The Strand Study Bible

PSALMS

921

PSALMS

Psalms 120 -134 A song of degrees (or, ascents)

Psalm 120 is the first of fifteen Psalms that are called in the Superscription A song of degrees (or, ascents). There are two schools of thought when it comes to these fifteen psalms (Psa 120-134). One school of thought believes that these fifteen psalms, known as the “Pilgrim Psalms,” were sung by “pilgrims” on their way to Jerusalem. The King James Study Bible notes: It refers to the thrice-yearly trip that every male made to Jerusalem for the three great annual feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles (Deut 16:16). 1 J. Vernon McGee in Thru the Bible (Volume II) agrees. He notes: Yes, they were sung three times during the year–at the Feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles–as they traveled toward Jerusalem to return thanks to God, to worship Him, and to offer sacrifices. 2 The other school of thought believes that these fifteen psalms were recited by “worshippers,” one psalm for each stair, as they ascended up the seven stairs leading up to the east gate ( Ezk 40:6 ) and the eight stairs leading up to the inner court of the Temple area ( Ezk 40:31 ). The Pulpit Commentary notes: If the latter school of thought is correct, then the goal of every worshipper (every believer) is to get to the Temple where God abides; to ascend to the Sanctuary where liberty abounds (II Cor 3:17). Getting to God, however, is always a “step-by-step” (stair- by-stair) process. 120:1 The 1st step to ascending to where God abides and where liberty abounds is to “look down” (get humble; In my distress I cried – vs 1). Before ascending any staircase one must “look down” in order to find that first step. Psalm 120 is a prayer of a man who understands that he lives in spiritual exile (vs 5) and longs for peace and freedom in a warring world (vs 6-7). He understands that the world, by way of the god of this world (II Cor 4:4), will lie to him (vs 2-3 and Jn 8:44) about God and His goodness ( Gen 3:1b ) in order to keep him from ascending to Him. Step one – Get humble! 121:1 The 2nd step to ascending to where God abides and where liberty abounds is to “look up” (get serious; I will lift up mine eyes ). Those who wish to approach the One who inhabits Mount Moriah (the hills on which the Temple sits) must “look up” and fix their eyes on Him and Him alone. There can be no distractions (no fooling around; no looking around) when ascending those steps to meet with Him ( Exo 19: 1- 9 -13). Question: How serious is your “approach” to God? You’re approach to God is determined by your view of Him. God is serious about who He is (He’s the Keeper) and what He can do (who keeps us). Are you? Psalm 121 is all about the Keeper who wants to preserves us from bad (battles, anguish, and deception); who desires to: (1) deliver us (vs 3-4) from deception (Psa 120:2-3 and Lk 11:4) Question: Are you distracted by the world, the devil, or the flesh? Are you “looking up” or are you looking around? Are you serious about the Keeper, or are you just playing games (fooling around)? In order to ascend to the One who inhabits the Temple you must approach Him on His terms (Psa 15). Step two – Get serious! 122:1 The 3rd step to ascending to where God abides and where liberty abounds is to “look ahead” (get focused; Let us go ; Our feet shall stand – vs 2). In order to ascend to where God abides (the house of the Lord – vs 1) we must “look ahead” to what’s coming, just like they did in days gone by (vs 3-9). Psalm 122 is all about focusing on the eternal and all that eternally matters. Step three – Get focused! 123:1 The 4th step to ascending to where God abides and where liberty abounds is to “uplook” (get faithful; Unto thee lift I up mine eyes ). The fourth step involves looking down the fifty cubit corridor toward the Temple area. Although man cannot fully take in the Temple at this point, yet he can still look up, pierce the veil of sense, and see the unseen. Cattle cannot. They have no “uplooking” eyes, and thus no desire to find expression by looking up. The “uplifted” eyes of man represent the state of heart which fixes its expectation upon the Lord, implying faith (vs 2). Step four – Get faithful! 124:8 The 5th step to ascending to where God abides and where liberty abounds is to “look no further” for help than to the Lord (get dependent; Our help is in the name of the LORD ). God has always longed to be man’s helper. He even proved it by giving man a “helpmeet” ( Gen 2:18b ). Step five – Get dependent! 125:1 The 6th step to ascending to where God abides and where liberty abounds is to “look no more” for your security needs than to the Lord (get secure; They that trust in the LORD …). “Looking back” (seeking your security outside of the Lord) will only complicates things for you as a believer (Lk 9:57-62). Psalm 125 is all about security in the Lord. “Look no more” and you won’t “look back.” Step six – Get secure! NOTE – Talk about the promise of eternal security (they cannot be removed, but abideth for ever)! Those who place their hope (trust) in the Lord are “guaranteed” (shall be as) to be eternally secure ( Psa 37:28 , Jn 10:28-29 , Phil 1:6 , II Tim 1:12 , Eph 1:13- 14 & 4:30 , and Heb 7:25 ). 126:1 The 7th step to ascending to where God abides and where liberty abounds is to “look again” at the promises of God (get studying – Lk 24:13-27; When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion ). The seven steps of the outer door added to the eight steps of this amount to fifteen, with which corresponds the number of the pilgrim-psalms (Ps. cxx. – cxxxiv.), which are supposed to have been sung, one upon each step, by the choir of Levites as they ascended first into the outer and then into the inner court. 3 (2) refresh us (vs 5-6) in times of anguish (Psa 120:5-7 and Acts 16:16-25) (3) defend us (vs 7-8) during spiritual battles (Psa 120:4 and Eph 6:10-18)