Morning Prayer: The City of God
Today's morning prayer refers to Jerusalem as the city of God. Just what is Jerusalem in this sense? Jerusalem is called “the city of God” because it became, across the biblical story, the place where God chose to make His presence dwell — first in history, then in hope. It is both an earthly city with a long, complicated past and a theological symbol of God’s covenant, holiness, and future redemption. 🜁 What “city of God” means In Scripture, Jerusalem is described as Ir HaKodesh — the Holy City , a place set apart because God established His name, His worship, and His covenant there. Its holiness is not inherent in its stones; it comes from divine election — God choosing Zion as His earthly dwelling. The Psalms call it “the city of the Great King” (Ps 48), celebrating it as the place where God’s presence rests and from which blessing flows. 🜂 A brief history of Jerusalem as God’s city 1. Before David — a Canaanite stronghold Jerusalem began as a Jebusite fortress, st...