|
This short psalm praises God’s connection to Zion. In order to express the Lord’s love for Jerusalem, the psalmist writes: “The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.” The wall surrounding Jerusalem’s Old City, built by Suleiman the Magnificent in 1538, has several gates in its perimeter. Zion Gate, in Hebrew ‘shaar tzion,’ has the oldest Biblical name, though the Arab name for this gate is ‘David’s Gate,’ referring to the location of David’s tomb. Modern Israeli history also regards Zion gate as quite significant, as it was through this gate that in 1948, the Palmach Brigade of the Israeli army broke into the Old City and released the Jewish quarter from its isolation. The Jordanians, however, re-conquered the Old City in 1948, and Jews were forced to leave the gates of Jerusalem for the next 19 years. It wasn’t until it was re-captured during the 1967 Six Day War that Jews were again able to enter the Old City of Jerusalem. The numerous defeats of the IDF against countless, larger armies reminds us of days long ago when the Maccabees faced an enemy of overwhelming numbers. Despite their size, the Jewish people fought valiantly and with the help of God, triumphed over the Greeks. It's no question that today's men and women in green are carrying on the legacy of the great Judah Maccabee.
| 
