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Songs of Ascent Playlist – Joy Chose You — Readers’ Choice

Links for today’s readings:

Oct 2  Read: Ezekiel 2  Listen: (1:38)  Read: Romans 5 Listen: (3:53)

Links for this weekend’s readings:

Oct 3  Read: Ezekiel 3  Listen: (4:41)  Read: Romans 6 Listen: (3:28)
Oct 4  Read: Ezekiel 4  Listen: (2:56)  Read: Romans 7 Listen: (4:09)

Readers’ Choice posts are selected by our readers:

John Tillman, TX — To kick off this year’s Readers’ Choice, I want to start with a personal favorite: the “Songs of Ascent Playlist” series. Usually Erin and I work independently on whatever scripture comes up on our particular day. However, when all fifteen of the psalms of ascent landed within the five days of one week, it felt like a providential opportunity to do something thematic. Yesterday, I reposted the first one, which introduced the series, and today, I’m reposting one of Erin’s devotionals from the series. I’ve also added links to the other four at the end.

This post was originally published on July 29, 2026, based on readings from Psalm 126:1-2, Psalm 127:1-2, and Psalm 128:1-2.

Scripture Focus: Psalm 126:1-2 

1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,

    we were like those who dreamed. 

2 Our mouths were filled with laughter.

Psalm 127:1-2

1 Unless the Lord builds the house,

    the builders labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city,

    the guards stand watch in vain.

2 In vain you rise early

    and stay up late,

toiling for food to eat—

    for he grants sleep to those he loves.

Psalm 128:1-2

1 Blessed are all who fear the Lord,

    who walk in obedience to him.

2 You will eat the fruit of your labor;

    blessings and prosperity will be yours.

Reflection: Songs of Ascent Playlist – Joy Chose You — Readers’ Choice

By Erin Newton

These three psalms of ascent are mountain peak songs: the rescue is complete; the singer arises out of the valleys of despair and enjoys the glories of restoration.

Laughing and dreaming—the scene probably looks like Maria twirling and singing, “The hills are alive with the sound of music.” It’s pure joy. It’s not only restoration of finances, but also of the soul.

Psalm 127 is the disclaimer amid the hill-frolicking joy. Restored fortunes, restored joy only lasts if it’s built by the Lord.

Finally, Psalm 128 returns to the restoration of blessings.

Restoration plus the Lord equals blessedness.

For those who were reading and singing these songs after the exile or during their routine visits and escapes from everyday duties, taking time for joy is spiritual discipline.

“Count your blessings” is said as a reproof for not being grateful. In other ways, it can be a good reminder to acknowledge the goodness of life here and now.

Donna Ashworth wrote a poem called “Joy Chose You,” which highlights the rarity of joy. Two lines help us here:

             “Joy does not arrive with a fanfare
            on a red carpet strewn
            with the flowers of a perfect life…

             … joy is supposed to slither through
            the cracks of your imperfect life…”

Whenever someone compliments our kids’ behavior or our relationship, my husband and I exchange a calm and knowing smile. Through fire and by God’s grace—that is the only answer we can give them. Like the psalmists here, we have been rescued (this time at least and in this area) so we have been granted moments of restoration and now we worship.

Have you taken time to count your blessings? Do you stop for a moment to acknowledge where God has restored you?

Admittedly, there are still many broken pieces in my life. I am still praying for a way out, a helping hand, an ease to a burden, but so far those are still unanswered.

The songs of ascent remind us that life is not just one mountain to climb but a series of peaks and valleys. We are not on a linear path from rescue to worship; it’s an ebb and flow, an up and down, an ascent and descent.

But here, now, let joy slither into the cracks of your imperfect life. Donna Ashworth says “joy chose you,” and I believe that “our God of joy chose you.”

Songs of Ascent series:

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer

Come now and see the works of God, how wonderful he is in his doing toward all people. — Psalm 66.4

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Songs of Ascent Playlist – Songs in the Dark

In your “playlist” of prayers, you need songs that cry out, “How long, O Lord? Even if your back has never been plowed with furrows, others’ backs have been.

Songs of Ascent Playlist – Songs in the Dark
Readers’ Choice is Here!

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Songs of Ascent Playlist — From War to Peace — Readers’ Choice

Readers’ Choice is here: Over two-thirds of our devotionals get emailed responses from readers like you. Hearing that what we have written is meaningful to you is meaningful to us. That’s why we love sharing some of your comments and messages. Thank you, readers. We do what we do to serve you. There’s still time to tell us about your favorite, most meaningful posts of the year. If you shared it with someone, or it helped you, let us know via email, direct message, or by filling out the linked form.

