Psalm 120:1-7 “A Song of Ascents. In my distress, I cried to the LORD. He answered me. Deliver my soul, LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue. What will be given to you, and what will be done more to you, you deceitful tongue? Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper. Woe is me, that I live in Meshech, that I dwell amongst the tents of Kedar! My soul has had her dwelling too long with him who hates peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war.”

“A Song of Ascent” could mean that you are ascending the temple steps and singing, or that you are on a pilgrimage up the mountains to Jerusalem to worship.

Imagine that you are in a distant land. A land filled with unrighteous, immoral, and lying people. A land like where the barbarians live near the Black Sea in Asia Minor (Meshech), or where the nomadic Ishmaelites who periodically harassed the Israelites dwelled in Arabia (Kedar). Your soul is in distress and you long for peace, because the residents of the land are sinful and they don’t believe in God. You cry out as you go to worship, knowing that God will answer you and bring peace to your soul!

We live in a foreign and hostile land. We are surrounded by a people who don’t know and don’t follow God. Where can we go for peace? Only God! He can bring peace to our souls, and we know that one day we will live in a land of peace.

Philippians 4:6-7 “In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.”

Revelation 22:1-5 “He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will be no curse any more. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no night, and they need no lamp light or sun light; for the Lord God will illuminate them. They will reign forever and ever.”

For additional worship: God of Grace and God of Glory