and the One to whom their hearts were pledged.
The justice of Yahweh always resulted as the family of Yahweh sought for peace, “peace within you”— peace down deep, where only God can put it and sustain it (8).
Jerusalem was special because it was Yahweh's home, Yahweh's presence on earth. His presence was the center of David's life, the pilgrim's life; David would devote his life to seeking Yahweh's presence for the city's good (9).
As Jesus sang this psalm, His heart was pledged to Yahweh; He gave thanks and moved toward the throne, where Yahweh would incredibly redefine justice for the saving of the world by hanging all the sins of the world on Christ, the Prince of Peace.
[Living among slanderous people, the Psalmist came within eyeshot of the city and his passion; praise and prayers focus on Yahweh and His house.]