Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

7. The Ascending Thoughts Within the Psalm- Not all, but many of the ‘Songs of Ascents’ employ a literary technique where the next sentence builds upon a word from the previous phrase and the thoughts ‘ascend’ until they reach a climax of expression. Psalm 121 is a good example of this:

I look up to the mountains–does my [help] come from there? My[help]comes from the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth! He will not let you stumble and fall; the one who watches over you will not [sleep} Indeed, he who watches over Israel never tires and never [sleeps].” (v. 1-4)

8. The Ascending Thoughts From Psalm to Psalm. I have discovered that many of the successive psalms build upon the thoughts and phrases of the pre- ceding psalms in a ‘step-like’ fashion. This might contribute to their name; ‘Songs of Degrees.’ • Psalm 121:7 “The Lord keeps you from all evil …” builds upon Psalm 120:2 “Rescue me, O Lord, from liars and from all deceitful people.” • Psalm 122:1 “…Let us go unto the house of the Lord” furthers the thought in Psalm 121:8 “The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go…” • Psalm 123:1 “I lift my eyes to you, O God,…” is similar to Psalm 121:1 “I lift my eyes to the hills...” (NIV). • Psalm 124:8 “Our help is from the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth” is derived from Psalm 121:2 “My help comes from the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth!” • Psalm 125:1 “Those who trust in the Lord are as secure as Mount Zion;” echoes Psalm 121:1 “I look up to the mountains…” • Psalm 126:1 “When the Lord restored his exiles to Jerusalem (Zion)” reflects Psalm 122:2 “And now we are standing here inside your gates, O Jerusalem.” • Psalm 127:1 “Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is useless” reaches back to Psalm 122:3 “Jerusalem is a well–built city…” • Psalm 128:3 “And look at all those children! There they sit around your table…” continues the thought from Psalm 127:3 “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.” • Psalm 129:1 “From my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me–let Israel now say” – re- peats the language from Psalm 124:1 “If the Lord had not been on our side–let Israel now say–“ • Psalm 130:6 “I long for the Lord more than sentries long for the dawn, yes, more than sentries long for the dawn ” takes its imagery from Psalm 127:1 “Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.” • Psalm 131:3 “O Israel, put your hope in the Lord–now and always” ascends out of Psalm 130:7 “O Israel, hope in the Lord…” • Psalm 132:15 “I will make this city prosperous…” fulfills the prayer of Psalm 122:7 “O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls and prosperity in your palaces.” • The priestly anointing oil mentioned in Psalm 133:2 “For harmony is as precious as the fragrant anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head,…” reminds us of the joyful priests mentioned in Psalm 132:9 “Your priests will be agents of salvation; may your loyal servants sing for joy.” • Psalm 134:3 “May the Lord, who made heaven and earth, bless you from Jerusalem (Zion)” takes us back to Psalm 121:2 and Psalm 124:8 “Our help is from the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth.” 9. Jesus Goes Up (Ascends) to Jerusalem. The ultimate fulfillment of the ‘Song of Ascents’ was when Jesus determined to go up to Jerusalem and present his life as the supreme act of worship and sacrifice for his people. The gospels tell us he was set to reach his goal: “Jesus went through the towns and villages,…always pressing on toward Jerusalem…Yes, today, tomorrow, and the next day I must proceed on my way. For it wouldn’t do for a prophet of God to be killed except in Jerusalem.” (Lk. 13:22, 33) 10. The Believer Journeys Upward to the Heavenly Jerusalem . Throughout the Bible we are encouraged to come up higher, to think on heavenly things, to journey to the heavenly city of Jerusalem. The ‘Songs of Ascent’ teach us that the higher life is filled with worship and there are spiritual techniques that lead to a better walk with the Lord Jesus. “Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me with the sound of mighty trumpet blast. The voice said, ‘Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after these

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