STUDY IN THE ASCENT PSALMS

INTRODUCTION

Today is our seventh study of the “Ascent Psalms” – Psalms 120-134. You can check out the first 6 studies in the “BLOG/JEREMY STOPFORD” section of this OUTSTANDING web site of Brother Becker!!!

More importantly, are you applying these amazing psalms to YOUR life?

OUR THEME VERSE

“Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage. (Psalm 84:5 NKJV). Have you set YOUR heart on “pilgrimage”? The Christian life is a…JOURNEY! And “Journey” = DISCIPLESHIP! So…are you daily focused: you’ve set your heart on pilgrimage, you’re on a journey, and the result is the learning of a disciple for Jesus!! True for you?

TODAY WE ARE IN PSALM 126

Psalm 126 New King James Version (NKJV)

A Joyful Return to Zion. A Song of Ascents.

OUTLINE OF PSALM 126 (Dr. W. Graham Scroggie).

Title & Outline: “Peace (vs. 1-3) and Plenty (vs. 4-6)”

SOME INTERESTING INSIGHTS

What ONE word best describes this psalm for you? Got it? How about “JOY”?

Look at the psalm’s progression:

“Dream” (v. 1), which leads to…

“Laughter” (v. 2a) which leads to…

“Singing” (v. 2b) which leads to…

“We are glad) (v. 3) which leads to…

“Tears” (v. 5a) which leads to…

“JOY” (v. 5b) !!!

“Brought back from captivity” [or, “those of the captivity”] could literally mean “restoring the fortunes”. Can you think of a time when that happened to you? This is a psalm of a sudden “turning the tide” from captivity to freedom, from being under the oppression (whether physical or mental) to a Divinely produced FREEDOM!

Let’s look for a brief moment at the phrase at the end of verse 4, “as the streams in the South.” The psalmist was praying for a revival of sorts! He was praying for the return of the captivity, that is, specifically a return to Jerusalem of those who were in captivity on foreign lands throughout the then known world. In that “restoration of fortune”, the psalmist described it as “the streams in the South”. What does that mean?

Look at Isaiah 35:6:

“Then the lame shall leap like a deer,

And the tongue of the dumb sing.

For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness,

And streams in the desert.”

There is a real sense that one day in a future fulfilled millennial kingdom, the parched land of Israel will be once again a flowering, productive land. Isaiah looked forward to that day, and inspirationally referred to it as “streams in the desert”!

Even so, our Psalmist understood that insight. The “South” refers to the Negev Desert, a parched land which is for all intents and purposes good for nothing. So both the Psalmist and Isaiah understood that the Lord Himself can turn deserts into productive land.

And by application, our Psalmist understands that there is a figurative desert in each of our hearts. And the Lord can change that desert into productivity for the Lord Jesus! That, too, is part of the amazing “returning from captivity” as expressed in this psalm.

Let’s zero in for a look at verse 5. “Sowing” and “reaping” and “in joy” usually ONLY follow what? LABOR FOR THE MASTER! Look at 2 Corinthians 9:6, “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” Let me give you a personal example – and these truths are NOT limited just to the pastorate! In the thirty plus years I had the privilege of serving the Lord as a pastor, I would often pray, “Lord, bring people into your house on Sunday.” Haven’t you prayed that prayer, too? And after none new would come, I would pray again, “Lord, I asked you for new people, none new came, so I’m asking you again: bring people into your house on Sunday.” And after none new came, you know what I did? Pray? Well, yes, AND…I went out and visited people the Lord laid upon my heart to visit! Often people I knew who were going through hard times. Often people who perhaps had been to church months or even years ago, but hadn’t been back for one reason or another – BUT NO ONE EVER FOUND OUT WHY! Visitation! SOWING! And a funny thing happened! Not immediately, but regularly – as there was SOWING, there was…REAPING!

NOTE the challenge of verse 6: “continually”. Sharing the love of God in Jesus is not a “once for all” thing. It is a CURRENT AFFAIR WITH JESUS! You got that right! If someone were to ask you, “have you ever shared about the love of God in Christ?”, your answer should NOT ONLY be “oh, right after I was saved, in 1971, I couldn’t shut up for Jesus!”. NO, NO! It should be “CONTINUALLY!”. You may not remember places, persons, or incidents. But our lives should be a CONTINUAL sowing the seed of the gospel of Christ and the glory of God in many ways.

CONCLUDING THOUGHT

It would be easy to overlook the challenging phrase at the end of verse 6, “bringing his sheaves with him” – the source of the wonderful hymn, “Bringing in the Sheaves.” What does it mean? Listen to Moses’ pointed instructions of Leviticus 23:10-11a:

“10 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. 11 He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord…”

What does it mean to “bring” in the “sheaf”? It means the HARVEST!!! And you WAVE that SHEAF before the LORD, a thanksgiving to Him for what He has produced through your faithful (or perhaps even measly!) efforts!

