| Psalm 120 — Calm in the Battle
Unending conflict results from attacks fueled by deceit and lies upon your life can weary you to the point of hopeless despair. This was the experience of the psalmist, as it has been for many. Peace with his attackers seemed impossible to find. What do you do when it seems you can no longer bear what will not go away? Cry out to God. Lay all your burdens upon Him. The overwhelming pressures we experience may not be removed when we like. We must therefore be quick to let the strength of God carry this load. If we do not, our enemies have their desired end. They have broken us and left us in deep sorrow and anxiety. That is victory enough for many of our enemies. Instead, may God's strengthening grace be with us in the onslaught of attacks upon us. An assurance from God of calm strength and peace within our soul will be our portion until our vindication comes. Psalm 121 — Look Up
In this fallen world there is much that can downcast our soul. It's interesting that this often results in our eyes cast down, looking to the ground in despair. The advice of the psalmist is one of the surest ways to overcome despair. Look up! Look to God. Rehearse in your mind and proclaim with your tongue our shared expectation from God. He promises to carry us through the fiery trials and turbulent waters we all must face in a world that is cursed because of sin. Look up, then look out in to this tough world with all the hope of a victor. For you are a victor when you go forth surrounded by God. Psalm 122 — Anticipated Joy
For those who personally experience the riches of God there is nothing like the joy of anticipating time to seek Him. To experience the pleasure only His presence can give us and the deep satisfaction we feel in expressing our love to God. In return we know we will be immersed in God's love for us. To be surrounded by those who share in our love for God adds all the more to our joy. What pure gladness is our shared pleasure in God! Psalm 123 — Mercy For Those Scorned
Those who mock God will do so in even greater measure toward those who believe in God. They find pleasure in pouring scorn and contempt upon those who trust in God for their lives. The psalmist therefore pleads that God would make it beyond doubt that He is real. That God has faithfully given blessings of mercy upon those who believe in Him beyond anything man could have ever done. This is a wise prayer. It not only blesses the one praying, but it opens the heart of the scornful. Psalm 124 — God's Help Beyond Expectation
The honest testimony of God's people includes countless times when God has divinely intervened to save us from what would have been sure ruin. How often God has led us to escape from sin that would have destroyed us. How often has He faithfully kept us from financial ruin, or the loss of blessings that money could never buy. That God is "on our side" should in itself cause us to live in hopeful expectation no matter what the oncoming troubles may be (v. 1). Psalm 125 — Protected From Corruption
For us to be unmovable in our faith in God requires that we do not compromise with evil. There lies the wisdom of this prayer that God would remove the corrupting influence of evil that could ruin us. Let us therefore be partners with God in this process. We cannot remove ourselves to where there is no evil as long as we dwell in a fallen world. Therefore may we build lifestyles that do not invite evil influences. Instead, may we live in the fruits of righteousness so that we will be able to bring God's goodness wherever evil has left its tragic results. | |||
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Psalm 120-25 A Song of Ascents. 1 In my distress I cried to the LORD, 2 Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips 3 What shall be given to you, 4 Sharp arrows of the warrior, 5 Woe is me, that I dwell in Meshech, 6 My soul has dwelt too long 7 I am for peace; 1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills— 2 My help comes from the LORD, 3 He will not allow your foot to be moved; 4 Behold, He who keeps Israel 5 The LORD is your keeper; 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, 7 The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; 8 The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in 1 I was glad when they said to me, 2 Our feet have been standing 3 Jerusalem is built 4 Where the tribes go up, 5 For thrones are set there for judgment, 6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: 7 Peace be within your walls, 8 For the sake of my brethren and companions, 9 Because of the house of the LORD our God 1 Unto You I lift up my eyes, 2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, 3 Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy on us! 4 Our soul is exceedingly filled 1 "If it had not been the LORD who was on our side," 2 "If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, 3 Then they would have swallowed us alive, 4 Then the waters would have overwhelmed us, 5 Then the swollen waters 6 Blessed be the LORD, 7 Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers; 8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, 1 Those who trust in the LORD 2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, 3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest 4 Do good, O LORD, to those who are good, 5 As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways, | |||
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| Psalm 120-125 This psalm begins a series of 15 psalms that have the title "A Song of Ascents." Most Bible scholars think that these were song during pilgrimage up to Jerusalem for the three major festivals at which each Jewish male living in the promised land was required to come to the Temple. v. 1 In my distress – This verse clearly identifies this psalm as a thanksgiving hymn. v. 2 lying lips…deceitful tongue(s) – The psalmist is being slandered by his foes. v. 3 You false tongue? – As James puts it, the tongue is "a world of evil among the parts of the body" (James 3:6). v. 4 Sharp arrows of the warrior – This verse compares a sharp tongue to the war arrow with its point honed to razor sharpness. with coals of the broom tree – Wood from the broom bush burns hotly for a very long time. v. 5 Woe is me, that I dwell in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar! – This is probably a proverbial saying, citing the two farthest-flung points of the world known to the poet; it would be like us saying, "It's horrible! I feel like I'm living on another planet!" v. 6 My soul has dwelt too long with one who hates peace – The psalmist mourns the fact that he is living for what seems like an interminable time with people who aggressively attack others. Psalm 121This beautiful little pilgrim psalm has been the companion of the people of God on their journey through life for three millennia. The psalmist is gripped by fear as he faces the dangers of the "trail" he is on. v. 1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help? – This is a rhetorical question