A new 15-week series on the Psalms of Ascent (Psalms 120–134), understood as pilgrim songs sung by God’s people as they journeyed upward to Jerusalem for worship. These psalms trace a spiritual journey—from distress and exile to peace, maturity, and life with God—and are especially fitting as the church prepares for its own “journey home.”
Psalm 120 opens the series by addressing distress caused by lies, hostility, and conflict. The psalmist recalls God’s past faithfulness as the basis for confidence in present suffering. Though surrounded by deceitful speech that threatens reputation and even life, the psalmist turns first to prayer, modeling that prayer is not a last resort but the believer’s first response in distress.
The psalm honestly expresses a desire for vindication and justice, even vengeance, yet crucially places these emotions before God rather than acting on them. By entrusting judgment to the Lord, the psalmist is transformed inwardly—from anger to peace—even though outward circumstances remain unchanged.
Using vivid imagery, the psalmist describes feeling like a foreigner among violent, peace-hating people. Though geographically still at home, spiritually he feels exiled. Yet the climactic declaration—“I am for peace” (literally, “I am peace”)—reveals the heart of the psalm: God’s peace can define us even when the world around us is hostile.
There is a connection between Psalm 120 and modern life, warning about the destructive power of lies today—through media, social platforms, cultural narratives, and self-deception. It also cautions against the constant consumption of distressing news, which can rob believers of peace, joy, and faithful local engagement.
Ultimately, Psalm 120 teaches that the journey toward God begins with honest prayer, trust in God’s justice, rejection of lies, and a commitment to peace. This upward journey is possible because God first came down to us in Christ. As followers of Jesus, believers are called to live as pilgrims, peacemakers, and people shaped by God’s truth—bearing witness to the peace of Christ in a troubled world.