Psalms 120-124

What’s Happening

Psalms 120-134 form a song book called “The Songs of Ascent.” Jerusalem, which housed God’s temple, was on a hill that worshippers would ascend to be in God’s presence. After God’s people were exiled from Jerusalem into wicked nations, they began to return in pilgrimages back to this mountain city of God’s presence. The Songs of Ascent were sung by travelers going up to Jerusalem out of exile and by those longing to ascend out of the nations. These 15 Psalms are organized into groups of five. The first five Psalms, 120-124, tell the story of a pilgrim's journey out of exile and into Jerusalem. 

Psalm 120 introduces a pilgrim stuck in the warzone of exile, longing to return to the peace of Jerusalem. For too long, his home has been like wilderness places known for violence and war (Psalm 120:5-6). All around him, enemies open their mouths like ravenous beasts to slander him and his God (Psalm 120:2). So he petitions God in prayer to rescue him (Psalm 120:1). He has tried to bring the peace of Jerusalem to the violent nations enslaving him, but the more he tries, the more they war against him (Psalm 120:7). 

In Psalm 121, the pilgrim’s desire for Jerusalem sets him out on a journey through exile toward God’s dwelling place. The pilgrim lifts his eyes out of the violence of nations surrounding him to see the mountain of Jerusalem far in the distance (Psalm 121:1). As he goes, fellow exiles speak blessings over him, assuring him that the God of heaven and earth will accompany him on his journey (Psalm 121:2-3a). God will guide his feet safely on the dangerous roads (Psalm 121:3-4). God will protect him from the violence of the nations as a tent protects a traveler from the elements (Psalm 121:5-7). God will be with him and protect him every step of the way until he brings him home safely (Psalm 121:8). 

At the center of these five Songs of Ascent, in Psalm 122, the pilgrim rejoices, because he has finally arrived in Jerusalem (Psalm 122:1). The feet protected on the journey now stand safely within the house of God (Psalm 122:2). Free from the violence and evil of exile and the nations, the grateful pilgrim marvels at how well this city houses God’s people (Psalm 122:3-4). Within the well-protected walls of Jerusalem, her leaders rule in justice (Psalm 122:5). All citizens and pilgrims are then called upon to pray for the peace and prosperity of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6-7). For peace in the city of God means peace in the house of God (Psalm 122:9). When God lives with his people, peace and justice spread from Jerusalem into the neighboring nations that oppressed them (Psalm 122:8).  

Moving out from the center of these five songs, in Psalm 123, the pilgrim is outside of Jerusalem and once again in need. He looks up to God as he did at the start of his journey, but this time God’s throne is not just on a hill in Jerusalem, but in heaven (Psalm 123:1). He knows God is not a local deity like the ones in exile worshiped by the nations. God rules all of heaven and earth (Psalm 121:2; 124:8). And because God is in control of all creation, all the pilgrims can look to him for help as servants look to their master. In allegiance and dependence, they take his hand and bow before him (Psalm 123:2). They have been enslaved and humiliated by the rule of wicked nations long enough (Psalm 123:4). So they take God’s hand and ask the master of heaven to free them from the masters of the nations (Psalm 123:3).  

In Psalm 124, the end of the first group of the Songs of Ascent, the pilgrims rejoice that God has answered their prayers and rescued them from the violent nations of exile (Psalm 124:2). God has shut the ravenous mouths of the nations that opened against the pilgrim at the start of the songs (Psalm 124:3,6). The pilgrims almost drowned in the flood of the nations’ grip in exile, but God pulled them out just in time (Psalm 124:4,7). The only reason given for this rescue is that God was on their side (Psalm 124:1). Israel’s God can rescue them because of who he is: the Maker and Ruler, not just of Jerusalem, but of heaven and earth (Psalm 124:8). 

Where is the Gospel? 

These first five Songs of Ascent track the pilgrimage of God’s people out of the violence of exile to a peaceful home with God. As Israel did in their past, the pilgrims begin as exiled slaves, are brought through the wilderness, shaded under a tent, and brought into the fortress of peace in Jerusalem, from which they will serve God to bless all nations. In Jesus, we too can sing these pilgrim songs.

Jesus showed his people how to ascend out of exile and into his heavenly kingdom of peace. Like the pilgrim, Jesus was surrounded by violent nations who wanted to destroy him. The more he spoke of peace, the more they warred against him. When Jesus lifted his eyes to Jerusalem and traveled there on a pilgrimage of peace, the rulers within the city did not act justly or peacefully (Luke 22:47-54). Instead, they acted like the nations and exiled Jesus to death. But Jesus, as a true servant, set his eyes on the God of heaven and trusted him to raise him from the flood waters and ravenous mouths of his enemies, the nations, and the grave (Luke 23:46). And because God was with him, Jesus ascended out of the grave and onto the highest throne in heaven. From this heavenly city of peace, Jesus rules with justice, spreading his kingdom across the earth. 

Jesus is now our Song of Ascent. We will ascend to our home with him by following his path out of exile. We are not only surrounded by the violence of nations, but we actually contribute to it. But when we lift our eyes to Jesus, he leads us out of exile and shades us with his presence, filling us with the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16). Jesus brings his pilgrims into the fortress of a new city of peace, the Church. From this holy city, we rule with peace and justice, spreading God’s home across heaven and earth. And one day, the new heavenly Jerusalem will come out of heaven and dwell on earth forever. The chaotic seas of the nations that threaten to swallow us will be no more (Revelation 21:1-3). Then we will take Jesus’ hand as servants in his eternal home, where every prayer for rescue will be answered. 

See for Yourself

I pray that the Holy Spirit would open your eyes to see the God who is with us to bring us out of our exile. And may you see Jesus as the one who descended into our violence and death to show us how to ascend into his home forever.