Embrace the disillusionment and rant on. Reading the songs of ascent in sequence as a journey that started with a rant and moved through disillusionment into praise, then back into disillusionment and back into praise again. If you think you know how spiritual journeys are supposed to go then either these psalms have got it …
Continue reading Psalms of ascent: What a long strange trip it’s been*
The end of the road We are there. We have got to the end of the psalms of ascents. The pilgrims on their journey to Jerusalem have been singing these songs on the way, now they are at their destination, Jerusalem. This may be the last of the psalms of ascents, but it is not …
Unity not uniformity Politicians like to talk about freedom and unity. Freedom is often the freedom for their supporters to ride roughshod over everyone else,and unity means everybody doing as they tell them to do. Ironically the ones who talk most about freedom are often those whose politics are the most authoritarian. Psalm 133 A …
Promises Straight after a psalm by David we have one about David. As the pilgrims approach Jerusalem they look back at the founding of the Temple by David. Or at least the previous temple. The psalms of ascent were compiled after the Jews had returned from the Babylonian exile, although like the previous psalm, thet …
As content as a child Psalm 131 A song of ascents. Of David. 1 My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty;I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.2 But I have calmed and quietened myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content. 3 Israel, …
Full redemption Redemption in the modern world means going to the pawnbroker's with some money and getting your things that you pawned back. With God it means exactly the same. This is God's world, and God is buying it back. Psalm 130 A song of ascents. 1 Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;2 Lord, hear …
I'm still here and I'm not going away Straight on the heels of Psalm 128 which is all about joy, happiness and blessings from God comes this one, a song about the need for perseverance. They couldn't be more different. Psalm 129 A song of ascents. 1 ‘They have greatly oppressed me from my youth,’ let Israel …
Prosperity and suffering. It is often easier to read songs about prosperity like this than it is to read songs ranting about injustice or laments, at least it is for some people. For other people it is the other way round, they are living the rants and laments but find the prosperity psalms difficult. Psalm …
Let's work together There are two attitudes many Christians have about work: One is to work so hard that you wear yourself out. You may make the excuse that you are doing this for your family, but what good is that if that family is grown up and gone before you get time to spend …
Joy is infectious When God's people are joyful it has a knock on effect. What is more when God has worked in us before it is good to remember that what he has done before he can do again. This gives us joy, even in the hard times. Psalm 126 A song of ascents. 1 When …
Making an ass of myself 