A song of ascents.
Psalms 120-134 have this, or something very similar as the opening introduction. So what are songs of ascent? They are songs sung during the journey to the Temple in Jerusalem. To get to the Temple, you had to go up from the Kidron Valley some 200 feet, a very steep climb indeed. How many of us would want to come to church on Sundays if we had to climb the final leg of our journey on foot up a 200 foot incline? No wonder they needed songs to help them make the journey. So as you read these psalms, remember this geography, and remember that they are sung in anticipation of worship. They are about a specific place in the world, Jerusalem. They were written at several times, but all celebrate corporate worship. What do we listen to in our cars as we travel to church? Does it help us get focused on our worship experience, or on the day’s news, hip-grinding actions, or country western theology? Think about it. Maybe it is time to change our lives, our routines to reflect the sacredness of every moment, not just the 59 minutes we spend in church.
The Arnold Journey 