Psalm 120

Introduction

Open your bible to psalm 120

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Series Introduction: A Delivered People “Psalms of Ascent”

What is the book of Psalms (150 books)

The seven genres: hymns, laments, thanksgiving, psalms of confidence, emembrance, wisdom , and kingship “Messianic” psalms.

Whenever the Psalter is abandoned, an incomparable treasure vanishes from the Christian church. With its recovery will come unsuspected power Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Psalms of Ascent?

15 Psalms that were traditionally sung by Hebrew pilgrims.

3 times a year they come back to Jerusalem to celebrate… Passover, Pentacost, Tabernacle

15 Steps leading up to the jewish Temple.

Some believe the origin of some of these psalms dates back to the Israelites Ascent to Mt Zion.

The structure of the 15 songs:

They begin with a pilgrim in an alien setting (Ps 120)

and end with praise given to God in the temple (Ps 134).

What do the Psalms of Ascent have for the people of Ascend?

Pilgrimage is the most common imagery used in the bible to describe the “journey of walking with God”

discipleship vs pilgrimage

pilgrimage: the course of life one takes while on earth.

- How are we on a pilgrimage

The not home nature of our faith.

You are on a journey… this is not your home…

In someway we can see these psalms as a Pilgrims guide.

Each week I guarantee a few things:

you will find solace in these psalms… you will listen to the words of the author and say me too…

You will find instruction on how to trust in God in the midst of a world where things are hard..

You will find hope and encouragement for the future home.

So I am pumped....

Read Psalm 120

Big Idea: When you call on the Lord he will deliver you. He will provide eternal perspective, and peace in the midst of uncertainty.

Call on God

Psalm 120:1 ESV

In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me.

To Call on God (Recap Last week)

Romans 10:13 (ESV)

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Moved to put God in a position that you “call on him”....

You believe he is going to pick up (trust in him)

it is about the intention behind the words

The Lord answers

Hears our prayers

Acts

When you call on God pour it out… (In my distress)

Exalting Jesus in Psalms 101–150 Plea (120:2)

Sometimes the Lord brings us to places where all we can do is cry out to him. Sometimes we can act, but sometimes we can merely cry out; sometimes all we can do is groan (Rom 8:26). But we pray.

Romans 8:26 (ESV)

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

Transition: So Call on God… what happens when we call on God.

He will deliver you

Psalm 120:2 ESV

Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.

Deliver me from what?

Foes = People in opposition to him

Speaking falsely about him...

Living in a Land that no one holds the same moral values as him.

Some truths about deliverance:

Deliverance is not always that your circumstance goes away… in fact most often doesnt.

Look at how the early church talks about Gods deliverance in their life…

2 Corinthians 1:8–11 (ESV)

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

When the Lord Delivers you:

He is the one doing the delivering.

We turn our circumstances over to him.

We rest in his promises

Transition: We see the author re

Eternal Perspective

Psalm 120:3–4 ESV

What shall be given to you, and what more shall be done to you, you deceitful tongue? A warrior’s sharp arrows, with glowing coals of the broom tree!

He is submitting his problem to God.

Background:

Words as sharp as arrows.

burning coals

This is the scrutiny he is experiencing dwelling in a land of people far from God.

Application:

leave our oppressors to God… Take peace in that

Find an Eternal Perspective. (Which should honestly turn your frustration to Grace)

Transition:

Peace in uncertainty

Psalm 120:5–7 ESV

Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar! Too long have I had my dwelling among those who hate peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war!

Here is the author Reality…

Mesheck = modern day turkey

Kedar = desert.

dwelling amongst the enemy.

Remote and barbaric.

Its not home…

People are not people of Peace…

Recap: What does the author Do?

calls on the Lord

Ask for deliverance

Rest in Gods eternal promises

Seeks to live peaceably…

Romans 12:18 ESV

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

Closing:

I want to close out this mornings sermon with us taking Communion.....

Communion as pilgrims “Living in exile”

None of us are home.

What unites us together.

Also unites us with the saints of the past.

Most importantly unites of with Jesus.

Mark 14:22–26 (ESV)

And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus is instructing his disciples to symbolically take this meal.. throughout life to remind them

that as they journey through Life .