Psalms of the Ascents: A Cry for Truth and Peace

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Deuteronomy 16:16

“All your males are to appear three times a year before the Lord your God in the place he chooses: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Shelters. No one is to appear before the Lord empty-handed.

(CSB)

Deuteronomy 16:16 lists the three festivals requiring pilgrimage to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to God.  Some refer to these festivals as the Pilgrimage Festivals due to the need for a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.  (1)  The Psalms of the Ascents (Psalm 120 – 134) are psalms that pilgrims would recite while making their pilgrimage to Jerusalem in order to prepare their hearts to worship God.

Even though Christians do not make these annual pilgrimages to Jerusalem, the emotion expressed in these psalms are truths that can draw us closer to God just as they did for those making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.  Over the next 15 Wednesday postings, we will look at each of these Psalms and discover how they apply to our relationship with God through Christ.  This week we will begin with Psalm 120.

We live in an age of fake news, cover-ups of criminal activity, and threats of violence and war.  Psalm 120 is a psalm crying out to God for truth and peace.  In the psalm we see

1)      The Lord answering the psalmist’s cry (Psalm 120:1) – Prayers are effective (James 5:16) and when in destress, prayer should be our first reflex action.  However, we should also communicate with God regularly through prayer and study of His Word knowing as the psalmist did, that God hears us. 

2)      The psalmist crying out for rescue from lies and deceit (Psalm 120:2) – Lies and deceit lead to lack of trust between people and one reason for the divisiveness we see in society and culture.  However, God is not a man that lies (Numbers 23:19) and therefore someone in whom we can have complete trust.  While we still lack trust in God at times due to our not being able to see Him physically, we must learn to accept that he exists in faith.  This faith comes through hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17).  Therefore, in these times of lies and deceit it is important for us as believers and followers of Jesus Christ to regularly expose ourselves to the Word of God in order to have faith to completely trust God.   

3)      Lying and deceit have consequences (Psalm 120:3-4) – Using metaphorical language the psalmist equates the consequences of lying and deceit to sharp flaming arrows.  The symbolism of sharp burning arrows would equate to one using guns and bullets today.  However, faith in the unchanging God works like a shield protecting believers from the fiery arrows or bullets of lies and deceit (Ephesians 6:16).  Truth also sets us free from the consequences of lies and deceit (John 8:32).     

4)      A hunger for peace when surrounded by violence and war (Psalm 120:5-6) – One of the signs of the last days are wars and rumors of wars (Matthew 24:6).  However, this should not alarm us for these are but labor pains occurring prior to the birth of the second coming of Christ (Matthew 24:7-8).  Instead of worrying about these world events, the children of God should develop a hunger for peace by entering into a deeper relationship with the Prince of Peace through prayer and study of The Bible. 

5)      The psalmist’s efforts at peace met with violence and war (Psalm 120:7) – Even though the children of God seek peace, their seeking of peace goes against the strategy of the Devil which is murder and destruction (John 10:10).  However, the second half of John 10:10 reminds us that Jesus came to give us abundant life.  Even though our efforts to bring peace may incur resistance, we must draw closer in our relationship to the Prince of Peace and not allow discouragement to stop us for the devil’s time as ruler of this world is temporary and soon replaced by the millennial rein of Christ. 

A world of fake news, cover-ups, criminal activity, violence, and war needs Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace.  However, we who have a personal relationship with Jesus must not hide the light of God’s peace inside but must let it shine out in how we live and what we say (Matthew 5:16).  When we let this light shine, it will attract others seeking peace, thus spreading the Gospel. 

1. Kohn, Rabbi Daniel. What are Pilgrimage Festivals? www.myjewishlearning.com. [Online] My Jewish Learning. [Cited: June 17, 2018.] https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/pilgrimage-festivals/#ampshare=https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/pilgrimage-festivals/.