Beginning the Journey – Psalm 120
Its place as first in the collection of ascent psalms indicates that this psalm was chosen to depict the pilgrim’s state as he anticipated journeying to Jerusalem for the annual feasts. The situation where he lives day by day is described metaphorically and the psalm details how he reacts to his environment. It is, therefore, a suitable psalm for helping us whenever we anticipate participating in a time of festival. In a real way, each Lord’s Day is such a time as we gather in public worship. The writer of Hebrews depicts these gatherings as like festivals, with the saints and angels gathered together in the presence of God in order to worship him. Physically we are not in such a gathering on the Lord’s Day, but spiritually we are. So can we use this psalm to prepare for participation in the worship of God? I am sure that we can, and here is why.
Beginning the journey
We can start by asking when this journey began and where it began from. The first answer to this question is straightforward, for the journey began when the psalmist became a true follower of God. There were many nominal professors among the Israelite, but there came a day when the psalmist became a new man. Similarly, every Christian can say the same. The conversion of a soul has many distinct individual features such as the depth of conviction of sin or the degree of assurance that accompanied it. There are also features common to every true conversion: among them are the sinner’s trust in Christ and his consequential separation from the world. In other words, his sanctification begins when he trusts in Jesus.
Sanctification divides into three aspects. First, there is the setting apart of a sinner to God that occurs at conversion when he becomes a saint, a relationship that is unchangeable. He is indwelt by the Spirit of life and he cannot any longer be classified as spiritually dead. Second, there is a progressive turning away from sin in which his new life exhibits itself in holy desires and changed practices. This is a lifelong progression that is not perfected in this life. Third, there is the final change that occurs at death when the believer’s soul is made perfect in holiness (if he is alive at Christ’s return, this change will include bodily transformation; if he is asleep in Jesus, then the change will include resurrection). The psalm describes a one who has known the first stage, is going through the second, and is awaiting the third.
From where did the pilgrim make his journey to the feats? He mentions two places: Meshech and Kedar. It was not possible for him to live in both places simultaneously because Meshech was far to the north, in modern-day Turkey, and Kedar was far to the south, in modern-day Saudi Arabia. Evidently he mentions these places to indicate that he felt he was far away from the gatherings of God’s people. He sensed that he did not belong to the people among whom he lived – he knew that he was not like them any more. His spiritual awareness told him that he was in a stranger in a strange land.
Parallel language is found in Hebrews 11:13: ‘These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.’ They confessed that this world was not their home, and no doubt many of them sang Psalm 120 as they made their way through life. Psalm 120 is the song of a pilgrim who is not at home in this world, be it Meshech or Kedar.
Preparation
What did the psalmist do in preparing for participation in the annual feasts? The psalm gives several details.
Firstly, he prayed about his situation: ‘In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me. Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue’ (vv. 1-2). Previously he had turned to the Lord in his trouble and found divine help. Now he was facing more danger. The people among whom he lived were deceiving him at best and tormenting him at worst. It may be that he was being personally attacked by them, feeling their abuse of his faith. Such is a sore experience to go through. When that happens to us, obviously it is important that we bring the matter to the Lord.
It could also be the case that he is describing the speech of his society in general. After all he was far from Palestine, living in a foreign land. The speech of the common person and the ideas of the intellectuals were not in line with what he knew the God of truth had revealed. This is a picture of the Lord’s people today in our godless society. We encounter its ideas through the various forms of media and if we listen to them we will be led astray. We need to pray for deliverance. The importance of this is seen in the fact that the Saviour, in his intercession in John 17, requested of his Father that his people would be kept from the ideas and influence of the world. ‘The prayer reminds us what the world we live in is like. It is a world filled with lies. Thus, the starting place for our spiritual pilgrimage is seeing the world for what it is in order to turn from it’ (Boice).
The psalmist indicates an important dimension to his prayers in this situation. He prayed out of a distressed soul. The sins of others affected him, they were not matters about which he could be indifferent. He knew his priority was to preserve his soul as he anticipated going to the feast, but he was disturbed by the words he heard around him.
