A Journey through the Psalms of Ascent ( ) Session 1 The Call to Pilgrimage

“Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.” (Psalm 84:5)

 “The Christian Life has often been compared to the taking of a journey or pilgrimage. And this is so. There is a sense in which we are but ‘passing through this land’. But we must always remember that we are never the Guide. We never blaze an uncut trail; Christ has gone before.” – From “Disciplines for the Inner Life”, Benson.

“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.” (Hebrews 11:13)

NOMADSPILGRIMS Aimless wanderers moved by immediate needs Have a destination in mind and their journey has an eternal purpose

The Discipline of Retreat is a simple, ancient and Biblical approach to prayer and worship that sets up the ideal conditions to enter into that restful place of quiet awareness of God's healing and guiding presence. The primary purpose of this kind of devotional discipline is to open the "eyes" of our spiritual perception in order to become aware of His indwelling presence and to center our complete attention on Him.

“Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” (Psalm 86:11)

 Lectio Divina is a slow, contemplative praying of the Scriptures which enables the Bible, the Word of God, to become a means of union with God. LectioMeditatio Oratio Contem- platio ReadingListeningMeditation Worship Prayer

 In the Hebrew the term that is used is “Ma’aloth”, in the Talmud the rabbinical explanation that is given is that the Psalms were written for chanting upon the fifteen steps which led from the Court of the Women in the Temple to the Court of the Men. Others, translating “Ma’aloth” by “ascents”, suggest that they are Psalms composed for the Jews to chant on their ascent from Babylon to Jerusalem at the return from the Captivity.  The title “Songs of Ascents” is given to Psalms They are also called the “Songs of Degrees” or as Martin Luther translated it: “the gradual Psalms, songs of the higher choir”. Some Hebrew Scholars have translated it as the “songs of the pilgrim caravans”.

 Life is like an ascent. We come to God as sinners who are away from Him, separated, and alienated. We come to Him for salvation, and having come for salvation, we go on to sanctification as we grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ; it is a constant going up. We are to be climbing in a spiritual way. Jesus is our Entrance, Way and Destiny.  But most scholars suggest that these songs were used when the pilgrims went up to Jerusalem for the great three feasts (compare 1 Samuel 1:3, Psalm 42:4, 122:4, Isaiah 30:29 and Luke 2:41-50). Whatever view we accept, these songs remain songs of a journey.

The Psalms of Ascents is structured around a central Psalm of Solomon (Psalm 127) and with 7 Psalms on every side. Of these 7 Psalms, 2 are from David and five anonymous: Psalm AnonymousPsalm Anonymous Psalm AnonymousPsalm Anonymous Psalm DavidPsalm Anonymous Psalm 127 Psalm Anonymous Psalm 127Psalm David * Solomon Psalm David * SolomonPsalm Anonymous Psalm AnonymousPsalm David Psalm AnonymousPsalm Anonymous This structure illustrates that these Psalms have one common theme: The Temple as the place where God’s presence dwells.

For New Testament Corporate Worship, these Psalms become of great importance for the understanding of our progression in worship. These lovely pilgrim songs should be studied in groups in three: 1.In each triad the first finds the pilgrim far away; 2.the second in each triad concentrates on the Lord’s power to preserve, whatever the vicissitudes of the way; 3.and the third is a psalm of arrival and security in Zion: Song 1: Song 1:On the journey towards the presence of God (Psalms 120, 123, 126, 129, 132) Song 2: Song 2:God’s power to preserve (Psalms 121, 124, 127, 130, 133) Song 3: Song 3:In God’s presence (Psalms 122, 125, 128, 131, 134)

 In an age of instant gratification, we must learn to re- dig these ancient wells of slow and dedicated discipleship.  These songs contain many of the essential elements for spiritual formation. Again, as Eugene Peterson says, “If we learn to sing them well, they can be a kind of vade mecum (Latin for ‘a book of ready reference’) for a Christian’s daily walk”.  Learn to listen afresh to those who show us the way to “ascend” to meet with God and be stirred up in anticipation of what joy awaits!

I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD.” (Psalm 122:1)