Let me close with an illustration. A number of years ago, I was meeting with some college friends on the beach of Fort Lauderdale during Easter break. Somehow, in the midst of our playing beach volleyball, swimming, and, yes, sun bathing – the topic of Jesus would come up. One of my friends, also a Christian, would join me in sharing the gospel. After several days of this routine, someone said at the start of that day’s beach visit, “DO NOT BRING JESUS UP AGAIN, PLEASE!”. We didn’t, but Jesus did! Later that fall when the new school year began, one of those beach goers came to me at college and said, “you didn’t say a word, but Jesus did! And I could not escape His love for me at Calvary. I have trusted Him as my Savior.” And a sheaf of rejoicing was raised before the Lord!

The Evangelist D. L. Moody is attributed to be the author of this wise saying, “Share the gospel at all costs. And if necessary, use words.”

Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves

We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves!

– – – Knowles Shaw, author (1874)

STUDY IN THE ASCENT PSALMS

INTRODUCTION

Today is our sixth study of the “Ascent Psalms” – Psalms 120-134. Have you checked out the first 5 studies in the “BLOG/JEREMY STOPFORD” section of the amazing web site of Brother Becker?

More importantly, how are you doing in applying these amazing psalms to your life?

OUR THEME VERSE

“Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage.” (Psalm 84:5 NKJV). Have you set YOUR heart on “pilgrimage”?

OR are you in a rut, short for “ROUTINE”!???

Today we are in Psalm 125. It is a psalm both of “trust” and of “turning aside”. As we soon begin, we each need to ask ourselves, “how do I know my TRUST is really in the Lord?”.

It is a brief psalm loaded with 5 most powerful verses:

1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,

Which cannot be moved, but abides forever.

2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,

So the Lord surrounds His people

From this time forth and forever.

3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest

On the land allotted to the righteous,

Lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity.

4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,

And to those who are upright in their hearts.

5 As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways,

The Lord shall lead them away with the workers of iniquity.

Peace be upon Israel!

PRAYER

Father – today, you are inviting us to examine ourselves as to where our TRUST is. We SAY it is in YOU alone, through the work of Your Son Jesus at the cross of Calvary, and through His amazing resurrection from the dead.

We SAY that. How can we examine ourselves – like a wise doctor would our physical selves – to PROVE to ourselves that our TRUST is in YOU?

May your Spirit give us Your understanding of this most challenging psalm.

And ahead of time, we give You thanks!

In Jesus Name, Amen

OUTLINE OF PSALM 125 (Dr. W. Graham Scroggie). Title: “Confidence in God”

1. Permanence v. 1

2. Protection v. 2

3. Promise v. 3a

4. Peril v. 3b

5. Prayer v. 4

6. Prediction v. 5a

7. Peace v. 5b

SOME INTERESTING INSIGHTS

Dr. Scroggie (author of the above outline) writes, “the permanent tranquillity of God’s people, forever (v. 1), is explained by the abiding protection of their Lord, forever (v. 2)”.

Where is the psalmist when he finds his security in the Lord?

Where are YOU when you are most confident and assured of the security of the Lord? Is that a PLACE or a POSITION or a PRESENCE?

Is it a “PLACE” – do you have to be in a church, for example, in order to feel most secured in the Lord? What if the nearest church to you – one that you “feel” most “secure” in, is miles away with no means of getting there? THEN what do you DO?

Is it a “POSITION” – do you have to be in prayer, for example? On your knees? Standing up? Looking up? Hands raised? Fallen prostrate? A POSITION? So what if you are not physically able to do any of that? THEN what do you DO?

Is it a “PRESENCE” – to be enjoying the place of most security, where you know the Lord’s PRESENCE has been promised ALWAYS, where should you be? What should you be doing?

Well, it is 2020! What with all the limitations due to the recent virus, you may find yourself only at HOME! So may I make an HUGE suggestion? Why not be in the PRESENCE of the Lord in His WORD!!! He will meet you there, regardless of how you FEEL, what situations you are in, what emotions you are in, what events are overwhelming your mental state. His PRESENCE is ALWAYS in His Word.

But Brother Jeremy, what about “PRAYER”? Isn’t God’s presence always in prayer? Well, what does the Good Book say? “If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.” (Psalm 66:18). The Lord is DEAF when sin is more pressing than HE is in our lives. So, no, PRAYER does not assure God’s presence.

