Psalm 48: Jerusalem, Jerusalem
 
Jerusalem, Jerusalem
the holiest of holy places
mountain of the Lord most high!
 
For centuries your towers stood,
strong defence against attack,
your people safe within your walls -
those ancient walls, those holy walls.
 
I long to see it for myself,
to walk where Jesus walked.
He said that walls cannot protect you;
Only God is strong to save.
 
So tell your children, “God is with us
not in walls of stone.
The living Lord is walking with us.
We are safe in him!”
 
Jerusalem, Jerusalem
the holiest of holy places
mountain of the Lord most high!

Psalm 48: Hymn to Jerusalem

Jerusalem, ah, Jerusalem!
Your wailing walls
stones drenched in blood
cracked by conflict
soaked in tragedy.

3,000 years since Solomon
claimed it and established it
as God’s Holy Hill.

O God we meditate on your unfailing love
though the walls have failed
the peace has failed
three religions carve you up.

Go, inspect the city of Jerusalem.
Walk around its towers
its tumbled walls
its stones warn smooth
by 3,000 years of devotion and battle
its modern towers of steel and commerce.

Remember the man who walked its streets
who promised than in him it would be torn down
and in three days rebuilt.
In this man God’s power was revealed as victory.

In him all people rejoice in God’s justice.
In him we find true worship.
In him we are defended and safe forever.
In him we are broken down and rebuilt.
In him we know what God is like,
our God forever,
our guide through eternity.


Note on the photo:
A photo of Jerusalem's walls by Ian Thompson
Ian@NZFlickr