Psalms Ascents

Psalm 120 Reminder of God’s Presence During Distress

I want you to imagine for a moment this morning that you are far far far away from home. Imagine being deported to land that is not your own. surrounded by your enemies who make fun of you and ridicule you and your God. Just like Dorthy you long to be home and you say to yourself there is no place like home 3x’s and then you open your eyes and instead of magically finding yourself at home you have a long treacherous path ahead of you. To the place you call home.

That’s the setting of the Psalms of ascent, 15 Psalms that begin in Psalm 120 - 134.

Jews sang these songs as they went to Jerusalem 3 x’s a year from all of the world for the feast (feast of unleavened bread, feast of weeks, & feast of tabernacles) that required them to travel to Jerusalem. Psalter inside the Psalms. started from the return from captivity

Imagine that you have been years in exile, booted out of your land because of your disobedience. The temple has been destroyed, the walls of your city are nothing but ruins, the rebuilding process has begun, but questions still linger. Will God be angry at us forever? Is God’s covenant with David still in force? Has the Davidic covenant failed because of our sin? These questions and many more would have permeated the post-exilic community. How do you encourage people to “go up” when the temple is no longer present? Are they now called to a pilgrimage unto emptiness?

Yet the temple was never an end in itself. Yes, it would be rebuilt. But even the second temple was not the main goal. It was always about the presence of God. The temple exists so that the dwelling place of God could, at least in some fashion, be with humanity again. These psalms of ascent are about restoration of the presence of God.

they were ascending to Jerusalem, a city set on a hill. ascend to the hill, ascend to worship God. Each one builds upon the other

Eugene Peterson explains the metaphor of these psalms: “the trip to Jerusalem acted out a life lived upward toward God, an existence that advanced from one level to another in deepening maturity…” These would have been songs that the Lord Jesus would have likely memorized and sang as he traveled to Jerusalem. Should we not, then, also make this part of the songbook we sing on our journey back home? Peterson is likely correct, “there are no better ‘songs for the road’ for those who travel the way of faith in Christ.”

As you read through these fifteen psalms, you are introduced to themes of repentance, God’s presence, God’s protection, God’s mercy, God’s help, God’s goodness, His sovereignty. The reader is also reminded to seek help in God alone and that joy is only found in the Lord.

Psalm 120 NASB95

A Song of Ascents. In my trouble I cried to the Lord, And He answered me. Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, From a deceitful tongue. What shall be given to you, and what more shall be done to you, You deceitful tongue? Sharp arrows of the warrior, With the burning coals of the broom tree. Woe is me, for I sojourn in Meshech, For I dwell among the tents of Kedar! Too long has my soul had its dwelling With those who hate peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, They are for war.

what does this have to do with worship when it seems as if its a lament song. Especially when we see words like... trouble, lying, deceit, woe, war, hate,

deliver me from lies 1-4

deliver me from violence 5-7

v.1 remembers previous deliverance so he seeks Gods help again

God’s past deliverance is reason to have confidence in Gods future deliverance

God delivers his people some time in-spite of them (from one peril to the next) why did God record all those instances (to teach us about who God is, he will deliver us in the present)

GOD IS THE DELIVERER - God rescues and saves us from peril, hardship, sin, affliction, lies, sickness, and the evil one. listen to the Psalmist as they praise God for being their deliverer Ps. 18:2 “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Ps. 40:17 “Since I am afflicted and needy, Let the Lord be mindful of me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God.” Prov. 21:31 “The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But victory belongs to the Lord.”

The psalmist here wants deliverance from God in two areas.

1) lies and deceit - slander, insults, slurs living in a land where they were the outcast laughed looked down upon. It’s kind of hard to go about praising and having confidence in God when you are in captivity. Gentiles would say the God who allowed you to be captured by us, and allowed you to be our slave.

v. 2 - 4 Do you know what’s in store for you? Ask the deceitful tongue, do you know what God has in store for you. Roots of the broom tree long burning charcoal flaming arrows. God would bring vengeance on those who slanders. they would Rm. 12:17ff leave revenge for God.

deliver me from violence 5-7

woe - expresses hardship far north and south (Meshech to Kedar) God’s people far removed from Jerusalem separated from my homeland and the people they dwelt among were war mongers. He just want peace. they want strife and conflict.

APPLICATION

here is where we are and this is where we are going. we are going amongst those with violence to a place where their is peace to worship in the presence of God (in obedience to His will).

We live in an increasing hostile world. people say slanderous things about us. we are hate mongers, bigots ignoramuses, even more apparent is the cancel culture. some brothers and sisters around the world face real physical harm and death.

we long for rest from those hostilities. peace comes in heaven with God. peaceful assembly to settle our thoughts on God sing pray communion fellowship is a blessing and the greater the opposition the sweeter the fellowship and the more powerful God word becomes to us.

God still heres our cries and we leave their destiny to him.

we travel as exiles strangers pilgrims we gather as often we can to draw encourage each-other as we call out for deliverance and justice and a clear path home. Heb. 11:13-16

Hebrews 11:13–16 NASB95

All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.

How about you this morning are you sojourning in this foreign land or have you taken up residency here? Are you in need of deliverance? Then why not come to Jesus this morning through belief confession repentance and baptism so that you can be delivered from your sins. Jesus is calling you saying Mt. 11:29-30 ““Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”” Only God can deliver and rescue and if you are a Christian this morning are making your journey towards Heaven seeking peace with God. Are you seeking God’s help and guidance. are you trusting in Him in full obedience to his will. If not then why not come while we stand and sing.