Links for today’s readings:

Oct 1  Read: Ezekiel 1 Listen: (4:47)   Read: Romans 4 Listen: (4:08)

Readers’ Choice posts are selected by our readers:

John Tillman, TX — To kick off this year’s Readers’ Choice, I want to start with a personal favorite: the “Songs of Ascent Playlist” series. Usually Erin and I work independently on whatever scripture comes up on our particular day. However, when all fifteen of the psalms of ascent landed within the five days of one week, it felt like a providential opportunity to do something thematic. I’ll repost the first one today because it introduces the concept and series, but I’ll add links to the other four at the end and put one of Erin’s devotionals from the series on tomorrow.

This post was originally published on July 27, 2026, based on readings from Psalms 120, 121, and 122.

Scripture Focus: Psalm 120.5-7

5 Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek, 
that I live among the tents of Kedar! 
6 Too long have I lived 
among those who hate peace. 
7 I am for peace; 
but when I speak, they are for war. 

Psalm 121

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— 
where does my help come from? 
2 My help comes from the Lord, 
the Maker of heaven and earth. 
3 He will not let your foot slip— 
he who watches over you will not slumber; 
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel 
will neither slumber nor sleep. 
5 The Lord watches over you— 
the Lord is your shade at your right hand; 
6 the sun will not harm you by day, 
nor the moon by night. 
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm— 
he will watch over your life; 
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going 
both now and forevermore. 

Psalm 122.6-9

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: 
“May those who love you be secure. 
7 May there be peace within your walls 
and security within your citadels.” 
8 For the sake of my family and friends, 
I will say, “Peace be within you.” 
9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, 
I will seek your prosperity.

Songs of Ascent Playlist — From War to Peace — Readers’ Choice

By John Tillman

Fifteen “Songs of Ascent” follow Psalm 119. What are they?

Federico Villanueva (Asia Bible Commentary) highlights two theories. One says they were sung by worshipers “ascending” the steep roads to Jerusalem’s temple. Another says they were sung by post-exile Jews, struggling up the metaphorically steep path to resettlement. These explanations do not rule one another out and probably are both true.

The Psalms scroll is carefully edited and assembled. Human artistry and divine inspiration were partners not just in writing these poems but in curating and arranging them. These fifteen songs of ascent are a divine playlist of rescue, restoration, and worship.

Would you arrange a playlist of songs by date of release or alphabetically? Probably not, unless your only purpose was historical. Playlists are arranged for different reasons.

During one break from college, I made a “mix-tape” for the girl who is now my wife. I didn’t arrange the songs alphabetically or by release date. I arranged them so that each song added to the message that I loved her and (even though I wasn’t quite ready to ask) wanted to marry her. My father drove me back to college. During the three-hour drive, we listened to the tape. He picked up on the message and asked. “Son, are you trying to tell this girl something?”

These psalms of Hebrew poetry were gathered, curated, and assembled post-exile to tell us something. They tell us how God’s people, despite their sins and distress, are still wooed and welcomed by God, back into his presence.

Appropriately, this story begins with lament in Psalm 120. If you are ascending to a high place, you start from a low place. The singer of Psalm 120 is in a low place, captured among those hungry for war, and far from the peace of God’s temple.

Psalm 121 lifts our heads to our destination and source of help and hope. We do not rely on the strength of our legs to make this climb. God will not let us slip.

Psalm 122 celebrates the enduring hope still ahead of us—the peace of God that is beyond understanding and beyond this world.

Whatever low place you are at, God’s love calls you to ascend. Wherever you are in your ascent, keep your eyes on the heights to come. No matter how war clamors around us, peace is coming to drown it out.

Keep singing. And keep climbing.

Songs of Ascent series:

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer

Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name. — Psalm 97.2

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Songs of Ascent Playlist — From Badlands to Highlands

Every trip to the temple was a lowercase “exodus” from life’s daily enslavements…seek freedom and forgiveness at the mountain of God.

Songs of Ascent Playlist — From Badlands to Highlands
Read more: Songs of Ascent Playlist – Unity Tour

The psalmist reflects on the diverse and varied community that had taken the trek up to Jerusalem, those who ascended the mountain together.

