EDITOR'S NOTE
Psalms 120-134 are known as the “Psalms of Ascent” or “Pilgrim Songs”. Every year as the Jews traveled uphill towards the city of Jerusalem to participate in one of the three Jewish festivals, these are the songs they would sing. They became a staple of the pilgrimage to Jerusalem back then and now they serve as a helpful template for us as we worship today.
We thought reading through these 15 psalms would be a great way to close out the year together!
Read Psalm 120
A song of ascents.
1 I call on the Lord in my distress,
and he answers me.
2 Save me, Lord,
from lying lips
and from deceitful tongues.
3 What will he do to you,
and what more besides,
you deceitful tongue?
4 He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows,
with burning coals of the broom bush.
5 Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek,
that I live among the tents of Kedar!
6 Too long have I lived
among those who hate peace.
7 I am for peace;
but when I speak, they are for war.
Go Deeper
Psalm 120 is a prayer, written by David, asking for deliverance from the plans and actions of treacherous people. David starts his prayer by declaring the faithfulness of God. This is probably no accident, as he is seeking deliverance from the faithlessness and betrayal of others. David starts where we should, in times when people not only let us down, but cause us great harm. He reminds himself that God can be trusted, even when those closest to us, or those that surround us, cannot.
Psalm 120 not only serves as a prayer and a cry for help; it can also act as a warning and source of wisdom. To those with deceitful tongues, David describes the consequences of their actions as arrows and burning coals of the broom tree. In the footnotes of Psalm 120, The Amplified Bible tells us that the coals of broom trees are peculiar in that they can continue to smolder on the inside long after they appear to have died out on the outside. In the same way, the aftermath of deceit continues to linger in our hearts and lives long after lies are told.
Let us, as the people of God, be instead known for our faithfulness and truthfulness.
A final word of encouragement, if you find yourself in the aftermath of others’ deceit: We serve a God who knows firsthand the pain of treachery. This psalm points us to the life of Jesus, who, in His mercy and grace, is able to bear witness to and comfort us in our heartache and suffering. Take courage: God is faithful, even when the people around us are not.
Questions
- Can you relate to the pain of David in this psalm? Have you ever experienced the treachery of others?
- Have you ever caused pain by deceit and betrayal? There is grace for you in Jesus. You can find forgiveness and freedom from your sin in Christ.
- Are you in a position to support or bring comfort and encouragement to those who are struggling with the pain described in the psalm? Can you remind them of the faithfulness of God in the midst of their pain?
Keep Digging
Curious about the role of broom trees, or “juniper,” throughout Scripture? Check this out.
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9 thoughts on “Psalms of Ascent: Psalm 120”
The word “ascent” implies looking upward and onward. The heartache, division and brokenness of this imperfect world is never what God intended. Until Christ returns and sets all things right, we will live in the tension of this world. We persevere by “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). The opposite of the word ascent is descent. If we get sucked into the deceit, gossip and drama of others it will take us down a path of destruction that never ends well. Checking my heart right now to see if there is any wicked way in me that needs addressing. I’m grateful that there is forgiveness and redemption available to any who cry out to God, for he is the Rescuer.
For me personally this has been a year of distress. BUT GOD has been right by my side, so faithful, showing up, time and time again. I have learned to lean in so much, listen with a hearing ear, see with love goggles, praying some, then some more for others instead of focusing on me. I would have told anyone that ask that my life was great and God was good. Now I can say my life is better and my walk is so much closer to God through these broom bush. Not that I was being punished per say but I made some wrong choices and paid those consequences. But God has answered me in my distress, and He has Saved me, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues literally this year. I am still struggling BUT GOD is making my eyes to see Him, His ways, who He is, what I can do and be for Him with every passing minute/day.
God thank You for Your faithfulness. My heart is overjoyed, exuding, effervescing with thankfulness beyond words so many times a day for how You show up and are in the middle of my minutes. I so desire all my thoughts and actions to glorify You and be acts of worship. Thank You for helping me live fully to be the WOOHOO, effervescing, calm, respectful, joyful, sincere woman that blesses Your heart, only You!!!! Clean my heart so that I may perfectly love and praise You in this world. HOLY HOLY HOLY is the Lord God Almighty in Jesus name amen.
WOOHOO AND WOOHOO!!!!!!
I am encouraged by by both yours and Krystal’s perseverance and determination to keep your eyes on Jesus…Peace <
Amy, you are God’s special possession who faithfully declares the praises of him who calls us out of darkness into his glorious light.
This year has had many ups and downs, even in faith. Struggled re-emerge in those moments that deceitful people and thoughts arise. Whether it be words or actions that trigger responses which might lead to distraction, disobedience, or failure to trust. But David’s reminder to us (and himself) that God is always there is exactly the reminder I needed today.
I am encouraged by by both yours and Amy’s perseverance and determination to keep your eyes on Jesus…Peace <
As I ponder on the past year and the complete upheaval of my family dynamics, only by the grace and love of Jesus do I have peace. I have endured deceit and pain, but He has endured all my sin on the cross. Not one thing that I go through while on this temporal earth can compare to being in glory with Him. I thank you Father for the reshaping of my life and softening and healing my heart. To God be the glory!
Diane, it’s beautiful to watch what God is doing in your heart.
v 6-7 “Too long have I lived among those who hate peace. I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.”
Praying for peace in our world engulfed in conflicts!