Psalm 120 begins what are called the “songs of ascent.” The Jews sang these 15 songs as they made their way “up” or “ascending” to Jerusalem for one of the feasts. You can just picture groups joining up and singing together on the road. So much better than many of the walking songs our culture has come up with!
Originally these 15 psalms, which may have been sung on the 15 steps leading up to the altar, were a hymnbook of their own but were added later to Book V of the Psalms.
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Pilgrims would travel from as far south as Kedesh (near the Arabian desert) and from as far north as Meshech (on the shore of the Black Sea).
There they lived among people who did not know Yahweh. So you can imagine why they would want to sing songs about coming to the place where truth about God is declared.
I think for us we can use this same idea as we come to church or even approach our time of quietness with God. We all live as pilgrims and sojourners in this world, which has also rejected the truth about Jesus Christ.
At times we feel surrounded and in distress (“tightness”) because of the lies this age promulgates—lies that God doesn’t exist, that there is no such thing as sin and judgment, and that Jesus Christ is not THE way, truth and life.
This psalm declares that those who claim to speak truth—even truth from God—but are deceiving—will be judged.
Sharp arrows can suggest the piercing of the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12), which can “judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart.” And it is a fiery judgment. The broom tree grows to be around 15 feet high and when burns it burns hot.
Finally, in verses 6 and 7, the psalmist declares that it is a frustrating life living among those who speak lies. He wants peace; they want war. So it is for us.
Eph. 6:12 For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.
I’m especially troubled by the idea of deceit here. It’s not like the enemies are out and out trying to destroy the people of God. Their words sound good but are meant for evil. Today, we Christians must bear with the attitude that everyone just wants peace. “Can’t we all just get along?” It’s really code for “Can’t we all just do and be and believe anything we want?” When we dare to mention God’s character or the gospel—we are singled out and marked as hate mongering and intolerant. The truth is, the world hates the gospel and anyone who loves Jesus.
So when you feel tired and frustrated with all of the lies about God that the world tells, come into God’s presence in worship or His Word or come to the fellowship of believers and rejoice that in this place, the truth is told.
Psalm 121
Walking to Jerusalem could be a dangerous affair. There were no roads, only well-worn paths up valleys and across rivers. Jerusalem is 2,700 feet above sea level. Along the way were thieves who would steal your possessions and kill your family. It was hot and dusty and tiring.
So this little psalm is one of crying out to God to help in the journey. We too are on a journey through this life; a journey that is sometimes dangerous and fraught with peril. For them, and for us, God is a shelter and a protection.
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The mountains would have been the mountains of Zion—Jerusalem, the place of the Temple. For us, Jesus IS the temple, and so we can say “I lift my eyes toward Jesus. Where will my help come from? My help comes from Jesus, the Maker of heaven and earth!” (John 1).
I’m sure the pilgrims were literally thinking of their feet slipping on the rocks as they climbed the paths up the mountain. For us metaphorically, slipping can mean tripping on the trials and temptations on our path of life in this age. Keep loving and looking to the Lord Jesus to fulfill and guide you and you will not “trip” in your trust in Him. He is always aware of what is going on in your life and is always ready to come to your aid.
I love verse 5—whenever we need a shelter from the temptations of this world, the Lord is right there with His Word and the presence of His Holy Spirit. The pilgrims worried literally about the dangers in the day and dangers in the night. Our dangers may be more internal (though not always). There are constant struggles during the day as the truth of Jesus is assailed from every side and at night as temptations and accusations from the devil plague us.
Verses 7 and 8 are completely true. How can this verse be true, though, when bad things seem to happen to us? Look what it says: “He will protect your life.” For us who belong to Jesus Christ, the eternal life He gives us cannot be taken away.
John 10:28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish—ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
Let Him protect you from sun up to sundown, as you go out and as you return. He stands by your side, ready to give you peace and comfort in times of need.
Psalm 122
Psalm 122 was written by David along with Psalm 124 and 133. You can picture David reciting this Psalm as he came into the house of God.
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Here the pilgrims are drawing near to the city, perhaps coming down the Mount of Olives. They can see right before them the Temple in all of its glory. They probably can’t wait to go into the Temple courts, which is the focus of their journey.
I wonder, how excited are we to enter into God’s presence in worship? Do we come trudging into church, singing the songs with our mouths but not feeling the words with our hearts?
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David here is rejoicing in the fact that all the people are brought together in one place to worship God. Only here are the 12 tribes of Israel referred to as “Yahweh’s tribes.” Israelis were required to come to Jerusalem three times a year, for the feasts of Passover, Yom Kippur, and the festival of Booths.
It was here that important matters for the nation were decided. For us, our eternal destiny was decided within the walls of Jerusalem when Jesus was condemned by the Romans to die on a cross—a death which won us life forever! We can also substitute Jesus for the “house of the Lord.” What a wonderful thing to come to Him!
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A lot of people today say God has abandoned Israel and Jerusalem because they abandoned Jesus. I don’t think Scripture supports that. In fact, in Revelation 7:1-7, a group of 144,000 super saints is described, all having come from the 12 tribes of Israel. There will come a time when Israel realizes what they have done in rejecting Jesus as their Messiah.
Zech. 12:10 “Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the house of David and the residents of Jerusalem, and they will look at Me whom they pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child and weep bitterly for Him as one weeps for a firstborn.”
So we should pray that Jerusalem will realize the peace coming to them through Jesus.
David realized that coming to the house of the Lord meant good to everyone—just as coming to the Lord Jesus is always good to everyone who clings to Him!
Psalm 123
You can now picture the pilgrims entering the courts of the Temple and seeing the place where Yahweh is present in the Holy of Holies.
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As the worshipper stands before God his eyes go above the mercy seat to the throne of God in heaven—the ultimate sovereign over earth and all of our circumstances.
Here the psalmist looks to God for everything, just as a slave looks to his or her master to provide for them—looking for favor.
They’ve been put down and scorned from those reject God.
Sometimes when we’ve had enough of the world, it is wonderful to just look up to God and throw ourselves at Him for His hand to intervene or to give us that comfort and peace that we crave.
Psalm 124
This is another of David’s songs of ascent. It continues this thought of having come in from a fierce battle in the world.
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I picture the pilgrims have come into the courts of the temple and finally feel the safety of God’s presence and provision.
He describes the battle as one of burning anger and raging torrents of water. Sometimes the opposition we encounter feels like a battle. The battle plan of the enemy is to so discourage us that we will shrink back from standing firm for Christ and from being an effective witness for the Lord.
But no matter how fierce the opposition, God is greater.
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God stopped the enemy short of annihilating David, but whatever traps were set for him, they suddenly let him escape.
A couple of things come to mind when I think about this:
Escape from jail for the Apostles
Our escape from temptation
Acts 5:17 Then the high priest took action. He and all his colleagues, those who belonged to the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 So they arrested the apostles and put them in the city jail. 19 But an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail during the night, brought them out, and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple complex, and tell the people all about this life.” 21 In obedience to this, they entered the temple complex at daybreak and began to teach.
Nothing will be able to stop you from accomplishing those things God has set for you to do.
1Cor. 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful, and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape so that you are able to bear it.
So the next time you feel weary of the journey in this life, come to Jesus, long to be with Him and feel His protective arms around you, giving you peace and rest.
