Psalm 120 is the first “Song of Ascents,” the label used in the title of each of Psalms 120–134.720 This diverse group includes individual and community laments, songs of confidence, thanksgiving hymns, a song celebrating Zion, wisdom psalms, a royal psalm, and a psalm for a liturgical occasion. Of these, the titles attribute four to David (Psalms 122; 124; 131; 133) and one to Solomon (Psalm 127); the other ten are unattributed.

Opinions differ on the exact nature of the “ascents” (Hb. maʿalot). Some traditional Jewish interpreters take the word in its sense “steps” (cf. Ex. 20:26; 2 Kings 20:9–11; Ezek. 40:6, 22, etc.) and thus understood these songs to have been sung on the steps, either in parts of the temple (e.g., in the Mishnah, Sukkah 5:4; Middot 2:5) or up from a spring in Jerusalem (in the Talmud, Sukkah 53a). Others have taken the word in its sense of “ascent from exile” (cf. Ezra 7:9, where “he began to go up” is “was the beginning of his ascent”; cf. Ezra 1:3 for the related verb), and thus the psalms would be associated with return to Jerusalem (from exile).721 If we take seriously the Davidic origin of four of these and look for a sense of “ascents” that would fit the times around David, neither of these proposals seems suitable. Many take this collection as simply connected to “going up” to Jerusalem for worship, say, at Israel’s pilgrim festivals (cf. 1 Kings 12:28; Ps. 122:4; Zech. 14:16), and this makes the best sense of the collection—even if some of them were not originally composed for that purpose. This accounts well for the prominence of Zion, Jerusalem, and the Lord’s house (Pss. 122:1–2, 9; 125:1–2; 126:1; 128:5; 129:5; 132:5, 7–9, 13–14; 133:2–3; 134:1–3).

Psalm 120 serves as an individual lament, sung by someone living away from Israel (v. 5); his distress concerns the way in which deceitful people are stirring up war, while the psalmist prefers peace (v. 7). It is possible that the psalm originated during the exile, when God told his dispersed people to seek the “welfare” (or “peace,” shalom) of the city to which they were sent (Jer. 29:7). Worship in Jerusalem, both for the singer and for the Gentiles, is the remedy for this violence (cf. Isa. 2:3–4).

The opening section of Psalm 120 (vv. 1–2) recites the prayer to the Lord; then the song turns to address the “deceitful tongue” (vv. 3–4) from which the song had prayed for deliverance (v. 2). The final section laments the warlike people among whom the singer dwells (vv. 5–7).

  I.  I Called to the Lord, and He Answered Me (120:1–2)

  II.  The Liar Deserves the Warrior’s Sharp Arrows (120:3–4)

  III.  Woe to Me That I Dwell among the Warlike (120:5–7)

Psalm 120 is a member of the largest single category of psalms, the individual lament. Nevertheless, it has its own distinctive character as a Song of Ascents. The psalm enables those in Israel who sing it to picture the plight of their brethren who sojourn in foreign lands. This should have at least three effects: (1) The congregation can join their dispersed brethren in sympathetic prayer for God’s help in their distress. (2) The singers can deepen their appreciation and gratitude for the sanctuary, to which they have ready access (until the Romans destroy it in AD 70). (3) It should reinforce among the faithful their place among the Gentiles as ambassadors of God’s peace—a peace that one day will rule the earth under the leadership of the Messiah, who will remove all conflict among mankind (Isa. 11:1–10). The psalm can also serve these purposes for Jews in the dispersion, giving them a yearning for the rites of the sanctuary.

These purposes fit well with the idea suggested above, that the Songs of Ascents are especially geared to the approach to the sanctuary at the time of the festivals.

Christians profess that their assemblies, scattered through the world, are the new temple that the Lord is building and filling (Eph. 2:22; 1 Pet. 2:5). Hence they have ready access to the privileges of gathered worship; singing this psalm can deepen their thankfulness for such access. At the same time, it can provide them with sympathy for fellow Christians throughout the world who face wars and threats of violence, joining with them in praying for God’s help. And the peaceful relationships among the diverse members of the Christian assembly should testify to the world of the peace-loving, peace-giving God the Christians worship (Rom. 15:4–7; Eph. 2:13–17; 1 Pet. 2:11–12). Christians differ concerning the extent to which the prophetic expectations of the Messiah’s peaceful rule will cover the earth before Jesus returns, but they are called to live in confidence that it one day will and to shape their daily lives by that future hope.Psalm 120

Psalm 121