A SONG OF DEGREES!

 

Sunday, April 11, 2021

A SONG OF DEGREES!

 

Ps 122

A Song of degrees of David.

122 I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.

2 Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.

3 Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:

4 Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord , unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord .

5 For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.

7 Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.

8 For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee.

9 Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good.

 

           There are fifteen psalms that are designated “songs of degrees.” They are grouped together from Psalm 120 through Psalm 134. The word “degrees” means “ascents or to go up” and these form a hymnal that was sung as worshippers ascended the stairway to the Temple. One commentator says that there were fifteen steps, and one psalm was sung upon each step but this can’t seem to be verified.

 

           Ten of these psalms are anonymous, four are attributed to David and one to Solomon. Their themes are generally praise for the peace and protection provided by the Lord and for His Temple. Warren Wiersbe says these hymns were sung by families as they journeyed to attend the three annual feasts in Jerusalem.    

 

These psalms were selected to form a "hymnal" to be used by the people who went to Jerusalem for the three annual feasts (Ex 23:14-19) — Passover in spring, Pentecost in early summer, and Tabernacles in the autumn. The pilgrims sang these songs together as they journeyed in family groups to Jerusalem (Luke 2:41-52), and this helped to focus their minds on what the Lord had done for their nation. (from The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament © 2001-2004 by Warren W. Wiersbe. All rights reserved.)

 

           As they journeyed each village would spill its inhabitants into the marching crowd and as they reached the place of worship their songs would swell with each addition. So it should be as we journey toward heaven. As we march along through life we should pick up worshippers along the way so that when we finally arrive there will be a huge choir of praises.

 

           As we journey to church today let our hearts and voices sing! Let us pick up others along the way.  Psalm122 begins by saying: “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.”

 

Dear Lord, bless us who ready ourselves for worship today. AMEN