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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.
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