Songs of Ascent Playlist – Unity Tour
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A Terrifying, Absent God

Links for today’s readings:

Sep 30  Read: Lamentations 5 Listen: (2:03) Read: Romans 3 Listen: (4:30)

Scripture Focus: Lamentations 5:20-22

20 Why do you always forget us?

    Why do you forsake us so long?

21 Restore us to yourself, Lord, that we may return;

    renew our days as of old

22 unless you have utterly rejected us

    and are angry with us beyond measure.

Reflection: A Terrifying, Absent God

By Erin Newton

I have been teaching a study on Job and horror. Initially the combination raises a lot of questions and concerns. How can these two things go together? Are we allowed to talk about the places in the Bible that absolutely terrify us?

As I prepare each week, it becomes increasingly clear that the emotions of being afraid or terrified are quite common in the Old Testament. We like to think that it was the raging seas or the catastrophic floods that encapsulate all that is terrifying in those books. But what I have found, and what has been pointed out by other scholars, is that one of the most terrifying realities, or at least perceptions, is the terror of being alone, forsaken by God himself. 

When you think about the book of Lamentations, we often assume it’s just a long poem of sadness. We see it as a cry from the prophet to God about all that is wrong in the world. While that is not untrue, I want to highlight for a moment the scary aspect of a world where God does not see you.

Job often cries out asking God to look away, give him less attention. But there is also the terrified pleas for God to show up and give him an explanation. Lamentations has that same sense of terror. The book closes with this dreadful thought—what if God is done with us? What if we’ve gone too far? What if we have outrun his love? What if we are alone?

If this was our only book in the Bible, we’d all be a miserable lot. Thank God for the testimony of so many others! We know we are not alone. We know we cannot outrun the love of God. We know that Lamentations is voicing the terrifying doubts and worries we all have and we know that it is not the last word. 

But the cry is familiar: Why do you forsake us for so long? When we are suffering, when the world continues its merciless series of catastrophes and abuse—it feels like time is at a standstill and that God is silent. 

Do we close the book of our faith with these final words of Lamentations? Absolutely not! Immanuel has come. God With Us is here. Despite the dark nights and shrill winds that obscure our ability to hear God, we are not alone.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer

But I will call upon God, and the Lord will deliver me.

In the evening, in the morning, and at noonday, I will complain and lament,

He will bring me safely back…God, who is enthroned of old, will hear me… — Psalm 55.17

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Readers’ Choice is Here!

This month, we reshare your favorite Park Forum posts from this year. There’s still room for more. Tell us about one we should include.
What posts nourished your faith?

https://forms.gle/Kj12Ziy4C9gQg8Xm7

Read more: Prescription for Peace

There are many saying the wounds of sin are not serious and “No harm will come to you.” Promising false peace is…deceptive and dangerous

Prescription for Peace
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Bloodshed and Bloodguilt

Links for today’s readings:

Sep 29  Read: Lamentations 4 Listen: (3:42) Read: Romans 2 Listen: (4:13)

Scripture Focus: Lamentations 4.13-15

13 But it happened because of the sins of her prophets 

and the iniquities of her priests, 

who shed within her 

the blood of the righteous. 

14 Now they grope through the streets 

as if they were blind. 

They are so defiled with blood 

that no one dares to touch their garments. 

15 “Go away! You are unclean!” people cry to them. 

“Away! Away! Don’t touch us!” 

When they flee and wander about, 

people among the nations say, 

“They can stay here no longer.”

Reflection: Bloodshed and Bloodguilt

By John Tillman

Jeremiah said the priests and prophets shed the “blood of the righteous.” Is this bloodshed literal or metaphorical?

In this context, it is probably both. Bloodguilt is a person’s moral responsibility before God for unjust deaths that one caused or failed to take reasonable action to prevent, especially when one had a duty to act, such as under the covenant or, by analogy, modern legal systems.

You don’t have to literally spill blood to have bloodguilt. For example, Jeremiah narrowly escaped “bloodshed” by the religious leaders, but they didn’t try to cut his throat. They tried to drown or starve him in a muddy cistern. (Jer 38.6-13)

Bloodguilt is often implied for non-violent offenses involving neglect, such as deaths deemed preventable if covenant responsibilities had been followed faithfully. For example, when foreigners, widows, orphans, or the poor starve to death because the community fails to care for them as directed, God demands an account. (Is 1.15-17; Eze 22.7-12; Jer 22.3-17; Prov 24.11-12)

In Jeremiah’s poem of lament, these priests become pariahs. They stagger around blindly, covered in blood that makes them unclean. People shout at them to go away and shun their touch.

