Tag: Psalm 123

Posted on

Songs of Ascent Playlist – Unity Tour

Links for today’s readings:

Jul 31  Read: Isaiah 60 Listen: (3:55) Read: Psalms 132-134 Listen: (2:42)

Links for today’s readings:

Aug 1  Read: Isaiah 61 Listen: (2:23) Read: Psalms 135-136 Listen: (5:03)|
Aug 2  Read: Isaiah 62 Listen: (2:09) Read: Psalms 137-138 Listen: (2:13)

Scripture Focus: Psalm 133:1

1 How good and pleasant it is
    when God’s people live together in unity!

Psalm 134:1

1 Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord
    who minister by night in the house of the Lord.

Psalm 135:1-2

1 Praise the Lord.
Praise the name of the Lord;
    praise him, you servants of the Lord,
2 you who minister in the house of the Lord,
    in the courts of the house of our God.

Reflection: Songs of Ascent Playlist – Unity Tour

By Erin Newton

Each year elite cyclists from around the world compete in Le Tour de France. In our house, it’s practically a holiday. Each day we watch the athletes race through towns, up hills and around curves at ridiculous speeds.

Whenever there is a steep climb on one stage of the race, the first one to the top receives a white and red polka dot jersey to wear on the next day. There are other jerseys: solid white for the best young rider, solid green for the best sprinter, and solid yellow for the overall leader.

Even if most cyclists never wear one of these jerseys, they are all headed to the same place. They arrive at different times, but they celebrate together. Many friendships extend beyond team lines. This year’s leader was heartbroken when a fellow rider broke his collarbone and had to withdraw from the Tour. They wear different jerseys and different sponsor logos but they are like brothers.

In these next few psalms, we have another mountaintop moment—a chorus of singers arrive and join in worship. Psalm 133 aptly proclaims, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.” The psalmist reflects on the diverse and varied community that had taken the trek up to Jerusalem, those who ascended the mountain together.

The next two psalms refer to “all you servants” who minister day and night and in the house and courts of God. All servants. Unity. These are surely words of restoration and worship.

I’ve been involved in church dynamics before that included members seeking to create boundaries or barriers for other believers. There were a series of rules, hoops, or processes that were said to be for the preservation of the faith, but they actually functioned in a divisive way.

I left one day saying, “Surely Jesus didn’t mean our persecution would be from the hands of one another!” How good and pleasant unity is indeed.

In what ways have you been part of a group that discriminated against other travelers on the way to commune with God? Have you been on the receiving end of such discrimination? How has disunity festered among God’s people?

We are all called servants of God, each ministering in our own ways. We are all traveling the same roads from rescue to restoration. May we enjoy the pleasantness of unity in the house of God!

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer

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.

Read more: Songs of Ascent Playlist — From War to Peace

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.

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

We return home with a reoriented reality. The temporary exodus reminds us an eternal one is coming.

Songs of Ascent Playlist — From Badlands to Highlands
Posted on

Songs of Ascent Playlist — From Badlands to Highlands

Links for today’s readings:

Jul 28  Read: Isaiah 57 Listen: (3:37) Read: Psalms 123-125 Listen: (1:32)

Scripture Focus: Psalm 123.3-4

3 Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us, 

for we have endured no end of contempt. 

4 We have endured no end 

of ridicule from the arrogant, 

of contempt from the proud. 

Psalm 124

1 If the Lord had not been on our side— 

let Israel say— 

2 if the Lord had not been on our side 

when people attacked us, 

3 they would have swallowed us alive 

when their anger flared against us; 

4 the flood would have engulfed us, 

the torrent would have swept over us, 

5 the raging waters 

would have swept us away. 

6 Praise be to the Lord, 

who has not let us be torn by their teeth. 

7 We have escaped like a bird 

from the fowler’s snare; 

the snare has been broken, 

and we have escaped. 

8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, 

the Maker of heaven and earth. 

Psalm 125.3-5

3 The scepter of the wicked will not remain 

over the land allotted to the righteous, 

for then the righteous might use 

their hands to do evil. 

4 Lord, do good to those who are good, 

to those who are upright in heart. 

5 But those who turn to crooked ways 

the Lord will banish with the evildoers. 

Peace be on Israel.

Reflection: Songs of Ascent Playlist — From Badlands to Highlands

By John Tillman

The fifteen “Songs of Ascent” following Psalm 119 are a divine playlist of rescue, restoration, and worship. These songs were sung on the ascent to Jerusalem and sung about the post-exile return to Jerusalem.

Jerusalem’s temple represented God dwelling with his people as he did in Sinai’s wilderness. Every trip to the temple was a lowercase “exodus” from life’s daily enslavements and temptations to seek freedom and forgiveness at the mountain of God. “Songs of Ascent” helped people sing their way from the badlands of sin, separation, and slavery to the highlands of freedom, forgiveness, and fellowship with God.

Have you ever needed more than a vacation? Have you needed an escape?

The psalmists of Psalms 123, 124, and 125 map out that kind of journey. They move from badlands to highlands using a similar pattern from the first triad, Psalm 120, 121, and 122. The pattern begins with lament, turns to praise, and ends with peace. 

