The psalmist marvels at the city because it is the place where there are thrones of judgment (Psalm 122:5). The city of Jerusalem was meant to enjoy peace, prosperity, and security because that is where God’s king ruled in the Old Testament. That is the one place where you would expect God’s laws to be upheld.
God’s church likewise must be a place where God’s King rules. If the church is a gathering of believers, it is a gathering of those who confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Therefore, one would expect God’s church to be a place where people seek to follow the truths of God’s Word and listen to the words of Jesus Christ.
1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD!”