In real life, before the fall of the city, these priests probably looked normal. Their robes would have been immaculate and people would have been honored to be in their presence. But in Jeremiah’s vision, the truth is revealed. When their wickedness and bloodguilt become visible to everyone, they are shunned.

We do not live under the covenant that Jerusalem did, but that does not mean we don’t have responsibilities as God’s people to preserve and protect life. There are at least two ways to think about this.

First, consider the log in your eye. Are we taking seriously our responsibilities to take reasonable measures to prevent loss of life? What are we, personally, and through our churches and governments, doing or not doing?

The second is, are we holding accountable those who shed blood either maliciously or through incompetence or carelessness? Are we shunning and calling them out for their sins or going along with them as normal?

Like Jeremiah, we do not incur bloodguilt for things we have no power to stop or for things we oppose, yet fail to stop. However, whether people are being shot in the street or starving in the street, let us be found doing what we can and holding accountable those who are negligent or complicit.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence

Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; let those who love your salvation say forever, “Great is the Lord!” — Psalm 70.4

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Readers’ Choice is Coming!

Readers’ Choice is when we ask you to share your favorite Park Forum posts from this year. What posts challenged you?

https://forms.gle/Kj12Ziy4C9gQg8Xm7

Read more: Justice That Protects Even Criminals’ Lives

The life of the criminal matters to God…Let us ensure that we maintain justice that protects life, including the life of the criminal.

Justice That Protects Even Criminals’ Lives
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Time to Make the Mercy Known

Links for today’s readings:

Sep 28  Read: Lamentations 3 Listen: (5:10) Read: Romans 1 Listen: (5:02)

Scripture Focus: Lamentations 3.19-23, 32-33

19 I remember my affliction and my wandering, 

the bitterness and the gall. 

20 I well remember them, 

and my soul is downcast within me. 

21 Yet this I call to mind 

and therefore I have hope: 

22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, 

for his compassions never fail. 

23 They are new every morning; 

great is your faithfulness. 

32 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, 

so great is his unfailing love. 

33 For he does not willingly bring affliction 

or grief to anyone.

Reflection: Time to Make the Mercy Known

By John Tillman

“Time to make the mercy.”

This inside joke between my wife and me mashes up “His mercies are new every morning” with an old Dunkin’ Donuts commercial. (NIV uses “compassions” instead of “mercies”)

In the famous “Time to make the donuts” commercial, Fred the Baker exits and enters his door at all hours. Exiting, he says, “Time to make the donuts.” Entering, weary and worn by weather and work, he says, “I made the donuts.” This continues repeatedly until he meets himself coming in the door, saying a final time, “I made the donuts.”

I don’t remember when I first made this little joke, but it was probably inspired by the old worship chorus, “The Steadfast Love of the Lord.”  It has been a consistent, light-hearted way to keep this verse and thought alive in our hearts. It refreshes me to picture God, laboring as the baker (perhaps with some flour on his clothing and sweat on his brow) to make afresh new mercies for each day.

But the mercy that Jeremiah spoke about is not some light and fluffy donut.

Would you have guessed (if you didn’t know) that this encouraging line comes from a book of poems called Lamentations? Probably not. Separated from its context, the phrase sounds so cheery it can seem trite.

When things go awfully, horribly wrong in life, encouragement from people who seem to never have had anything go wrong doesn’t help. When someone whose worst day ever was spilling their coffee or dropping a donut tells us, “His mercies are new every morning,” it’s understandable to roll our eyes. When Jeremiah says it, we can trust it.

Jeremiah said that God does not “willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.” But he also said God has “broken my teeth with gravel” and “all that I had hoped from the Lord” is gone. From this painful and broken place, Jeremiah speaks about God’s mercies, compassion, and loyal love.

The mercy Jeremiah described saved him from being consumed or crushed in his pain. God’s mercy is “battle-tested” by Jeremiah and many before us. It is tough enough for the toughest things we will face.

Not only do we need that kind of loyal love and mercy, everyone around us does too. God has already “made the mercy” through Christ’s cross. It is finished. 

It is time for us to make Christ’s mercy known.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence

Be seated on your lofty throne, O most high; O Lord, judge the nations. — Psalm 7.8

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Readers’ Choice is Coming!

Readers’ Choice is when we ask you to share your favorite Park Forum posts from this year. 
What posts comforted you?

https://forms.gle/Kj12Ziy4C9gQg8Xm7

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