The Psalms of Ascent – a reflection.

Since Oct 8 we have travelled the road with pilgrims who often made their way to Jerusalem for festivals like the Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles. The road to Jerusalem from Galilee was an ascent of 900metres. For me, picturing Jesus making this journey many times, even as a boy, makes these psalms powerful and relevant. I also am a pilgrim, making my way to God’s eternal Kingdom. These 15 pilgrim songs are succinct and happy, tracing the history of Israel, and even at times Messianic. As we noted their compilation dated back to the time of King Hezekiah, when the suns shadow (NB not the sun) was caused to return 10 degrees (about an hour) as a sign that he would live 15 more years. Hezekiah made a book of 15 psalms, 10 of them new (the degrees) and 5 by David and Solomon. (see Isa38).

250 years after Hezekiah (500 years after the building of Solomon’s temple) Ezra, on returning from Babylon, included them in his compilation. It was probably Ezra who arranged them in a Chiastic structure, with Ps127, (Solomon’s), at the Apex. Both Ps’127&128 deal with family life. Ps127 has the underlying thought throughout, of the uselessness of human effort which does not rely on the will, power and goodness of the Lord.

Try reading them in one sitting (it will take about 10 minutes) with your eternal pilgrimage in mind, and the last journey to Jerusalem of Jesus to His final Passover, where He became the anti-typical Lamb. Picture Jesus and the disciples singing them on that last journey to Jerusalem.

Psalm 130 is said to be Martin Luther’s favourite. When hard pressed he would announce, “Let us sing the 130th and let the devil do his worst.” For all Christians life is an ebb and flow, shadow’s and sunshine, need and supply, sorrow and joy, reverse and success. We must ever keep in mind that we are “pilgrims and strangers on this earth” (Heb11:13) and we are making our way to that “city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”(Heb.11:10). We are travellers, always looking beyond not around!