that the psalmist seems to be using in an "inner conversation." He asks about the source of confidence and hope as he is on his way through life. The "hills," though, are clearly not the source of his aid; this may be an oblique reference to the various shrines (most of them to pagan gods) high on the hilltops. But the poet's help comes from an entirely different source. v. 3 He will not allow your foot to be moved – He will not allow me to stumble. He who keeps you will not slumber – Or guards. The English translation obscures the fact that the verb "guard" (shomer, Heb.) is repeated 6 times in the brief 8 verses of this psalm. This phrase in v. 3 is only two words in Hebrew. Literally: "Does-not-sleep, the-One-guarding-you." On a dangerous journey, it was of vital importance that someone be constantly on watch. v. 4 Behold, He who keeps Israel – Again: "Indeed: not-nodding nor-sleeping, the-one-guarding Israel!" v. 5 The LORD is your keeper – "the-LORD – your-guard" The LORD is your shade at your right hand - "the-LORD – your-shade; at hand, your-right-one" v. 6 sun shall not strike you – Sunstroke is a constant danger for the traveler in the desert (hence the importance of "shade" in the previous verse); the moon was considered to cause madness v. 7 The LORD shall preserve you from all evil – Literally: "The LORD shall-guard-you"…"He-shall- v. 1 I was glad – Like the other "songs of ascent" (Ps. 120-135), this "song of Zion" was sung as the people of Israel went on pilgrimage to the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. v. 2 Our feet have been – The experience of entering the gates of Jerusalem and then the Temple precincts must have made an overwhelming impression on the pilgrims. v. 3 Jerusalem…a city that is compact together – Points either to the unity of the city or its compactness within the defense fortifications. v. 4 Where the tribes go up – on official pilgrimage (John 7:8-10) to the three "pilgrim festivals" at the Temple (Luke 2:41) The tribes of the LORD – the tribes worshipping the Lord To the Testimony of Israel – Better translated: "According to the statute given to Israel"; Or, as God had commanded Israel. v. 5 For thrones are set there for judgment – Jerusalem, as David's capital, was the political and judicial center of life in Israel. v. 6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem – A command understood by God's people through history that still applies to the church as a responsibility today. prosper – yishlayu (Heb.) a play on the name of Yerushalayem (Jerusalem) they…who love you – Literally, "your lovers" (O Jerusalem!) v. 7 Peace – shalom (Heb.) another word play on the name of "Jeru-salem" Walls – ramparts; the defensive outer walls of the city prosperity – Another word play; see comment on the previous verse. v. 9 the house of the LORD our God – the Temple I will seek your good – God calls upon His people to pray for Jerusalem and actively seek its well-being. Psalm 123v. 1 Unto You I lift up my eyes – In an attitude of supplication and prayer. Perhaps reminiscent of the way the eyes of the pilgrims would keep looking up toward Jerusalem as they ascended the heights toward the city. O You who dwell in the heavens – In spite of the fact that God's Temple is in Jerusalem, it was always made clear to Israel that God was not confined to one location; He is (to use a modern word) transcendent. v. 2 as the eyes of servants…as the eyes of a maid…so our eyes look to the LORD our God –This beautiful and compelling metaphor clearly speaks to the proper attitude of God's people toward Him in total dependency upon His mercy and grace. v. 3 Those who are at ease – The smug and arrogant look scornfully upon the pious life of the psalmist; it is a bitter pill for the poet, who has endured much. He pleads for redress and justice. Psalm 124This is a community psalm of thanksgiving, probably sung or chanted on pilgrimage to the Temple. v. 1 Let Israel now say – This is probably a "call" by the leader of the pilgrims to the band on its way toward Jerusalem…or of the priest as the worshippers entered the Temple precincts. v. 2 When men rose up against us – in an attack on the nation v. 3 they would have swallowed us alive – like a wild beast gorging on its prey v. 4 the waters…the stream // would have overwhelmed us…would have gone over our soul – Note the typical Hebrew parallelism, in which the second member of each pair strengthens or expands on the first: the "waters" (general term) come into focus as a "rushing torrent;" "overwhelmed" is strengthened to "washed over our deepest being." v. 5 the swollen waters...would have gone over our soul – As often in Hebrew poetry, the following verse picks up and expands on the theme: the waters are now "proud" or "raging;" they would have "swept us away." v. 6 Blessed be – switches back to the metaphor from v. 3: You have "not given us as prey to their teeth." v. 7 has escaped – Our life has been preserved by God smashing the trap in which we were caught, and we have escaped. v. 8 Our help is in the name – The "Name of the LORD" stands for all He is and does for His people (Ps. 121:2). As "Maker of heaven and earth," He has absolute authority. Psalm 125This little pilgrim song expresses faith in God's love and care for Israel in spite of her enemies and conquerors. v. 1 Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion – the central hill upon which Jerusalem was built which cannot be moved, but abides forever – Even if the city is conquered, the Temple itself destroyed, God's purpose for Jerusalem and His care of His people will never be rendered invalid. v. 2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds His people – As the mountains encircling Jerusalem provide for her defense, God Himself will protect His people. v. 3 For the scepter of wickedness – the wicked and bitter rule of the conquerors the land allotted to the righteous – promised to Israel by God's covenant with Israel (Gen. 12:1-3) Righteous – zedekim (Heb.) the remnant community of the faithful v. 4 Do good – Those who are good…who are upright in their hearts are contrasted with those who cave in under the pressure of the conquerors and turn aside to their crooked ways. This is the key challenge of faith: to follow God through the darkness; as one old saint put it, "to trust God when you cannot trace Him!" Peace be upon Israel! – Shalom al-Yisrael! (Heb.) | |||
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| I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. –Psalm 121:1-2 These are amazing words we read in these psalms today, God. With You in our lives, we do not have to worry about how to fight against the things of this world—we have the most powerful presence in existence at our disposal! As we stand in the valley of trouble, let us heed these words and lift our eyes with the sure expectation of Your help. | |||
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120:6 My soul has dwelt too long With one who hates peace.
Missions Prayer
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