Today’s reading is Psalm 120.
Seek Your Servant
Obviously, Psalm 119 stood out as a singularly unique psalm. And, no doubt, the Songs of Ascents by the very nature of their headings demonstrate they are a unit of songs to themselves. However, as is often the case in the psalms, while we struggle to outline an overarching order and structure, we often see hints as to why the psalms were placed next to each other.
Why go from Psalm 119 into the Songs of Ascents? I obviously can only speculate. But can we who have spent almost three months walking step by step through the acrostic poem in memorial to God’s Word miss a connection? How many times in Psalm 119 did the psalmist declare distress and ask for God’s deliverance? The longest psalm ends with the surprising request:
I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant,
for I do not forget your commandments.
Psalm 119:176 (ESV)
Prais the Lord, the Songs of Ascents begin:
In my distress I called to the LORD,
and he answered me.
Psalm 120:1 (ESV)
Most certainly, that declaration has a point in the psalm itself. Liars and false accusers abound around the Ascents psalmist. He has already laid his plea before the Lord and he has already received an answer. However, surely we can’t help but find comfort that immediately following the desperate plea of the straying sheep who longs to be close to his Shepherd but cannot traverse the way on his own are the words, “I called to the LORD, and he answered me.” And if the LORD will answer that sheep’s bleating cries, we who have been purchased by the blood of the Lamb can trust He will respond to ours.
Recognize this. We are on a pilgrimage. It will be a long journey. We will go through pleasant fields but also through harsh wilderness. As in Psalm 23, we will sometimes lie down in green pastures and drink from still waters, but sometimes we will go through the valley of the shadow of death. Enemies will surround us. They will attack us. They will distract us. But we are not traveling alone. The Lord is our Shepherd. We know His voice. He hears ours.
We can climb this hill and make this pilgrimage because when we cry to the Lord, He listens. When we call out to Him, He responds.
Praise the Lord!
Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 120.
PODCAST!!!
PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family
How does Psalm 120 admonish you?
Read the Bible 