In a way, the final songs of ascent contained in Psalms 130-134 trace the path of salvation and unity with God, which leads to abundant praise and thanksgiving for all that He has done for us.
Psalm 130 starts with the cry of the broken-hearted.
1 – 2
When either you find yourself in a place of no return—in so deep that you are going to drown—or you realize your own lack when compared to God’s purity—that is the place from which a broken heart calls out to God. But there’s a problem:
Is. 59:1 Indeed, the LORD’s hand is not too short to save,
and His ear is not too deaf to hear.
2 But your iniquities have built barriers
between you and your God,
and your sins have made Him hide His face from you
so that He does not listen.
3 For your hands are defiled with blood
and your fingers, with iniquity;
your lips have spoken lies,
and your tongues mutter injustice.
No matter how long or hard you cry out, unless a person starts with realizing they are separated from God by their own sin—it won’t matter. Next, there is the realization that if our sins are counted, our plight is hopeless before God.
3 – 6
The word “considered” here means “to watch over” or “preserve.” The idea is that if God made no provision for sin we would be utterly lost because we cannot hope to exist the presence of God who is toxic to anyone who is not pure like God.
The psalmist rejoices that there is salvation with God—and the result is awe of Him.
So instead of hoping on his own efforts to be or do good, the psalmist depends on God for His forgiveness—like a watchman waiting for the morning light.
7 – 8
Israel put their trust in Yahweh to forgive their sins based on the sacrifices and obedience to His Word. This foreshadowed what was to come. We depend on God for forgiveness based on the work of God’s Son Jesus who is the once-for-all sacrifice for sin and whose presence allows us to obey God.
Notice in verse 8 how it says “all” sins. There isn’t a single sin that cannot be cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. The only one that is unforgiveable is if you reject that forgiveness.
Psalm 131
So Psalm 131 picks up where Psalm 130 left off—with a person who is broken, repentant (changed their minds about their own goodness) and depending on God for forgiveness.
1 – 3
The sin that tripped up Lucifer was pride.
Is. 14:14 “I will ascend above the highest clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”
When we try to figure out the universe apart of God we are haughty and arrogant. But instead we consider ourselves like kids who are completely reliant on God for salvation.
Matthew 18:2: Then He called a child to Him and had him stand among them. 3 “I assure you,” He said, “unless you are converted and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
This age would have us think of ourselves as adults—able to figure out our place in the universe and the universe itself.
Scientists start by presuming there is no God. They are badly mistaken. If we start with God the universe comes better into focus and our place in it. This doesn’t obviate the need for and importance of science, but it puts it in perspective.
We are not God!
Psalm 132
Psalms 130 and 131 show us that we are lost and little. We need a rescue. Psalm 132 shows us who that rescuer is—God’s mighty champion, the Lord’s King of Kings.
Psalm 132 looks forward to what God was going to do through David and his line. Israel knew that God had put David on the throne as a “man after His own heart” (1 Samuel 13:13). But there was something more—a promise of a kingdom that would not end and a champion who would rule the earth from Jerusalem. So in this psalm we see the promise of that person: the Messiah.
1 – 10
This section brings up David’s longing to bring the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. The Israelites had foolishly let it fall into the hands of the Philistines. The Ark came back to Israel. David was in Bethlehem (Ephrathah) when he heard the news. But when they tried to bring the Ark back on a cart, it tipped and Uzzah reached out and died in the attempt to help God out.
So David conferred with the priests and found out the right way to bring the Ark to Jerusalem and the priests were in their priestly garments performing sacrifices all along the route.
Remember that the Ark represents the presence of God among His people. Jesus is “God with us.” John says he “tabernacled among us” – God in the flesh.
11 – 12
In 2 Samuel 7 God promised that David’s throne would go on forever. We know this was a promise of the Messiah Jesus, who is descended from David. He will keep the covenant perfectly for all time, and give us that obedience in the form of life, purchased through His sacrifice on Calvary.
13 – 18
The Israelis thought Jerusalem would never fall. But it wasn’t about the city; it was about the God of the city. Jerusalem will be God’s home forever—but not just the physical Jerusalem in Palestine but the New Jerusalem that will come down from heaven.
It will be a place of satisfaction, of grace, and of great joy!
The “horn” and “lamp” of verse 17 speak of the authority and permanence of the Messiah’s kingdom.
Anyone who comes against Him will be put to shame!
Psalm 133
By putting your trust in God’s Messiah you have God’s goodness but you also have something else: peace. Psalm 133 celebrates what happens when man is at peace with God – it starts rubbing off on our brothers and sisters.
1 – 3
Most feel that this psalm was written when Israel returned from Babylon—a time when there was no more division between the tribes of Israel.
This idea of unity was not uniformity. Unity is when different people live together in harmony despite their differences. We don’t all sing the same note but we all sing the same song—that of Jesus!
The psalmist describes the unity in terms of consecration and provision.
In Exodus 29:7 oil was to be poured on Aaron the High Priest’s head, but it didn’t stay there. It poured down his beard and onto his collar. So too does unity flow down from our head, Jesus, to the rest of the body of Christ.
Jesus said in John 17:22 “I have given them the glory You have given Me. May they be one as We are one.”
Unity is also spoken of as provision. Mt. Hermon is the highest peak in Israel at nearly 10,000 feet. Dew would fall on the dry ground at that height—a place of continual refreshment.
When we gather around Jesus, it becomes so refreshing compared to the squabbling that we see among the people around us.
John 13:34 “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
It’s all about Jesus!
Psalm 134
Psalm 134 finishes off the songs of ascent with the culmination of what we’ve seen in these last four psalms: realizing our sin, depending on God for salvation, looking to Jesus as the king, and looking to those around us in the body of Christ as our brothers.
Now, as the pilgrims have finished their journey to Jerusalem, all they can do is praise. Prayers were often given to God in the evening (vs 2).
Interestingly, “praise” in verse 1, and “bless” in verse 3 are the same word. To bless a person means to speak well of him. When we speak well of God we “praise” Him, and when God speaks well of us, He “blesses” us.
My word to you today is that God may richly bless you as He speaks well of you through His Son!
So …
Are you in a place where you have nowhere else to turn, realizing your lack of goodness?
Put your hope in the promise of God’s Word that He has done away with your sin and given you His goodness, but only through the Messiah Jesus, the real King and the real Savior.
Humble yourself under the hand of our mighty God and come to Him like a child, small, quiet, humble, and dependent.
Reach out to God’s champion, receive His salvation, put yourself under His care, let His love pour out from you to others and then let it reach up to heaven with lifted hands and hearts in praise!