But His Word does! And being in Sojourn Psalms such as Psalm 125 encourages the pilgrim in the security of God’s Forever Presence!!!

But what about when I STRUGGLE? What about when I am struggling with the enemy in the work of the Lord? What about when the enemy is struggling with ME when I’m trying to live for Jesus and the enemy wants me to live for the enemy? What about when all sorts of testings are in my life, orchestrated by the Lord, to develop my character in Jesus? What if? What if? What when? What? What? What???

What ONE word describes the reason for the righteous to struggle, as found in verse 3?

Yes, the word “REACHES”. It IS possible for the righteous – those like you and me who are striving to be holy in a most unholy world – to “reach out to iniquity”. It IS possible for the sojourner to be content with where he is, rather than “forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:13b-4). It IS possible for the believer to forget that he is but a sojourner, NOT a settler, in this world.

Daily, we must ask ourselves – rather, REMIND ourselves in a question – “today, am I a settler or a sojourner?”. The answer to that question will cause our obedience to the truths of Psalm 125!

In verse 4, WHERE does the sojourner find HELP? He finds HELP in…the PRESENCE of the Lord!!! When he is still before the Lord, he has hope that God will be the HELP of those who are GOOD, of those who are UPRIGHT in their HEARTS! What does that mean? It means that these remember when they wake up that they are but SOJOURNERS and that the Lord Himself is their HELP! They are not settlers. No, NO! “This world is not my home, I’m just a passin’ through!!!”.

Are YOU? Have you found your HELP and HOPE in the cross of Jesus? Is your eternal HELP and HOPE in His death, burial, and resurrection for you personally?

If so, then this psalm is for YOU!!!

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

I am most challenged how this psalm ends!

“Peace be upon Israel !”

I don’t get it, do you? Throughout this psalm, the unnamed psalmist has been talking about the marks of a sojourner. “Israel” as a nation is never mentioned, or is it? “Zion” and the “mountains of Jerusalem” point to both the historical importance and the amazing picturesque sight of Jerusalem and the nation in which it dwells.

So why finish with a prayer for peace? Is it not because the sojourner is more than just an individual? The sojourner is one of many along the road of pilgrimage! He/she is a pilgrim! Together! And together, they are members of a greater purpose than themselves.

In eternity, Israel will be the center of the world!

But apply this psalm to you, and the country in which you dwell. Perhaps like me, you are in the “good ol’ USA”. Like every nation, Covid-19 has hit us hard. Our economy has fallen. Businesses have closed. And even most churches have been closed for many months – and even some have yet to open to do the many challenges of being in compliance with the new “state regulations” for guidance “for the concern of the health of each attendee.” [Hmm. I won’t go there today.]. And in less than 2 weeks we will be voting AS A NATION for the office of President of the USA.

So by application, the psalmist would be praying, “Peace be upon America.”

Have you prayed that prayer today?

And if I may give a commercial – that I am sure both Facebook and Mr. Becker will not eliminate! – have you read the “Star Spangled Banner Series” written by our esteemed web site author? You can find the 6 books of the series at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple! The theme of this psalm is the theme of this series – the deliverance of a nation!

And LOOK for one of the swash-buckling rescuers in Book 6!

(I wonder WHO that could be? Perhaps a semi (?) retired pastor? Hmm?)

PRAYER

Father, we pray for the peace of Israel. We know that that nation is the heart of the world, and of Your end times for the world.

But until then, we pray for the peace of our country. We pray for the salvation through Christ of each one in our land. And we pray for our leaders – both national and local – that they will be guided by Your Spirit in all the decisions they must make each day. And we pray for us citizens, that we who love You will be reminded that You have designed us, as sojourners, to be a light wherever You have wisely planted each one of us.

Thank You for that grace!

We give You all the praise,

With thanksgiving…

In Jesus Name, Amen!

STUDY IN THE ASCENT PSALMS

Semi-Retired Pastor Jeremy Stopford

INTRODUCTION

Today is our fifth study of the “Ascent Psalms” – Psalms 120-134. [You can check out the first 4 studies under “BLOGS/JEREMY STOPFORD” on Mr. Becker’s auspicious web site!]. How are you doing in your “long obedience in the same direction”, as Brother Eugene Peterson ((author of “The Message” Bible) called these psalms?

OUR THEME VERSE

“Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage.” (Psalm 84:5 NKJV). Have you set YOUR heart on “pilgrimage”?

Today we are in Psalm 124. This is a most fascinating psalm! We are going to see phrases repeated twice (why?). We are going to see illustrations of what happens if God WEREN’T on our side. We are going to see a most familiar phrase, which might cause us to say, “I didn’t know THAT came from the Bible!”. And we are going to see the unashamed Origin of the psalmist’s hope! Let’s go! OH! we have to pray first!

