Today I began reading the Psalms of Ascent. They are the Psalms numbered 120 - 133. Why Psalms of Ascent? Because as faithful Jews returned to Jerusalem for the various festivals every year, they had to "walk up" to Jerusalem...no matter what the direction they came from. The "ascended" to the city where the Temple stood and made their pilgrimage in stages.
So, these Psalms marked their progress. Little by little as they walked along they prepared their hearts and souls for the reason they were going to Jerusalem. It was here that they would meet with God...offer their sacrifices...worship and pray...even though they did all of those things in their hometowns anyway. Jerusalem was the treasured city, the holy city, the city of David, the city of God.
One of the early Psalms, 121 says so beautifully:
"I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come?" (Psalm 121:1 NASB)
The mountains in Israel became a stumbling block to many Jews. It was on the mountain tops that altars were set up in hopes of currying favor with one of the many pagan so called gods. Baal, Ashtoreh, Ishtar, Molech, Rimmon, Ramman, to name a few. Most of these "gods" were worshipped for what they provided: rain, crops, sunlight, etc...and the temptation was always present for a Jew to "incorporate" a local god alongside of their belief in Yahweh. In some cases, apostasy set in and the "god" became more real to them than Yahweh himself.
To the Israelites God had spoken so clearly:
"I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. "You shall have no other gods before Me. "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. (Exodus 20: 2-4 NASB)
But, on mountain tops across all of Israel altars of incense, sacrifice and worship appeared. The Psalmist doesn't hide it, he acknowledges the fact:
"I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come? (Psalm 121:1 NASB)
It was a question...one in which the faithful who refused the temptation of idolatry asked out loud.
"Is my help from the mountain...the gods...the gods who some claimed to be God?"
Is my help in prosperity?
Is my help in politics?
Is my help in my addictions?
Is my help in what I can control?
The answer is always "NO". The Psalmist answers in vs 2:
"My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:2 NASB)
It is a worshipful, good reminder to us, that God alone is what we need. There is no substitute in life...all other "gods" are not really God.
If you have a chance read through a few of these Psalms today. They draw us towards truth in who God is and what are faith in him means for us everyday of our lives.
Peace
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
So, these Psalms marked their progress. Little by little as they walked along they prepared their hearts and souls for the reason they were going to Jerusalem. It was here that they would meet with God...offer their sacrifices...worship and pray...even though they did all of those things in their hometowns anyway. Jerusalem was the treasured city, the holy city, the city of David, the city of God.
One of the early Psalms, 121 says so beautifully:
"I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come?" (Psalm 121:1 NASB)
The mountains in Israel became a stumbling block to many Jews. It was on the mountain tops that altars were set up in hopes of currying favor with one of the many pagan so called gods. Baal, Ashtoreh, Ishtar, Molech, Rimmon, Ramman, to name a few. Most of these "gods" were worshipped for what they provided: rain, crops, sunlight, etc...and the temptation was always present for a Jew to "incorporate" a local god alongside of their belief in Yahweh. In some cases, apostasy set in and the "god" became more real to them than Yahweh himself.
To the Israelites God had spoken so clearly:
"I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. "You shall have no other gods before Me. "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. (Exodus 20: 2-4 NASB)
But, on mountain tops across all of Israel altars of incense, sacrifice and worship appeared. The Psalmist doesn't hide it, he acknowledges the fact:
"I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come? (Psalm 121:1 NASB)
It was a question...one in which the faithful who refused the temptation of idolatry asked out loud.
"Is my help from the mountain...the gods...the gods who some claimed to be God?"
Is my help in prosperity?
Is my help in politics?
Is my help in my addictions?
Is my help in what I can control?
The answer is always "NO". The Psalmist answers in vs 2:
"My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:2 NASB)
It is a worshipful, good reminder to us, that God alone is what we need. There is no substitute in life...all other "gods" are not really God.
If you have a chance read through a few of these Psalms today. They draw us towards truth in who God is and what are faith in him means for us everyday of our lives.
Peace
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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