A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to the hills– where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip– he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you– the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm– he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore (Psalm 121:1-8).

Have you ever felt worried that God had abandoned you?  Or felt vulnerable in your faith?  When you’ve experienced difficulties, has it seemed like God is far away?  Maybe the pilgrim’s journey has been a long uphill climb and you’re tired?

For the disciple experiencing fatigue, rejection, disappointment, or suffering, there is no greater source of encouragement than knowing that God is watching over you and goes with you.  He’s watching over your safety and providing for you.

The psalmist writes in this second Song of Ascents, “I lift my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from?”  The pilgrims on their journey might see the Judean hill country in the distance, know that Jerusalem is surrounded by hills, and remember that the end point of their journey—beyond mere hills– is the presence of God in His holy city.  Discipleship Lesson 2 might be Gaze Beyond the Hills.

“I lift my eyes to the hills”—what a beautiful picture of looking not only to the hills, but above and beyond them to the Creator who made them.  The psalmist reminds us that our help comes from “the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”  The hills and the heavens above them were set in place by a God such as this!  To have the help and watchful eye of “the Maker of heaven and earth” is a great place of security and rest.

Unlike pagan deities that were worshiped on the high places, the psalmist knows that the presence of the God of Israel is beyond the highest heaven.   The temple in Jerusalem could not contain God Almighty.  It is simply a gathering place of corporate worship and a place to fulfill the obedience expected of a disciple seeking God’s presence in a God-honoring way.

Facing any opposition, the pilgrim remembers what obedience looks like and the certain protection of our God who watches over the pilgrim’s travels.  The pilgrimage language speaks of coming and going.  In this psalm there is repeated acknowledgement of God’s activites of watching and protecting.  The psalmist’s peaceful expressions of trust permeate Psalm 121 as the disciple looks beyond the hills to see his helper is none other than the one true and holy God.

The disciple who completely trusts will not need human assurance of protection or provision beyond the daily bread for he doesn’t look to the hills or the earth for his help, but to God alone.

Questions for meditation:

• How easy is it to trust in God alone on a daily basis?
• What worries are crowding out that place of peaceful trust for you?
• What does it take to worship God in a way that honors Him?

Listen to Jesus, God reminds us we journey along.  Our first pilgrim song reminds us to Expect Opposition.  From the moment Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem, the opposition was an uninvited guest in the spiritual sidecar.

And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they went to another village (Luke 9:52-56)

The Samaritans didn’t like the Jews very much.  They especially didn’t like them when they were heading to Jerusalem for the feasts.  Samaritans believed the presence of God was at Mount Gerizim, not in Jerusalem and the Jewish insistence otherwise by these pilgrims showing up made the Samaritans angry.

Jesus is walking with His disciples and the messengers return with the bad news: the Samaritans have yanked in the welcome mat, shut the windows, and bolted the doors.  “No Trespassing” notices adorn every tree and “Keep off the Grass” signs have shown up on everyone’s front lawns.  No hero’s welcome or room at the inn in Samaria for the Rabbi on the move.

James and John, the sons of thunder, were quite perturbed.  This is Rabbi Jesus, we’re talking about coming through.  Indignant, James and John wanted to show those Samaritans a thing or two, just like Elijah did in 2 Kings 1:1-17.  Call down fire! Let’em burn.  (Samaritan jerks.)  Of course, it didn’t take much to stoke the flames of hatred against and by the Samaritans.  Any gentle puff of wind will do, blowing any which way.

But Expect Opposition, the first Song of Ascents reminded us.  Turn the other cheek.  Trust in God.  You’re a disciple of Jesus and the presence of God in heaven is your home.  In this world, you’re aliens and strangers.  So Jesus rebukes James and John.  Isn’t this a bit unfair?  They were only looking out for Jesus’ best interests and they had biblical precedent with the king of Samaria and Elijah. Why not fire from heaven to consume those Samaritans as a timely reminder?

Jesus knew and taught His disciples this: Expect Opposition.  It comes with the territory.  So long as it was mere rejection, just brush it off.  Expect it.  Jesus instructs His disciples to persevere and not to take rejection personally.  After all, it’s really Jesus and His Father in heaven that are being rejected.

For the disciple walking with Jesus “Up to Jerusalem,” there will be other villages in which to stay.  We’re just passing through.  Rejection and discipleship go hand in hand.

Questions for meditation:

• Can you think of a time when you took others’ rejection of your beliefs personally?
• Do you ever feel like an alien and a stranger in this world?
• What types of things make persevering difficult?

 A song of ascents. I call on the LORD in my distress, and he answers me.  Save me, O LORD, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues.  What will he do to you, and what more besides, O deceitful tongue?  He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows, with burning coals of the broom tree.  Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar!  Too long have I lived among those who hate peace.  I am a man of peace; but when I speak, they are for war. (Psalm 120:1-7)

When I was in elementary school, we had music class and would sing songs.  Isn’t it interesting how a song from decades ago can still be memorable?  One song popped into my head instantly as I was thinking of pilgrims singing on their journey: The Happy Wanderer.  The lyrics went, “I love to go a-wandering, along the mountain track.  And as I go, I love to sing.  My knapsack on my back.”  The chorus was always our favorite: “Val-deri,Val-dera,Val-deri,Val-dera-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha.”  We especially liked the ha-ha part and sang it with gusto even if the words were total gibberish.