Psalm 123 raises a cry for mercy. They are trapped in contempt, ridicule, and arrogance. In Psalm 124, they remember the Lord is the source of rescue. The trap is broken. They escape the attacks that tried to sweep them away. In Psalm 125, they remember where they are escaping to. Their destination and destiny is God’s righteous kingdom of justice.

My wife and I have taken many healing and freeing “escapes” to the mountains or desert highlands. In the wildest places, our phones lose their signal but our souls better detect God’s truths.

We return home with a reoriented reality. The temporary exodus reminds us an eternal one is coming. Contempt, ridicule, and arrogance may close their trap on us, but it will shatter in their faces. The scepters of swaggering tyrants will splinter. Corrupt thrones and powers will be overthrown. These truths ride home with us like a song we can sing.

I encourage travel as a spiritual discipline. Visit a National Park or your local city park. (We don’t take our inspiration from Central Park for nothing.) But even without leaving your house, “Songs of Ascent” can transport you to your true home.

Whatever kind of badlands you navigate, Jesus has opened the road to God’s highlands. No kind of sin, corruption, oppression, worry, or sickness can keep you from joining him on that narrow way. Sing your way there with these psalms. Sing your way into God’s peaceful highlands.

Music: 

“Shall crime bring crime forever?

Strength aiding still the strong?

Is it thy will, O Father

That men shall toil for wrong?

“No!” say thy mountains!

“No!” say thy skies!”

Man’s clouded sun shall brightly rise

And songs be heard, instead of sighs!”

— “God Save The People,” Godspell, Steven Schwartz

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer

Be joyful to the Lord, all you lands; serve the Lord with gladness and come before his presence with a song. — Psalm 100.1

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

Read more: How Did He Do It?

How did Jesus do it?…set aside his divinity and glory to live in flesh and struggle…worship in a corrupted temple and synagogue system?

How Did He Do It?
Read The Bible With Us

If our devotionals help you, they’d probably also help someone you know. Invite them to walk through the scriptures with you at our sustainable, two-year pace.

https://mailchi.mp/theparkforum/m-f-daily-email-devotional

Posted on

What Child is This? — Carols of Advent Joy

Scripture Focus: Psalm 123:1
1 I lift up my eyes to you,
    to you who sit enthroned in heaven.

Luke 2:15-18
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

Reflection: What Child is This? — Carols of Advent Joy
By Jon Polk

The melody of Greensleeves is instantly recognizable, but few know the lyrics of the original song by that title. Most associate the tune with the beloved Christmas carol, What Child is This?

The son of a surgeon from Bristol, England, William Chatterton Dix spent most of his life as a manager of the Maritime Insurance Company in Glasgow, Scotland. 

In 1865, at the age of 29, Dix suffered from an unexpected, severe illness that nearly took his life. The sickness left him confined to bed for months suffering from serious depression. During his recovery, he experienced a profound spiritual revival. Reading the Bible constantly, he channeled his renewed faith into writing poetry and hymns for the church.

Dix’s most well-known hymn is the carol, What Child is This?, written during that period of illness and depression. The song wrestles with the mystery of the Incarnation and paints a classic portrait of the Nativity.

What Child is this who, laid to rest,
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?

The questions presume to be those of the shepherds as they consider the true nature of the baby the angels celebrate. They wonder about the humble circumstances surrounding his birth.

Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?

Dix based the song on a poem he had written earlier, titled The Manger Throne, in which he describes the excitement over the birth of this King born in a lowly estate.

Never fell melodies half so sweet
          As those which are filling the skies,
And never a palace shone half so fair
          As the manger bed where our Saviour lies

With a symbolic nod to the story of the Magi, the questions of the shepherds are answered, and we are reminded that our King has come to rescue both kings and peasants, wise men and shepherds alike.

So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh,
Come peasant, king to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

This King, born in a Manger Throne, has come to bring us life, the humble station of his birth reflecting the humiliation of his own death on our behalf.

Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you;

The King of the Universe, born in a filthy cattle trough, worshiped by dirty shepherds. A stark contrast which portends our own transformations when we follow him, much like the spiritual awakening of a humble Anglican businessman inspired him to dedicate his creative talents to hymns which remind the church to continually reflect upon the question, what child is this?

Listen: What Child is This? by Russ Taff
Read: Lyrics from Hymnary.org

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

Today’s Readings
2 Chronicles 21  (Listen 3:25) 
Psalms 123-125 (Listen 1:52)

Read more about Pause To Read
On Pause to Read, a podcast by The Park Forum, we read a devotional from the past year and encourage listeners to pause to read the scripture before continuing to listen to the devotional.

Pause To Read Podcast

Read more about Supporting Our Work
Continuing and expanding our work requires support from our donors. Consider becoming a donor with an end-of-year one-time gift or as a monthly donor.

Supporting our Work
Show Buttons
Hide Buttons
Spur a spiritual rhythm of refreshment right in your inbox
By joining this email list you are giving us permission to send you devotional emails each weekday and to communicate occasionally regarding other aspects of the ministry.
100% Privacy. We don't spam.