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- [00:00]
Narrator
Foreign.
- [00:05]
Shelby
Hey, this is Shelby and Scott. We're in the Psalms, looking at Psalms 121 through 125. We're going to tell you our takeaways in this episode, and we'd love to hear yours. So leave us a review. Leave a comment we want to hear from you. So, Scott, what do we see in today's Psalms?
- [00:22]
Scott
So the study pointed out that this group of Psalms, Psalm 120, 134, is a part of a group called the Psalms of Ascent, which are believed to have been sung by the Israelites as they would travel, make their pilgrimage to the temple in Jerusalem for the annual feasts. And so these are songs kind of being sung on the way, if you will, like, on the road as they're traveling to, but having not yet arrived at their ultimate destination. And there's a lot of recurring themes you'll see in this section of, like, there being a danger, some kind of danger or threat. The psalmist experiences God's deliverance of his people from those threats and then calls to praise God for how he has helped his people. It's a really, really neat section of Scripture.
- [01:05]
Shelby
Yeah, I'm excited to walk through these. How do we see those specific themes play out in today's Psalms?
- [01:11]
Scott
Sure. So if I could point back briefly to Psalm 120, which is part of yesterday's reading we saw there. The psalmist was in distress. He talks about living among people who hate peace. But in Psalm 121, he talks about his help coming from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. So we see God coming through, delivering his people. Um, I love this comment from Psalm 121 that the God who protects us does not sleep. He doesn't clock out. He doesn't take breaks, which is so encouraging because the God described in Psalm 121 is the same God who watches over you and I today. And we also see deliverance brought out in Psalm 124. Like Psalmist says, if the Lord had not been our on our side. And then he lists out all these threats that would have consumed God's people had God not intervened. And, you know, I read that, and I think it's a challenge for me, like, how would I complete a sentence that starts that way? Like, if the Lord had not been on my side.
- [02:07]
Shelby
Wow. Yeah, that is a great question. I feel like you always have the best, like, things to reflect on and, like, mull over Scott. Yeah, no, I'm gonna be mulling over that. You also mentioned that there would Be praise as a theme in these Psalms. And so where do we see that arise in the psalms we read through today?
- [02:28]
Scott
I think you especially see them in 122 and 100 Psalm 125. The beginning of it is so great. It says, those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken, but endures forever and he goes. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, both now and forevermore. I can't read that and not be comforted by that imagery of being surrounded by God. Like, whoa, how secure are you if you're surrounded by by the Lord. And that language of those trusting in the Lord not be shaken. That reminds me, Shelby, like, I am far safer than I often imagine that I am, which is I something I need to hear. I am a worst case scenario person, just am. But I am safer than I realize. And that's not. Again, we've said this many times. Let's not say bad things won't happen or that it won't go through trials again. The Psalms of ascents recognize trials come but again in God's hands, all the hard things of this world will one day give way to a new world where I will live with Jesus forever. That's my secured future. So I am safe in God's hands. That is my future in God's hands.
- [03:44]
Shelby
Yeah. And I love that image when you talked about being surrounded by God and even thinking of this as being psalms of ascent, maybe even inspired by what they were seeing. And so they might have looked up and seen like mountains around them, seeing how towering they were in comparison to where they were. And I don't know. So just that idea of being surrounded, being safe, and even how that played out, because these are psalms of ascent. You mentioned this earlier, but my takeaway from these psalms is in Psalm 121, verses 1 through 2, where it says, I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. And I. I just love how that starts. I lift up my eyes. And there are so many times when I am looking at myself or a number of things around me for my help, when really I just need to lift my eyes. And so this psalm has been a consistent reminder to me to lift my eyes to the Lord. And it was that definitely today as I was reading through it. So lots of amazing encouragement in these psalms. And I'm excited to continue walking through the psalms day by day, tired of
- [04:53]
Narrator
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