Face it, many of us have been struggling recently. Family problems, problems at work, financial problems-the list is endless. Included in the Psalms is a special collection called the Songs of Ascent, and these songs have something special to say to us.
Here’s what Got Questions.org says about these psalms. (https://www.gotquestions.org/Songs-of-Ascent.html )
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.
Each of the psalms in this collection begins with the title “A Song of Ascents.” While perhaps they were not originally composed for this purpose, these psalms were later grouped together for use in traveling toward Jerusalem for the yearly Jewish festivals.
The theme of each Song of Ascent offers much encouragement for those who seek to worship God today:
Psalm 120: God’s presence during distress
Psalm 121: Joyful praise to the Lord
Psalm 122: Prayer for Jerusalem
Psalm 123: Patience for God’s mercy
Psalm 124: Help comes from the Lord
Psalm 125: Prayer for God’s blessing upon His people
Psalm 126: The Lord has done great things
Psalm 127: God’s blessing on man’s efforts
Psalm 128: Joy for those who follow God’s ways
Psalm 129: A cry for help to the Lord
Psalm 130: A prayer of repentance
Psalm 131: Surrender as a child to the Lord
Psalm 132: God’s sovereign plan for His people
Psalm 133: Praise of brotherly fellowship and unity
Psalm 134: Praise to God in His temple
The Songs of Ascent continue to find a place among the many hymns and songs of worship of Jews and Christians today. They serve as powerful examples of how we can express our worship and love for God through the power of song.”
Psalm 120 God’s presence during distress In My Distress I Cried to the LORD
A song of ascents.
“1 In my distress I cried to the LORD, and He answered me.
2 Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips and a deceitful tongue.
3 What will He do to you, and what will be added to you, O deceitful tongue?
4 Sharp arrows will come from the warrior, with burning coals of the broom tree!
5 Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar!
6 Too long have I dwelt among those who hate peace.
7 I am in favor of peace; but when I speak, they want war.”
“In my distress I cried to the LORD, and He answered me.” Many times, we feel as if we are under attack with no hiding place. Where can we find help? Psalm 46:1 tells us, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.” One of the wonderful things about God is that He is available 24/7. We can pray to God, knowing that he is always listening and can always answer us and help us. What will these prayers sound like?
“Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips and a deceitful tongue.” Truth is a precious commodity and rarely found. Thank God that He can deliver us from liars and cheats. Even when it appears that the liars are winning, God is still on the throne and God is the One who keeps the books. In the final analysis, God settles the score.
“What will He do to you, and what will be added to you, O deceitful tongue? Sharp arrows will come from the warrior, with burning coals of the broom tree!” Sharp arrows? Burning coals? Even if we don’t see God’s retribution, rest assured that God will deal with those with deceitful tongues.
“Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar! Too long have I dwelt among those who hate peace. I am in favor of peace; but when I speak, they want war.”
Meshech is a generic term for a far away place considered to be full of pagans, while Kedar refers to the nomadic tribes surrounding Israel. Ever find yourself stuck in a terrible job situation where everybody is plotting attacks on everyone else? That’s what has happened to the psalmist. This poor writer just wants peace, but the neighbors can only think of picking fights with all comers.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, deliver us from cheats and liars. Help us to trust You, no matter how difficult things seem to be. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Burunche's Blog 
Leave a comment