Psalms 120-135 are called the Songs of Ascent, and In our chronological reading of the Bible we have already read five of the fifteen. On May 14 and 15 we read Psalms 122, 124, 131, and 133, attributed to King David. On May 26, we read Psalm 127, written by King Solomon. We read these psalms in the context of David’s and Solomon’s lives.

The other ten Songs of Ascent are not attributed to particular writers so we are reading them now as a collection.

These Psalms are called Songs of Ascent because crowds going up to Jerusalem traditionally chanted them as they ascended the high hill to reach the city. Pilgrims ascending the steps to reach the temple for worship may also have sung them.

The Songs of Ascent are hopeful expressions of faith in God. They touch on Israel’s history and glorify God for what he has done for them.

Imagine Jesus Reciting These Psalms

Throughout his life Jesus went with his family up to Jerusalem to keep the major religious festivals. Most likely, they traveled east through the Jezreel Valley to reach the Jordan River, then walked south along the Jordan Valley to Jericho where they turned west and climbed the challenging road to Jerusalem. It was about a one hundred mile journey and took about five days.

The three Holy Day festivals were happy holidays for families.They traveled in joyous crowds with other families and when they arrived in Jerusalem they met up with relatives and friends from other parts of the country. It was a time to worship and honor God, but also to catch up on news, arrange marriages, and see new babies. Most of the year the Israelites were preparing for a festival, attending one or reminiscing on the one they just left.

They probably chanted the Psalms as they walked, especially the Songs of Ascent. Perhaps someone started the singing and the crowd picked it up. Then maybe Jesus and his friends joined in at the top of their lungs as they ran among the throng of travelers. Jesus would have had a happy association with those songs.

Now imagine him walking up to Jerusalem to face the last week of his life. He knew what lay ahead for him. He had already told his disciples that when he got to Jerusalem he was going to be handed over to the gentiles, tortured and killed, yet he set his face to go to Jerusalem and didn’t look back.

How do you think these Songs of Ascent affected Jesus’ thinking during his final pilgrimage to Jerusalem?

Psalm 120

“I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me. Save me, Lord, from lying lips and deceitful tongues.” Psalm 120:1-2

Previous trips to Jerusalem may have been joyful occasions, but in the last week of his life Jesus definitely faced distressing circumstances. Lying tongues falsely accused him and angry people wanted to take his life. Psalm 120 provided words for his prayers in this distressing time.

“Too long I have lived among those who hate peace. I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.” Psalm 120:6-7

It may have given Jesus courage to use the words of this Psalm to express honestly what he knew he was facing.

Psalm 121

This Psalm promised Jesus help from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and Earth. Each of the short stanzas began with a promise:

“He will not let your foot slip . . . The Lord watches over you . . . The Lord will keep you from all harm.” Psalm 121:3, 5, 7

Jesus knew he was walking straight to his death, so how could these promises apply to him? He knew that before long he would be arrested, put through a sham trial, and then be tortured to death. How was it possible for him to pray the words of this Psalm with any kind of faith?

Jesus was already looking beyond the cross as he approached Jerusalem. He knew he was going to suffer and die, but he knew he would come back from the dead and live forever. He could say with confidence,

“The Lord will keep [me] from harm – he will watch over [my] life; the Lord will watch over [my] coming and going both now and forevermore.” Psalm 121:7-8

And Jesus was right to believe that his Father would watch over his life. After he died on the cross the Father gave him back his life and now he is alive in glory for ever and ever.

Psalm 123

Jesus was completely obedient to God’s will for his life and Psalm 123 gave words to  his personal testimony.

“I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven. As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God till he shows us his mercy.” Psalm 123:1-2

Jesus trusted the mercy of God as he faced “no end of ridicule from the arrogant, of contempt from the proud.” Psalm 123:4

He was going to face the worst his enemies could do to him, but Jesus knew that the mercy and justice of God would give his life back to him. For that reason, he fixed his eyes on the One who sat enthroned in heaven.

Psalm 125

As Jesus ascended Mount Zion toward the temple, he remembered, “those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore. The scepter of the wicked will not remain over the land allotted to the righteous, for then the righteous might use their hands to do evil.” Psalm 125:1-3

Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross God was going to break the power of evil. He was going to set the righteous free and help them escape from the temptations that came from being oppressed by wickedness.

“Lord, do good to those who are good, to those who are upright in heart.” Psalm 125:4

Despite the terrible things he was facing, Jesus trusted his Father to bring good to him in the end.

Psalm 126

It was good for Jesus to recall the times when God had restored the fortunes of his people. He gave them victory after victory throughout their history. Sometimes their joy was so great they thought they were in a dream.

“Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’ The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” Psalm 126:2-3

The greatest joy always comes after the worst suffering has ended.

In agrarian societies, the hungriest season of the year comes just as it’s time to plant the seed for new crops. Food from the previous year’s harvest dwindles and the temptation is strong to eat the grain that has been set aside for planting. It takes a lot of faith to take seeds that could be eaten and bury them in the ground. The farmer has to believe that letting the precious seed fall into the ground, decay, and be transformed will lead to an abundance of new life for his family.

“Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying the sheaves with them.” Psalm 126:5-6

Not long after he arrived in Jerusalem Jesus compared himself to the grain of wheat that must be buried to provide new life.

“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” John 12:23-24

Once again, a Song of Ascent gave Jesus words and helped him prepare for his mission. As you continue to read these beautiful songs, think of Jesus and how they must have ministered to his heart.

These Psalms were written for a congregation to sing together. To hear Psalm 121 beautifully performed in Hebrew, click on this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJtejKGspUM