The title, song of ascents, occurs in each of the next fourteen psalms. It is most probably the case that these fifteen psalms form a little collection of “Pilgrim Psalms”, that is, songs which were sung by the pilgrims when they went up to Jerusalem for the great annual feasts. Nan Merrill in Praying the Psalms turns the ancient maledictions of the psalmist in Psalm 120 into these beautiful words “Too long have I lived by my ego, my desires blinding me to your Love. I yearn to live in peace; come quickly!” Psalm 121 assures us of the Lord’s protection. “May you keep us in our going out and our coming in from this time forth and forevermore.” Shalom, in Psalm 122, translated peace, is the regular greeting in Hebrew. It is wider in meaning then the English word peace, and includes the idea of happiness, prosperity. Psalm 123 is the prayer for times of persecution. “Too long our souls have been veiled by fear and illusion. Have mercy, lead us to the path of wholeness, that we may know the abiding Peace of the Beloved.” Psalm 124 prays for rescue. “Grant us the strength of eagle wings, the courage to soar to new heights! Break within us the bonds of fear that we may live with love!” Psalm 125 prays for protection. “Those whose lives reflect goodness and integrity become mirrors to Love’s way. They are like fragrant blossoms that bring joy to all around them, like open invitations for others to come. Come! Enter the Garden of Love!” Psalm 126 is the prayer of the Israelites upon return from exile for restoration of their homeland. “Restore us to wholeness, O Healer, like newborn babes who have never strayed from You!” Psalm 127 is two short songs; the first stresses the that without God’s blessing all human endeavor is futile, the second congratulates the man whom God has bless with many children. Happy is the just man says Psalm 128. Israelites pray for the overthrow of their foes in Psalm 129. We pray to discover “in the Great Silence the mystery” of who we are and to be true to ourselves. Psalm 130 is the sixth of the Penitential Psalms and is used in the liturgy of the Catholic church as a prayer for the faithful departed. The psalmist urges a childlike confidence in the Lord in Psalm 131. “Help me to calm and quiet my soul, like a child quieted at its mother’s breast; like a child that is quieted, be so my soul.”
The title, song of ascents, occurs in each of the next fourteen psalms. It is most probably the case that these fifteen psalms form a little collection of “Pilgrim Psalms”, that is, songs which were sung by the pilgrims when they went up to Jerusalem for the great annual feasts. Nan Merrill in Praying the Psalms turns the ancient maledictions of the psalmist in Psalm 120 into these beautiful words “Too long have I lived by my ego, my desires blinding me to your Love. I yearn to live in peace; come quickly!” Psalm 121 assures us of the Lord’s protection. “May you keep us in our going out and our coming in from this time forth and forevermore.” Shalom, in Psalm 122, translated peace, is the regular greeting in Hebrew. It is wider in meaning then the English word peace, and includes the idea of happiness, prosperity. Psalm 123 is the prayer for times of persecution. “Too long our souls have been veiled by fear and illusion. Have mercy, lead us to the path of wholeness, that we may know the abiding Peace of the Beloved.” Psalm 124 prays for rescue. “Grant us the strength of eagle wings, the courage to soar to new heights! Break within us the bonds of fear that we may live with love!” Psalm 125 prays for protection. “Those whose lives reflect goodness and integrity become mirrors to Love’s way. They are like fragrant blossoms that bring joy to all around them, like open invitations for others to come. Come! Enter the Garden of Love!” Psalm 126 is the prayer of the Israelites upon return from exile for restoration of their homeland. “Restore us to wholeness, O Healer, like newborn babes who have never strayed from You!” Psalm 127 is two short songs; the first stresses the that without God’s blessing all human endeavor is futile, the second congratulates the man whom God has bless with many children. Happy is the just man says Psalm 128. Israelites pray for the overthrow of their foes in Psalm 129. We pray to discover “in the Great Silence the mystery” of who we are and to be true to ourselves. Psalm 130 is the sixth of the Penitential Psalms and is used in the liturgy of the Catholic church as a prayer for the faithful departed. The psalmist urges a childlike confidence in the Lord in Psalm 131. “Help me to calm and quiet my soul, like a child quieted at its mother’s breast; like a child that is quieted, be so my soul.”
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