This week I welcome guest blogger, David Hundert. David and his wife Terri are members of Faith Church. David is currently studying for his Master of Divinity at Evangelical Seminary of Kairos University.
The First Antiphon (Chant) – Psalms of Ascent 120-124
The first section of the Psalms of Ascent is referred to by some scholars as an “antiphon” which is just a fancy way to say “chant.” The first one starts out on a down note so to speak. Keep in mind the time frame we discussed in the previous post, and imagine with me that you are leaving the town of your exile, on your way to the Temple in Jerusalem. You’re leaving your land of oppression, and you’re on your way to worship at the temple. The gates of Jerusalem is your destiny.
But the expedition is off to a bad start and encounters seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Cries of desperation start the Songs of Ascent in Psalm 120. Then the traveler catches a brief glimpse of his goal as he realizes that the Lord is watching over the expedition in Psalm 121. In fact, the Lord is on expedition with the pilgrim. Psalms 120 and 121 read,
I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me. Save me, Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues. What will he do to you, and what more besides, you deceitful tongue? He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows, with burning coals of the broom bush. Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek, that I live among the tents of Kedar! Too long have I lived among those who hate peace. I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.
I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Here we have the image of a frustrated pilgrim. “Get me out of here, Lord! I can’t deal with these people anymore!” Have you ever started a vacation like that? Have you ever started out so needing a vacation that you’re about to burst? “I can’t take it any more!”
Yet even with all of the difficulties associated with my traveling, know that God will cause it all to work out. Now, while on the road, the traveler thinks back on the good ole’ days when Israel gathered at Jerusalem with its king and celebrated their covenant with the Lord. He allows the nostalgia to push him forward in Psalms 122:1–123:3. This reads,
I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” Our feet are standing in your gates, Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together. That is where the tribes go up—the tribes of the Lord—to praise the name of the Lord according to the statute given to Israel. There stand the thrones for judgment, the thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.” For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your prosperity.
I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven. As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he shows us his mercy. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us, for we have endured no end of contempt.
Abruptly, and once again, “they” stand by on the sides of the road, mocking the caravan. From their lounge chairs they laugh and mock at the stupidity of a trip like this. Psalm 123 ends with this,
We have endured no end of ridicule from the arrogant, of contempt from the proud.
At this point, there is a recollection of purpose and inner strength, and then the journey continues. They haven’t gotten to their destination yet. Psalm 124 continues with,
If the Lord had not been on our side— let Israel say— if the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us, they would have swallowed us alive when their anger flared against us; the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away. Praise be to the Lord, who has not let us be torn by their teeth. We have escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
They are remembering how, regardless of how often things went bad; how often they were attacked; regardless of the circumstances that threatened to overwhelm them, the Lord has been at their side! They are on their way to the house of the Lord to celebrate Him! Psalm 124 closes the first chant. It started with a cry for help and God’s answer coming in the call to begin the journey.
Through Psalms 120–24, kind of like a roller-coaster, we descended and ascended through scary and inhospitable territory trying to get a glimpse of our destination. Every obstacle that threatened to undermine our energy and determination was countered with historical rehearsals of the Lord’s mighty, but not always readily apparent, Presence. Israel’s goal (as is ours), is reunion with God on the Holy Mountain, but by surprise we also encountered Him unexpectedly on the way. Our writer began the expedition in the land of his captors, far away from Jerusalem and surrounded by hostile opposition, yet as he continued to appeal to God, he found fellow travelers both past and present willing to join them.
The thing is, the kids are on the back of the caravan asking, “Are we there yet?” “We’re hungry!” “I have to go to the bathroom!” Dad is yelling at them, “Don’t make me turn this camel around!” The thing is, we’re only a third of the way there! We continue the journey in the next post.
Photo by Luba Ertel on Unsplash
Engaging Scripture 