Martin Luther on Psalms 122:9

Verse. 9. Because of the house of the Lorde our God I will procure thy wealth.

This is an other cause why he prayeth for the peace and prosperitie of Ierusalem, for that the Sanctuary of the Lord and the feate of true religion being stablished in that citie, if it prospered not, the worship and seruice of God could not there continue. As if he sayd: The Lord our God hath stablished his seate in thee O Ierusalem, and in the middes of thee hath he set vp his worship: For the which cause I loue thee, and thinke thee worthy of all prosperitie.

But why doth hee adde hereunto: Our God? Because God had chosen this nation to be as his own peculiar people. And this also was the cause why Dauid so loued them, and was not discomforted with these troubles which he for their sakes susteyned both in the Church and in the ciuill gouernment: but being chosen to be a King and a Prophet to this people, he constantly endured all troubles, and herewithall comforted him selfe, that first he serued the Lord his God, & then his brethren, and was not an vnprofitable seruaunt, but fruitefull vnto God that he might be glorified, and to his neighbour and brother that he might be saued.

Let vs likewise pray for the welfare of our brethren, and for the house of the Lord with Dauid, who as this Psalme sheweth, did wel vnderstand the power and glory of the word, and therefore he neither giueth thankes nor yet reioyceth for the abundance of gold and siluer (which notwithstanding he lacked not) but for the word and true worship of the Lord. Where these two are not lacking, all other incommodities may easily be borne. For if we haue the Lord abiding with vs, if we maintaine his word and his true seruice, and seeke the saluation of our brethren, what can we desire more? But where the word & true worship of God is not regarded, there is no God, no mercy, no saluation, neither doth there any thing else remaine but the cursed multitude which shal be damned in hell. Therefore Dauid exhorteth vs in this Psalme aboue all things to reuerence the word, and by faithfull prayer to seeke the aduauncement thereof: Also to giue thankes vnto God for peace and true preachers which gouerne the Church according to his word: for where these things are not, there must needes be trouble and vexation, vnquietnes of conscience, murder, adultery & such other horrible sinnes, which the Lord turne away from our Churches, & preserue that poore remnant emonges the damnable multitude, which serue and worship him according to his word.

By these two latter verses we are admonished, first how euery Christian ought to regard him which is his fellow in faith and religion, that is to say, as his brother and neighbour: Then also why he ought to haue a harty loue and zeale to the Church and congregation of the faithful. For my brethren saith Dauid, and for my neighbours. And againe, for the house of the Lord our God. These two thinges ought to be considered in the Churche of Christ. In it are our brethren and neighbours, in it is the house of God, yea rather it is the house of God it selfe, in the which are the children of God and true brethren. O happy is he, and a right Christian in deede, which beeing indued with the true knowledge and faith of Christ, and also with that brotherly loue which is according to the spirit of the children of God, can vnfainedly and hartely say: For my brethren and neighbours, and for the house of the Lord our God I both seeke and I wish the prosperitie and welfare of the Church of God.