Psalm 121 – A Psalm of Ascent 

When our children were young, and as we had several children in our care at that point, any journey in a vehicle was an adventure, to say the least. One day, some generous soul gave us a CD (pre-Spotify) of a live concert by a great gospel singer. When I played it in our vehicle, I noticed that the kids very quickly became engaged and were soon singing along. It made the journey much more pleasurable, and those songs have become embedded in each of our memories. But much more importantly, because of the lyrics, embedded in us also is our identity in Christ—a reminder of who we are. 

As we begin a series through Psalm 121, you may notice that in your Bible it is referred to as a Psalm of Ascent. Fifteen Psalms, from Psalm 120 to Psalm 134, are referred to by this grouping, “Psalms of Ascent.” Unfortunately, many Christians miss this title and plunge into the Psalm they’re reading without understanding the significance of what a Psalm of Ascent represents. 

Three times each year, the Israelites would make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for three of their annual major festivals—the Feast of Passover, the Feast of Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles. As Jerusalem and the temple, their ultimate destination, were situated in a geographical high place, it literally required those making this pilgrimage to ascend the mountain to the temple. As they did, it became a tradition for them to sing these Psalms of Ascent. Much like our family singing along with that CD in our vehicle, the Psalms they were singing as they ascended toward the temple reminded the Israelites of their identity, but they also served to prepare their hearts to enter into God’s presence. 
This week, we begin with Psalm 121:1–2 (NLT): 

“I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? 
My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth!” 

When we began our recent study through the book of Galatians, I vividly remember a painting Pastor Dave showed in his message depicting the Apostle Paul making his pilgrimage across the Taurus Mountains. In that image were two bandits hiding just below the ledge Paul and his companions were on, clearly showing the danger of that journey. Paul would later say, “I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers” (2 Corinthians 11:6 NLT). While most of us don’t face those kinds of literal, physical dangers, we should all be reminded that we, like the Israelites and like Paul, are on a pilgrimage that is wrought with all kinds of danger. 

Pilgrimage is not language we use much in our culture, but the term “journey” essentially means the same thing, and that’s a term we use frequently. Increasingly, I think most would agree that our journey currently has a lot of uncertainty about it, and, currently, a lot of hopelessness. Depression has risen to epidemic levels in many segments of our society. 

For the Israelites, they weren’t looking to the mountains for safety and protection. They knew, in fact, that the mountains were a place of danger—a place to be avoided. In verse 2, they boldly sing, “My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” I think we could add to that, “My help comes from the LORD, who created those mountains.” 

If you’re not aware of it, these Psalms of Ascent could as well be called “Songs of Ascent.” They’re actually songs the Israelites were singing out as they were climbing the mountain. They were heralding the message, “God is the answer.” I believe it was a divinely inspired notion to have them sing in unison as they approached the very presence of God. There no doubt were some who’d been having a particularly difficult year, but when they heard the others singing, they were reminded to get their eyes off the mountains and get their eyes on their God. 

We see the singing of the words of faith having that same effect when our Coastal Church team goes into Haro Park each week. Many people start out listening from a distance, but they listen intently, and as time goes by, they nudge closer to the worship. 

In Alpha, we see much the same as we begin with strong songs of praise from the first night. People who may be there just searching are very often impacted by the worship. We know this because, at the end of each Alpha course, we use a questionnaire to see how we can improve. Oftentimes, people report that the thing that impacted them most was the worship. 

In our weekend services, our praise and worship is a high point. It’s sad to see people streaming in late for something that God says is so significant. Praise and worship will affect your heart. It did for the Israelites, as Psalm 100 says. By the time the Israelites got to the gates of the temple, they had “entered His gates with thanksgiving in their hearts, and entered His courts with praise.” 

It makes me wonder if the Israelites weren’t divinely inspired to sing these songs as they ascended to the gates of the temple in order to help them close all the files that were weighing on them, shut out the worries of their lives, and truly focus on the only One who could save them. 

I also want to encourage you to worship with all your heart. The Psalmist said, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name.” In modern vernacular, the psalmist would say, “I’m going to give it my all when I worship.” 

Do you remember what I said about the effect of our family worshipping in the car? It embedded in us our identity in Christ—that we are His. If you are worshipping with all that is in you, you will catch yourself humming those worship songs we sing on weekends, meditating on them when you’re commuting, and getting your eyes off the mountains when you are struggling and back on Him, because: 

“Our help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth!”