Posts from the Psalms of Ascent series

On Our Side

“If it had not been the Lord who was on our side… Then they would have swallowed us alive… Then the waters would have overwhelmed us." (Psalm 124: 2-4)

He is on our side.

Paul asks if God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

Jesus says the very gates of hell cannot stand against the people of God. (Matthew 16:18)

Left to ourselves, we would quickly be swept away.

But we are not left to ourselves. Never.

He will never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)

Blessed be the Lord. (Psalm 124:6)

Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us. Psalm 123:2 (NKJV)

Watch expectantly,

Watch with persistence and intensity,

Waiting for the slightest hint, the very first sign

Of His grace,

His favor

His mercy.

What signs do you see?

God, My Testimony

By Paula Wiseman

Psalm 122 is about going to the house of the Lord. Verse 4 says "Where the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, to the Testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord." (NKJV)

To the Testimony of Israel.

This is one of those obscure phrases that translators disagree about, but in the New King James, it's capitalized. That makes me think it's God.

Imagine that moment in the courtroom. "Does the accused have anything to say for herself?" I don't have to say a word.

God is my Testimony.

I don't have to answer for my sins.

God is my Testimony.

That's the reason to worship and give thanks to the name of the Lord.

Always On

By Paula Wiseman

He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. Psalm 121:3-4 NLT

I usually have a hard time getting back into the swing of things on Mondays.

Not Jehovah.

He doesn't have a hard time focusing.

Jehovah never dozes off.

He never gets bored or distracted.

He's always on.

Far Away

By Paula Wiseman

Woe is me, that I dwell in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar! Psalm 120:5

(Meshech is in Turkey. Kedar is in Arabia. To the Jews, they were the ends of the world and as far away from the temple of God in Jerusalem as a person could get. Here's what I take away from Psalm 120.)

I dwell, spend too much time, far away from the presence of God.

I live a culture that doesn't honor God.

I have friends, coworkers, family members who don't worship Him.

I feel surrounded, alone and weary.

Lord, revive and renew me.

I want to worship You, I want to be in Your presence no matter where I am.

(Psalm 120 is the first of the Songs of Ascent. Devout Jews sang these songs as they made their way to Jerusalem for the Passover. They speak of the process of leaving the world and its cares behind as they prepare their hearts and minds for worship. Between now and Easter, we'll look at a different Song of Ascent each Monday.)