Scripture Text: Psalm 122 Bryan Buck Quotes for Reflection Anyee Bhutani, “Young New Yorkers Have a New Hot Spot: Sunday Mass, WSJ May 3, 2026 Gen Z Christians attend church more often than millennials, Gen X and baby boomers, according to the Barna Group, a firm that studies U.S. faith trends. In 2025, the typical Gen Z churchgoer attended nearly two weekends a month, the highest level since the firm began tracking, and up from around one weekend a month in 2020. Young men in particular are more interested in faith. A Gallup poll released in April found that in 2025, 42% of young men said religion is very important to them, up sharply from 28% in 2023, and overtaking young women. C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory He who surrenders himself without reservation to the temporal claims of a nation, or a party, or a class is rendering to Caesar that which, of all things, most emphatically belongs to God: himself. It is for a very different reason that religion cannot occupy the whole of life in the sense of excluding all our natural activities. For, of course, in some sense, it must occupy the whole of life. There is no question of a compromise between the claims of God and the claims of culture, or politics, or anything else. God’s claim is infinite and inexorable. You can refuse it, or you can begin to try to grant it. There is no middle way. Steven Lawson, Holman Old Testament Commentary Jerusalem was the center for justice, equity, and the reinforcement of what is right. It was the place where thrones for judgment stood, where right was rewarded and wrong was punished. It was the place where the innocent were defended and the guilty were prosecuted. Jerusalem was called the house of David because it was the royal city of Israel where David sat enthroned, presiding over the people and dispensing justice. Thus, Jerusalem was not only the central place for worship but also the site where civil judgments and legal decisions were made. It was the seat of government, the place where the king of Israel presided. Not only was the Word of God taught here, but it was reinforced here. Application Questions 1. Consider your own story with the church. What’s been life-giving and what’s been discouraging? How do you explain this mix of experience? 2. Why are people in our day making a return to the church? What do you think God is up to in this movement of renewal? 3. Read Psalm 122 in an unhurried fashion. What’s one aspect that can become your prayer for the church?
