There are 150 Psalms in the Bible. There are a variety of Psalm styles including Psalms of Praise, Songs of Thanksgiving,Songs of Zion, Songs of the Temple and Liturgy, Laments, Prayers, Petition, Trust, Wisdom, Songs about the Law, Royalty Songs and Imprecatory songs. One set of Psalms are called Songs of Ascent. The comprise 10% of the Psalms ranging from Psalm 120-134. These 15 Psalms are believed to have been sung during the three pilgrimages – Passover and Pentecost in the Spring and Tabernacles in the Autumn. As the Israelites ascended Mt. Zion and the Temple they were climbing to gather to worship so these were known as Songs of Ascents.

It is also believed that these 15 Psalms were sung by the priests as they climbed the 15 steps leading up to the temple.

Psalm 124 was one of these Psalms of Ascents.

Psalm 124

A song of ascents. Of David.

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.

This Psalm celebrates the source of their help when they came under attack from their enemies. Their source of help and protection is the Lord. Every time they gathered to celebrate these festivals in Jerusalem they remembered God’s saving hand.

For we Christians, we have no physical temple to make a pilgrimage to 3 times a year, but we gather each week to celebrate the different ways God saves us. Our help truly comes from the Lord.

I hope you regularly pray this Song of Ascents and with gratitude give thanks to God for his help and care.