The pilgrim songs in the Psalter (the Hebrew hymnal) begin with Psalm 120 (above) and are called the Songs of Ascents.  Fifteen psalms are listed this way and there is plenty of discussion over why they are called this.  Was it because these psalms gradually built upon prior ideas?  Or are they related to the fifteen steps up to the sanctuary?  Or maybe a description of the pilgrims returning to Israel at the end of the Babylonian exile?  Many writers consider that these fifteen psalms reflected the pilgrimage to the three annual festivals: Pesach (Passover), Shavu’ot (Pentecost), and Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement).  Just as we sang new and old songs in elementary school, it is thought that the pilgrims going to the Passover and other feasts would remember God’s Word and sing as they made their journey “Up to Jerusalem.”

The discipleship lessons taught by these Songs of Ascents were well remembered, too.  Psalm 120 is the first Song of Ascents and might be titled, “Discipleship Lesson 1: Expect Opposition.”  Not exactly The Happy Wanderer as a subject for Psalm 120.  So why start here?

First, the message reminds us that our journey may start in a place that feels like the pits, but as we seek God’s presence, our spirits can soar.  After all, doesn’t it feel good to get away from a bad place and head toward a place of joy?  Doesn’t it bring you comfort to see how far you’ve come despite feeling like a target of sharp arrows?

Moreover, it prepares us by recalling that opposition happens when you’re on a spiritual journey to the presence of God.  Opposition will come in both words and deeds.    People who reject God can speak against us in a variety of ways and will often demonstrate their disdain through their actions as well.  For American Christians, actions against us are relatively minor in comparison to other areas of this world in which persecution against Christians is commonplace.

For the pilgrims in Israel heading “Up to Jerusalem,” opposition was a familiar experience and hearing this song echoed by other voices would encourage each pilgrim to persevere against opposition.  After all, they were on a spiritual journey to the presence of God.

Questions for meditation:
In what ways have you experienced opposition for your faith in Jesus?
Before following Jesus, were there ways in which you took aim against or opposed Christians?
Think of the Apostle Paul’s life.  How did he understand the expectation of opposition (Acts 9:1-27)?

Luke 9:51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.

During the next 40 days of Lent, we will head out on a spiritual journey with Jesus.  In many respects, walking with Jesus is our simple path of daily discipleship.  At Lent, however, we pause to somberly reflect upon what that journey to the Cross meant for Jesus.  This complex fulfillment of prophecy from ages long past had eternal consequences impacting the life of every man, woman, and child.

Jesus’ travel narrative from the Gospel of Luke becomes our journey, too.  In the background, we might hear Jesus singing the pilgrim songs called the Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120-134) as He makes His way “Up to Jerusalem” to His final Passover festival.  Jesus resolutely set out and Jerusalem was the geographical end point. His travels, however, were not along a straight line predictable path (as the shortest distance between two points). His way was intentional and instructional though, with visits and stays and obstacles along the way.  Discipleship is like that.  Rarely a beeline or a straight shot.

Has your spiritual life been like a long and winding road? 

God’s ways seem circuitous? You’ve treaded old ground a few times? Yet, it’s never a meaningless meandering.  Walking with Jesus is a path of purposeful discipleship for us; and for Him, it was determined destiny—prophetic fulfillment. 

Just prior to turning His face resolutely toward Jerusalem, Jesus had appeared glorious at the Mount of Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36).  Scripture records His discussing His departure—literally exodus in Greek—with 2 prophets spanning the earliest and later OT prophetic histories: Moses (prophet of the Law) and Elijah (a prophet whose reappearance would mark the last days).  Interestingly, they form the pattern of the two witnesses of the Book of Revelation (Rev. 11:3 -6).

Jesus meets with Moses and Elijah and the voice of God speaks, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”   This calls to mind Moses’ declaration, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him”  (Deuteronomy 18:15).

Jesus was no ordinary prophet, but God’s unique Son; and His exodus would secure a permanent Promised Land for the followers of Jesus.  Listen to Jesus, the Son of God, the Messiah—this is what the listeners are all admonished.  Jesus speaks: “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men” (Luke 9:44).

The Cross–this is the destination for Jesus.  Let’s take the long and winding road “Up to Jerusalem” as Jesus’ disciples.  Though the way rarely seems straightforward to us, God says,

This is my Son…listen to Him.

Questions for meditation:

• In what ways is Jesus no ordinary prophet?
• “Listen to Him” is a command statement.  What other voices compete for our listening ear?
• Think about your spiritual journey: is it a straight line or a long and winding road?