At Alliance for the Peace of Jerusalem, one of our objectives is to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and to inspire other believers in Jesus to do the same. In Psalm 122:6–9, King David wrote:
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. May peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces.” For the sake of my brothers and my friends, I will now say, “May peace be within you.” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.
David wrote this psalm thousands of years ago as a “song of ascent” for the people of Israel. The Jewish people would sing these songs of ascent—including Psalm 122—as they made their way up to Jerusalem to celebrate the annual festivals of Passover, Pentecost (Shavuot), and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). This particular psalm reminded the Jewish people to pray for the peace of their city, their people, and their Temple. It even included a blessing for those who love and pray for Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you” (v. 6).
Similarly, Genesis 12:3 promises a blessing for those who love and bless God’s chosen people. God told Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse.” We believe one of the best ways to bless both the Jewish people and the Land of Israel is to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Here are some very practical ways in which we can pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
1. Pray for the salvation of both Jewish people and Arabs.
True peace can only come through a restored relationship with God through Yeshua the Messiah. Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Once we have this peace with God, we can have peace with each other.
Since true and lasting peace only comes through knowing Jesus, one of the most important things we could ask for when praying for the peace of Jerusalem is that those in the Holy Land come to know Yeshua as their Savior and the Prince of Peace. A remarkable witness to this truth today is the relationship between Messianic Jews and Arab Christians in Israel, who, despite their differences, worship the Messiah together in peace and love.
Another significant reason to pray for the salvation of Israel is because Jesus said that He will not return until the Jewish people recognize Him as their Messiah. He told the people in Jerusalem, “For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’” (Matthew 23:39). Jesus clearly linked His return to the salvation of Israel. Therefore, praying for Jewish people and Arabs to know the peace that comes through faith in Yeshua is the best way to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, since lasting peace will only come when He returns!
The Jewish prophet Zechariah wrote the following in the Hebrew Scriptures concerning the Messiah’s return and defense of Israel:
And in that day I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. (Zechariah 12:9–10)
We believe the speaker in this passage is none other than Yeshua Himself, the One who was pierced and rejected. Through the prophet Zechariah, Yeshua said that He will return to defeat Israel’s enemies, and He will turn the hearts of the Jewish people toward Himself. So let us pray that the Lord, even now, “pour[s] out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of supplication” (v. 10). It is within His power to soften and harden hearts, so we pray that the Lord would soften the hearts of His Jewish people so that they turn to Him in faith. Then He will return and bring true and lasting peace to Israel once and for all!
2. Pray for Israel’s Arab neighbors to continue to make peace agreements.
On August 13, 2020, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain officially signed the Abraham Accords—peace agreements between Israel and the two Arab nations. The signing marked the first public normalization of relations between an Arab country and Israel since Israel’s treaties with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.
Later in 2020, the Arab nations of Sudan and Morocco followed suit. These peace achievements are monumental because they acknowledge the State of Israel’s right to exist and defend herself, and they take a giant step forward toward Israel’s security and safety in an area where she is surrounded by hostile neighbors. Pray earnestly that these nations will remain true to these peace treaties and inspire other Arab nations to do the same.
3. Pray for the United States’ continued support of Israel.
It is no secret that the United States is Israel’s greatest ally. In addition to the fact that the two nations share the same values and commitment to democracy, a primary reason for this strong relationship is because Christians make up a large portion of the American population, and many understand the biblical mandate to love and support Israel.
The United States and Israel’s relationship dates back even before modern Israel became a nation. Numerous United States presidents supported the cause of Zionism and desired to see the Jewish people return to their ancient homeland. Then in 1948, when modern Israel became an official nation, the United States was the first nation to recognize her statehood.[1] America was also the first nation to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December 2017.
The United States must remain committed to supporting its greatest ally and helping her to defend herself against a sea of historically hostile enemies. Please pray that the United States would continue its steadfast support of Israel and her need to defend herself. Additionally, pray that Christian support of Israel and love for the Jewish people would grow in the United States and across the globe.
May the Lord grant peace to Jerusalem and salvation to its inhabitants!
by Jennifer Miles
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[1] Eli E. Hertz, “US Presidents Supported Israel,” Arutz Sheva 7, accessed January 21, 2021, https://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/10281.
