Today begins our weeklong reading of the Songs of Ascent in the book of Psalms. If you have gotten off track, now is a good time to get back on!
Here is the schedule for the week: Monday (120-121), Tuesday (122-123), Wednesday (124-125), Thursday (126-128), Friday (129-130), Saturday (131-132), and Sunday (133-134).
The Songs of Ascent are a collection of Psalms that were sung as the people made their way to Jerusalem. Every Israelite was required to come to Jerusalem at least three times per year (Deut. 16:16)–once for the Feast of Unleavened Bread/Passover (March), once for the Feast of Harvest/Pentecost (May), and once for the Feast of Tabernacles (September). As they made their way to Jerusalem (ascending since the city sits on a small mountain), they were to sing these songs.
Here is the reading that encouraged me today:
Too long I have lived among those who hate peace. I am a man of peace; but when I speak, they are for war. I lift up my eyes to the hills–where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. (Psalm 120:6-7, 121:1-2)
It is interesting that the Songs of Ascent begin here. Too long I have lived among those who hate peace. The Psalms pull no punches. Life is a battle. Often we are surrounded by people who seem to want conflict. No matter what we say, it is turned against us. We desire peace, fullness, wholeness. But life in this world makes it hard, if not impossible, to experience.
So what are we to do? Despair? Complain? Murmur? No. We are to lift up our eyes to the hills. We are to look toward Jerusalem. We are to look toward the LORD and remind ourselves that our help comes from Him, the Maker of heaven and earth, the One who is ultimately in control. We are to take our eyes off our problems and focus them on the grace, truth, love, and power of God.
I am drawn to the fact that the Israelites made their way to Jerusalem at least three times a year. Three times a year they were required to drop the grind of daily life and make their way to Jerusalem to remember, to fellowship, and to rejoice. In fact, they were commanded to rejoice. Be joyful at your Feast–you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites, the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns (Deut. 16:14).
No one was exempt from celebrating, not even the fatherless and the widows. God knows that we have a tendency to get stuck in our routines, to let life wear us down, to focus on our problems and conflicts. So what does He do? He establishes three main feasts and says, “Stop what you are doing. Pick up your family and take a road trip to Jerusalem. And on the way, sing!”
It is so easy for me to get bogged down in life. Responsibilities are everywhere. The schedule is busy. Demands from people are constantly coming. And my own perfectionism often drives me away from joy. Yet in the midst of this I often comfort myself by saying, “But I am serving the Lord!” Well, if I have lost my joy, then I am not really serving the Lord. I am serving my pride or the expectations of others or guilt or some other false motivation. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit and God wants me to serve Him in joy. That’s why He told the Israelites to take a break three times a year and celebrate. I need to do the same.
Lord, I lift my eyes up to You today and I choose to celebrate!