Song Of Asent

It's easier to go down than up, and never underestimate the difficulty of the climb

Psalm chapter 120 is the first of 15 chapters called "the psalms of ascent".

The Songs of Ascent are a special group of psalms comprising Psalms 120—134. They are also called Pilgrim Songs. Four of these songs are attributed to King David (122, 124, 131, 133) and one to Solomon (127), while the remaining ten are anonymous.

The city of Jerusalem is situated on a high hill. Jews traveling to Jerusalem for one of the three main annual Jewish festivals traditionally sang these songs on the “ascent” or the uphill road to the city.

According to some traditions, the Jewish priests also sang some of these Songs of Ascent as they walked up the steps to the temple in Jerusalem.

The ascent to the hills of Moriah and Mt. Zion, or Jerusalem was a steady climb upward for these Jewish pilgrims.

Psalm 120:1 the singer sang, "in my distress I cried unto the Lord, and He heard me."

I believe the beginning of the Psalms of ascent was spoken by a man with a desire to be in the presence of the Lord.

He had decided that he had stayed too long in the wrong place.

Now it was time for him to embark on the journey back to God.

All around him were those who hated peace and wanted nothing more but war and discord.

Although not for certain, it is believed David wrote this particular song.

And he says in verse 5, "Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in tents of Kedar.

Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!

Mesech was a son of Japheth; and the name here signifies his descendants, the Mosques, who occupied that wild mountain region which lies between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea.

Kedar, again, was a son of Ishmael; and the name here signifies his descendants, the wandering tribes, whose "hand is against every man, and every man's hand against them."

There is no geographical connection between those two nations: the former being upon the north of Palestine, and the latter upon the south.

The connection is a moral one. They are mentioned together, because they were fierce and warlike barbarians.

If the writer here is David, he had never lived on the shores of the Caspian Sea, or in the Arabian wilderness;

and he means no more than this, that the persons with whom he now dwelt were as savage and quarrelsome as Mesech and Kedar.

The writer in essence says, I am just as miserable among these haters of peace, as if I had taken up my abode with those savage and treacherous tribes of Mesech and Kedar.

So chapter 120 begins with a cry of distress unto the Lord.

Living in the valley of despair and distress he longs for the presence of God.

In the beginning of chapter 121, the pilgrims begin their journey to Jerusalem.

"I will lift up mine eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help."

He was not indicating that the hills or mountains could help him.

But he is he was looking upward to the hills of Moriah and Mt. Zion, Jerusalem where the ark of God was, the symbol of God's presence.

He was weary of the valley and longed for the hills!

Listen church, our help comes from above. We can lift up our eyes with hope, expectancy, desire and confidence.

Satan will endeavor to keep our eyes upon the valley, our sorrows, our heartaches, our disappointments, our trials and tribulations so we will be discouraged and lose hope.

But we must resolve to look up, for when we lift up our eyes to the hills of glory our hearts will be lifted up also.

When we look up to God and his divine attributes, the immutable promises, the covenant, His providence, and His proved faithfulness, my friend these are the hills to which we must lift up our eyes.

For from these our help must come.

We will not be blindfolded by the devil, but we will lift up our eyes!.

Church, look up to God!

He is your Father.

He is your friend.

He is your Savior. He can help you.

Isaiah 45:22 says, "Look unto me, and be delivered--for I am God.

Listen;

Look up for light to guide you-and He will direct your path.

Look up for grace- for the grace of God is sufficient for you.

Look up for strength to enable you to do and suffer God's will- His strength will be made perfect in your weakness.

When you decide to make that journey into the presence of God, don't underestimate the difficulty of the climb, but His strength is perfect in your weakness.