PRAYER

Father – you are inviting us today to examine where our hope is. That shouldn’t be an hard hope to find, but without You and with NO hope, that certainly would be. We are glad that You have put into print David’s experiences in HIS “long obedience in the same direction.” Guide our study today, we pray. And then guide our life’s obedience, we pray as well. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.

OUTLINE OF PSALM 124 (Dr. W. Graham Scroggie). Title: “Mercy Remembered

1. A Description of Peril (vs. 1-5,7)

A. The peril of “voracious beasts” (vs. 3,7)

B. The peril of “swollen torrents” (vs. 4,5)

C. The peril of “fowler’s trap” (v. 7)

2. An Ascription of Praise (vs. 6-8)

SOME INTERESTING INSIGHTS

David uses a grammatical style often used by both Hebrew writers and even by the Lord Jesus Himself! Remember throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus would say (in our beloved old KJV), “verily, verily”? Check out John 1:51 (KJV), “And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.” 25 times in the Gospel of John alone, this phrase “verily, verily” is used by our Savior. Why?

Or how about in Isaiah’s vision of the Lord Jesus, when confronted with the words of the angelic visionaries of True God Himself, Isaiah wrote in triplicate: “holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of Hosts” (Isaiah 6:3). Why 3 times did the angel say the word “holy”?

And now here in Psalm 124, verses 1 and 2, the psalmist enters a statement starting with the word “if” in both verses. Why?

Why? Why? WHY? Emphasis! “Verily, verily” means what I am about to say is so truthful you had better pay attention. “Holy, holy, holy” is SO descriptive of our God and so revelatory of the fact that He is the TRIUNE God (One in Three: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!). That phrase HAD to be repeated 3 times!

And now “IF”. It is a phrase of immense contrast. IF Jehovah were not on our side, and that is an impossibility – IF it WERE possible, but I just told you that it is an impossibility – all sorts of things would happen! When men rose up against us, we would have been swallowed alive, we would have been overwhelmed just like being drowned in waters, we would have even a stream, much less swollen waters “gone”, literally “swept over” our very souls!

David’s use of the phrase “our soul” is showing an HUGE OT insight of NT truth. The “soul” is that which is either alive or dead to God. We are born “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). But our souls are “made ALIVE” when we come to the truth of the cross and trust Jesus as our Savior. Note Ephesians 2:4-5, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)…”. Can I hear an AMEN!!!

OK, are there really phrases in our Bibles that everyone – even non-believers – use in our regular daily living? How about:

“your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23)

“I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.” (Job 19:20)

Or even in the Garden of Gethsemane just before the cross, the words of our Savior to His sleeping, non-watchful praying disciples: “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38).

So it shouldn’t surprise us that in Psalm 124 we might see an old familiar phrase, and immediately comment, “WOW! I didn’t know THAT is in the Bible!”. Look at verse 3, “they would have swallowed us alive”. The description of what would happen to a nation which did not have the Lord on their side is pretty challenging, almost foreboding, isn’t it? Would you like to live in a nation which has rejected the Lord and no longer is seeking God to be “on our side”? And in consequence, are you willing to be part of a nation which would then be “swallowed alive”, “overwhelmed by waters, even our souls being drowned by the simple streams thrown at us? Would you? What a sad situation!

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

The Psalmist David ends this wonderful psalm in HOPE! “Blessed be the Lord”, “our soul has escaped”, “our help is in the name of the Lord.” These are words of triumphant HOPE!

But PLEASE do not let a little phrase pass you by. David recognized that his HELP wasn’t just in ANYONE. He recognized that his HELP wasn’t just in any “god” (LITTLE “g”). No, NO! His hope is in the name of Jehovah WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH” (v. 8). Can I hear another “AMEN”???!!!

David is begging of each of us his present day readers to answer the question, “have you found the Lord to be YOUR help, YOUR hope?”.

My hope is in the Lord Who gave Himself for me,

And paid the price of all my sin at Calvary.

Chorus: For me He died,

For me He lives,

And everlasting life and light He freely gives.

Written by Norman J. Clayton, a songwriter for Evangelist Jack Wyrtzen

PRAYER

Father, once again the old Psalmist reminds us of truth for today!

He causes us to ask ourselves, “IS the Lord on our side” – both as individuals and as a nation?

HAVE we escaped those who would want to make us their prey?

And IS our help in Your Name, the Maker of Heaven and Earth?

There is none like YOU!

Quiet our souls, we pray, before You with the words of this heart-provoking psalm.

And we’ll give You all the praise,

With thanksgiving…

In Jesus Name, Amen!