March 4
Reading: Psalm 120
A Song of Ascents.
1 In my distress I called to the LORD,
and he answered me.
2 Deliver me, O LORD, from lying lips,
from a deceitful tongue.
3 What shall be given to you, and what more shall be done to you,
you deceitful tongue?
4 A warrior’s sharp arrows,
with glowing coals of the broom tree!
5 Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech,
that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
6 Too long have I had my dwelling
among those who hate peace.
7 I am for peace, but when I speak,
they are for war!
The fifteen Songs of Ascent are Psalms 120-134. These psalms were put together in a collection in the fifth book of psalms for pilgrims making a journey to the Temple in Jerusalem to worship. The worshippers would sing these psalms on the way up to Jerusalem. For the Jewish person, Jerusalem was always up from any direction because there one would come into the presence of the Lord. In general, these psalms move from distance from the Lord to intimacy with God and His people.
Psalm 120 begins the progression with distress. This psalm is a lament. “Meshech” (vs. 5) is in the remote northern steppes of Asia proper. (Genesis 10:2, Ezekiel 39:1) “Kedar” is in the deserts of Arabia. (Genesis 25:13, Isaiah 21:16) Thus the psalmist is praying to God in places as remote and distant from Jerusalem as can be imagined. He is far from God and the people of God. But, as one can tell from the prayer, God is not far from him. He is praying in his distress.
We can see in this psalm that the person calling to the Lord is among people who lie and make war. These are the two defining characteristics of the people causing his distress. In the Bible, a liar is not simply someone who is trying to deceive. A liar is speaking untruths, specifically about God. He may believe what he is saying is absolutely true, but if his words are false, he is a liar. In our society we are surrounded by liars spreading lies; sometimes this is their intent; other times they believe they are speaking truth. But if one speaks contrary to truth or to the truth of God’s Word they lie.
We also live amid people who love to fight. Many people are not happy unless they are in conflict with other people. Our media insists that we be continually angry about nearly everything. We live in a poisonous polemical society. Do not fall for it. Do not get sucked into the fighting. Cling to the truth of God’s Word. Love people. Live in the joy of the Lord. Hebrews 12:14 tells us, “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”