Many Things We Have in the Lord – Psalms 120-125

Joy: You’re listening to Season 2 of the Lifting Her Voice podcast.  This is Episode #189 and today we’ll read Psalms 120-125 together.   Like counting your blessings, these short psalms count the many things we have in the Lord.

Welcome

Welcome to the Lifting Her Voice podcast, Season 2!  I’m your host, Joy Miller, and I invite you to grab your Bible and join me – from the beginning – simply reading God’s word together.  We built some spiritual muscles in 2020 with just the New Testament.  But this year we’re going all out, cover-to-cover, Old Testament and New.  So, whether with your first cup in the morning, your commute to work, or as the last thing on your mind before sleep, God’s Word will equip you for every good work.  I’m really glad you’re here!

Psalm 120

A Cry for Truth and Peace

A song of ascents.

In my distress I called to the Lord,

and he answered me.

“Lord, rescue me from lying lips

and a deceitful tongue.”

What will he give you,

and what will he do to you,

you deceitful tongue?

A warrior’s sharp arrows

with burning charcoal!

What misery that I have stayed in Meshech,

that I have lived among the tents of Kedar!

I have dwelt too long

with those who hate peace.

I am for peace; but when I speak,

they are for war.

Psalm 121

The Lord Our Protector

A song of ascents.

I lift my eyes toward the mountains.

Where will my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to slip;

your Protector will not slumber.

Indeed, the Protector of Israel

does not slumber or sleep.

The Lord protects you;

the Lord is a shelter right by your side.

The sun will not strike you by day

or the moon by night.

The Lord will protect you from all harm;

he will protect your life.

The Lord will protect your coming and going

both now and forever.

Psalm 122

A Prayer for Jerusalem

A song of ascents. Of David.

I rejoiced with those who said to me,

“Let’s go to the house of the Lord.”

Our feet were standing

within your gates, Jerusalem —

Jerusalem, built as a city should be,

solidly united,

where the tribes, the Lord’s tribes, go up

to give thanks to the name of the Lord.

(This is an ordinance for Israel.)

There, thrones for judgment are placed,

thrones of the house of David.

Pray for the well-being of Jerusalem:

“May those who love you be secure;

may there be peace within your walls,

security within your fortresses.”

Because of my brothers and friends,

I will say, “May peace be in you.”

Because of the house of the Lord our God,

I will pursue your prosperity.

Psalm 123

Looking for God’s Favor

A song of ascents.

I lift my eyes to you,

the one enthroned in heaven.

Like a servant’s eyes on his master’s hand,

like a servant girl’s eyes on her mistress’s hand,

so our eyes are on the Lord our God

until he shows us favor.

Show us favor, Lord, show us favor,

for we’ve had more than enough contempt.

We’ve had more than enough

scorn from the arrogant

and contempt from the proud.

Psalm 124

The Lord Is on Our Side

A song of ascents. Of David.

If the Lord had not been on our side —

let Israel say —

if the Lord had not been on our side

when people attacked us,

then they would have swallowed us alive

in their burning anger against us.

Then the water would have engulfed us;

the torrent would have swept over us;

the raging water would have swept over us.

Blessed be the Lord,

who has not let us be ripped apart by their teeth.

We have escaped like a bird from the hunter’s net;

the net is torn, and we have escaped.

Our help is in the name of the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 125

Israel’s Stability

A song of ascents.

Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion.

It cannot be shaken; it remains forever.

The mountains surround Jerusalem

and the Lord surrounds his people,

both now and forever.

The scepter of the wicked will not remain

over the land allotted to the righteous,

so that the righteous will not apply their hands to injustice.

Do what is good, Lord, to the good,

to those whose hearts are upright.

But as for those who turn aside to crooked ways,

the Lord will banish them with the evildoers.

Peace be with Israel.

Close

Psalms 120 thru 134 are known as the Songs of Ascents.  As the Israelites set out on their pilgrimages, on their journeys to Jerusalem for the annual feasts, they sang these songs.  I suppose it was the equivalent of whistling while you work.  Several articles I read on this group of psalms described both the Israelite journeys and the Christian life as a climb uphill – an ascent.  Constant growth, sacrifice and trusting God for what we cannot see sometimes requires us to put our heads down, strap on our headphones and put one foot in front of the other.  Since Israelites didn’t have AirPods, they sang Songs of Ascents.  They are short, energetic, and put a little bounce in your step. 

Let me know which one is your favorite at Lifting Her Voice.com, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.  I think we kept this episode short enough that you can listen to them again!

Thank you for joining me here today.  I pray that by spending time in His Word every day, you will by changed.  Visit me at Lifting Her Voice.com with your comments and questions.  And don’t forget to visit the Blog page while you’re there.  If you like the podcast, it would be great if you’d give it a five-star review and share it with everyone you know.  Don’t forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  See you tomorrow!

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible(r), Copyright (c) 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible(r) and CSB(r) are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.