God Speaks
120 A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
1 I took my troubles to the Lord;
I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer.
2 Rescue me, O Lord, from liars
and from all deceitful people.
3 O deceptive tongue, what will God do to you?
How will he increase your punishment?
4 You will be pierced with sharp arrows
and burned with glowing coals.
5 How I suffer in far-off Meshech.
It pains me to live in distant Kedar.
6 I am tired of living
among people who hate peace.
7 I search for peace;
but when I speak of peace, they want war!
121 A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
1 I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!
3 He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.
5 The Lord himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
6 The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon at night.
7 The Lord keeps you from all harm
and watches over your life.
8 The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.
122 A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of David.
1 I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
2 And now here we are,
standing inside your gates, O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem is a well-built city;
its seamless walls cannot be breached.
4 All the tribes of Israel—the Lord’s people—
make their pilgrimage here.
They come to give thanks to the name of the Lord,
as the law requires of Israel.
5 Here stand the thrones where judgment is given,
the thrones of the dynasty of David.
6 Pray for peace in Jerusalem.
May all who love this city prosper.
7 O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls
and prosperity in your palaces.
8 For the sake of my family and friends, I will say,
“May you have peace.”
9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek what is best for you, O Jerusalem.
Source: New Living Translation: BibleGateway.com
We Respond
Reflection: Consider the following questions regarding each psalm of Psalms 120-122:
1. What does this psalm tell me about God?
2. What does this psalm tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
Psalm 120
1. The LORD God is the one who answers prayers and deals with the lying, deceitful people who continually conspire against the righteous.
2. People can take all their troubles to the LORD and should do so.
Psalm 121
1. The LORD God is the Maker of heaven and earth who watches over those who fear Him.
2. People are to look to God for help, not other human beings or objects like the mountains, the sun, or the moon.
Psalm 122
1. It is God who chose and established Jerusalem and Israel.
2. People are to pray for and seek the peace and prosperity of Jerusalem.
Prayer:
3. How might I pray regarding Psalms 120-122?
Thank You, strong and loving Father God, for answering the prayers of all who call on You. Please do rescue us from liars and all deceitful people. Please punish severely those who purposely harm others physically, verbally, socially, or emotionally. Grant us Your peace in the midst of great (or subtle) conflict. Does my help and protection come from the mountains, as strong as they are? No, it comes from You, LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. You will never let me stumble if I stay close to You. You will never let me down or leave me alone when I need You. You are never caught napping. You will always be my shade of protection. You, LORD, keep me and all of Your people from all (ultimate) harm and watch over our lives. You see whatever we do and wherever we go. This is why I look forward to going to Your house and gathering with Your people wherever You meet with us (especially in Your special city of Jerusalem). We don’t need the law to command us to come. We, Your people, willingly come to give thanks to the name of the LORD. I do ask You to send peace to Jerusalem, prosperity within her palaces, and peace within her walls. May all the peoples of the world strive for peace, for the sake of the house of the LORD and to seek what is best for God’s city, Jerusalem. All for Your glory LORD. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Psalms 120-122?
- I will bring my problems to God at least once daily.
- I will thank the LORD at least once daily for watching over me and protecting.
- I will renounce (publicly when appropriate) all previous dependence on anything other than the LORD God and turn back to Him.
- I will pray for and actively seek the peace and prosperity of Jerusalem.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.