Tag: Songs of Ascent

Poems Put to Music

Psalm 121, 123-125, 128-130

My husband used to be in sales and sometimes the leads he had were in the evening and a fair distance from home.  To stay awake while driving, in addition to opening his windows and turning the radio way up, he sometimes made up songs.  He’s quite clever and I thought some were pretty good.  Creativity can be fun.

Psalms are poems.  Songs are poems put to music.  They are often used to help the Israelites remember their content.  Only one of these Psalms is directly attributed to David.  We don’t know who wrote the others, but they are all titled A Song of Ascents and were sung by travelers, likely on their way to Jerusalem for one of the yearly feasts.  These musical poems prompted the Israelites to look at God from many perspectives.

121 – God is their helper and creator.  He doesn’t sleep, so He is always watching out for them.

123 – They recognize God is in heaven and they look to Him for mercy.

124 – They acknowledge God as their protector.

125 – They see that God surrounds them – he sees everything, all the time.  He brings peace to Israel.

128 – They understand that they need to fear the Lord, and that blessings come from His hand.

129 – They speak of God’s righteousness.  They speak of those who hate Zion (are against Israel) that they will be put to shame.

130 – They talk of His forgiveness and the hope Israel has through God’s love.  They know He will redeem them.

As they traveled, their focus was on God, whom they were going to worship.  These songs would have prepared their hearts, minds and attitudes to come before God.    

Get creative, and consider making up your own poem, set to music or not, to tell of what God means to you.  Which of His characteristics do you want to tell about?  Here’s an easy way to start – borrowing some of what we read today.

To you I lift up my eyes, O you who __________.  As __________ surrounds my home, so the Lord surrounds me.  Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord.  Lord, bless me with __________ and __________.  The Lord is righteous.  May all who harm your people, Lord, be __________.  O Lord, hear my voice; listen to my pleas for __________.  I wait for the Lord; I wait for _________.   My hope is in you, Lord!

Amy Blanchard

Reflection Questions

  1. Before you head off to church, take some time to prepare your heart, mind and attitude to come before your amazing God.  What will it look like for you to do that?  Spend some time in God’s word, or in prayer?  Sing some praise songs? 
  2. Which of God’s traits are you clinging to right now?  Is there someone you can reach out to who can offer support?
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Traveling Songs

OLD TESTAMENT: Ezekiel 23-24

POETRY: Psalm 124

NEW TESTAMENT: John 1:35-51

There are 150 Psalms in the Bible.  There are a variety of Psalm styles including Psalms of Praise, Songs of Thanksgiving,Songs of Zion, Songs of the Temple and Liturgy, Laments, Prayers, Petition, Trust, Wisdom, Songs about the Law, Royalty Songs and Imprecatory songs.  One set of Psalms are called Songs of Ascent.  The comprise 10% of the Psalms ranging from Psalm 120-134. These 15 Psalms are believed to have been sung during the three pilgrimages – Passover and Pentecost in the Spring and Tabernacles in the Autumn.  As the Israelites ascended Mt. Zion and the Temple they were climbing to gather to worship so these were known as Songs of Ascents.

It is also believed that these 15 Psalms were sung by the priests as they climbed the 15 steps leading up to the temple.

Psalm 124 was one of these Psalms of Ascents.

Psalm 124

A song of ascents. Of David.

1 

If the Lord had not been on our side—
    let Israel say—

2 

if the Lord had not been on our side
    when people attacked us,

3 

they would have swallowed us alive
    when their anger flared against us;

4 

the flood would have engulfed us,
    the torrent would have swept over us,

5 

the raging waters
    would have swept us away.

6 

Praise be to the Lord,
    who has not let us be torn by their teeth.

7 

We have escaped like a bird
    from the fowler’s snare;
the snare has been broken,
    and we have escaped.

8 

Our help is in the name of the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

This Psalm celebrates the source of their help when they came under attack from their enemies.  Their source of help and protection is the Lord.  Every time they gathered to celebrate these festivals in Jerusalem they remembered God’s saving hand.

For we Christians, we have no physical temple to make a pilgrimage to 3 times a year, but we gather each week to celebrate the different ways God saves us.  Our help truly comes from the Lord.

I hope you regularly pray this Song of Ascents and with gratitude give thanks to God for his help and care.

-Pastor Jeff Fletcher

Reflection Questions

  1. What does the Psalmist thank God for that did NOT happen to them – because the Lord was at their side? We often worry about what could happen – but how much time do we spend thanking God for what didn’t happen?
  2. Today what will you thank God for that didn’t happen? How will you remember God’s care for you and for others?
  3. What do you like to listen to when you travel? How can your song selection help or hinder your thanks to and worship of God?
  4. How can you celebrate and share with others what God has done?
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