“The way to Heaven is ascending; we must be content to travel uphill, though it be hard and tiresome, and contrary to the natural bias of our flesh.” ~ Jonathan Edwards
Next week, along with a friend, I am headed to Arkansas with a specific goal in mind. We are hiking up a trail in the Ozarks which leads to a natural swimming hole with stunning views. Finding cool refreshing spring water after a challenging hike sounds like the perfect activity to clear the foggy effects of quarantine on one’s spirit.
In preparation for this event, my friend and I have been getting up early and working out four days a week. I can’t speak for my friend, but let me just say, “I am not a spring chicken.” Although I walked almost every day during the course of shelter-in-place, I can’t say that that I am in the best shape of my life. As a matter of fact, I am trying to figure out how to lose the Rona weight I acquired.
During my quiet time this morning, before I headed to the gym, I sensed Father’s presence and clearly heard in my spirit, “You have your agenda for this trip, but I have one too. I have a prayer assignment for you.” I am currently in the part of my daily Bible reading that includes the Psalms of Ascent. I’ve seen those words countless times as I read through the Psalms, but this time, I stopped to learn what that meant.
The Psalms of Ascent were sung by Jewish pilgrims as they journeyed to Jerusalem for the festivals. Jerusalem is built upon a hilltop and the climb to get there is steep. There is also a thought that the Jewish priests stood in ascending formation on the steps of the temple and recited these songs as well.
The Hebrew word for ascent is ma’alah (מעלה), which means ascent or degree; and is indicative of an upward move. There are fifteen Psalms in this classification ranging from Psalm 120 to 134. Historians know that David wrote four of them (122, 124, 131, and 133). Solomon wrote Psalm 127. Who penned the other ten cannot be confirmed. The following is my prayer list that I wrote describing the main idea of each of the Psalms of Ascent. This is what I am taking with me up the trail through the Ozark Mountains.
Psalm 120: God’s shelter in the midst of persecution
Psalm 121: God’s daily protection and careful care
Psalm 122: The prosperity of the Lord’s people
Psalm 123: God’s mercy as we lift our eyes to him.
Psalm 124: God is for us and is on our side.
Psalm 125: Trusting in him as our firm foundation
Psalm 126: Sowing with tears, reaping with songs of joy
Psalm 127: Dependency upon God and acting in his ways
Psalm 128: The fear of the Lord and the reward of obedience
Psalm 129: Realizing true deliverance from oppression
Psalm 130: Repentance and receiving genuine forgiveness
Psalm 131: Humility and a quiet spirit
Psalm 132: God’s presence and purposes in the earth
Psalm 133: The beautiful bond of unity among God’s people
Psalm 134: God’s blessings given to his faithful servants
Everything about our walk with Jesus is an ascent. We begin our climb by taking the Lord’s hand as he leads us out of sin and bondage. We then begin to walk the path that leads to an understanding of God and his higher ways. We encounter obstacles that teach us to rise above our circumstances so that we might continue the journey. The Jewish festivals all pointed to the coming Messiah. Our walk is the same in that it leads us to “the Rock that is higher than I.” And although we have been given authority to speak to the mountains in our lives and see them cast into the sea, most often, that authority is appropriated by scaling to the top of that mountain. This is accomplished through learning to walk in the gifts of the Spirit and not our own flesh.
We will study each one of these Psalms individually in the weeks to come. We will look at what was actually being said within the Jewish culture and then how it might apply to our current circumstances as well. Will you join me in these ascending prayers over the next few weeks?
The view from the top is stunning!
0 Comments