Secondly, he committed his opponents into the hands of God: ‘What shall be given to you, and what more shall be done to you, you deceitful tongue? A warrior’s sharp arrows, with glowing coals of the broom tree!’ The psalmist likens the words he hears to sharp arrows and burning coals which caused deep (penetration like arrows) and sore (scarring of burning coal) pain. He says that the wicked will yet experience the arrows of a great Warrior who will use lasting burning coals (the broom or juniper tree burnt for a long time when set alight). The Warrior, of course, is God.
Often, it was tempting for the psalmist to take revenge into his own hands. In a sense, such a response was pointless because his opponents were too powerful for him. But there was a more important reason for not taking revenge, which was not to invade into an area that God has reserved for himself. As Paul puts it in Romans 12:19: ‘Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.’
Thirdly, he expressed his desire to be with the people of God: ‘Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!’ (v. 5). The psalmist used these far-off countries to depict his separation from God’s people, his sense of isolation, his sense of not belonging. He was among people who did not share his desires. How he longed to be with the inhabitants of Jerusalem rather than with the citizens of this world. He wanted to be with those who would value God’s redemption, provision and promises. There is a wonderful contrast here between the psalmist’s contacts and his companions in Psalm 133.
This is one of the clearest signs of grace: ‘We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers’ (1 John 3:14). Its absence is evidence that we are not converted: ‘He that loves not his brother abides in death.’ Of course, we show love in practical ways by helping their needs. But we also reveal it by wanting to be with them, by prizing their company, by seeking their fellowship. We will spend eternity with those we spent time with.
Fourthly, he expressed his desire to experience peace, the shalom of God: ‘Too long have I had my dwelling among those who hate peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war!’ (vv. 6-7). He had told his acquaintances about the peace that his God could give, but they did not want to know about it. That can be an experience for believers today as they spread the message of peace – we often discover intense opposition to the gospel.
The psalmist knew where he would experience peace – in Jerusalem. That is why he wanted to go there for the feast. It is the same with us. We journey to the heavenly Zion, which is the church, and there in the presence of God and with his people, we enjoy the peace of reconciliation, of having being brought into God’s family. As we make our requests known unto God, ‘the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus’ (Phil. 4:6-7). As we focus on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report, the God of peace shall be with us (Phil. 4:8-9).
These four marks of grace – love of prayer, committing every thing into God’s hands, love of his people and desire for peace – clearly reveal whose side we are on.
Fellowship with Jesus
Jesus would have sung Psalm 120 many times. It expresses his feelings and desires in a more profound way than it did for the original human author. Jesus was often in situations where he found himself among deceitful voices. This psalm could have been his comfort as he interacted with the devious Pharisees as they sought to twist his words or when he was called a glutton and a drunkard. It reminds us that Jesus would not have been stoical in such circumstances; he would have been distressed by their words and would have sought comfort from his heavenly Father. His desire for peace, in contrast to their warlike opposition, marked his life.
These things were true throughout his life, but they were more deeply true in his time on the cross. Spurgeon used to say that there was a road from every verse that led to Calvary. Psalm 120 can point us to Calvary because it was there, while listening to deceitful voices and warlike cries, that Jesus prayed in distress and expressed his desire to make peace.
Because he has made peace by his death, we can enjoy divine peace as we worship the God of peace. We have been reconciled to God and to one another. As we prepare for our Lord’s Day festival, we can express gratitude for reconciliation with God that has led us to be his children and we can anticipate with joy meeting with them again.
Wider picture
So far, we have looked at Psalm 120 as describing preparation for spiritual feasting that we will enjoy on earth. Yet there is also a wider picture to the psalm, because, in it, David reminds God’s people of the commencement of their identity as pilgrims making their way to the heavenly Zion. James Boice closes his exposition of the psalm with these words, and they are a call to believers in Jesus to remember that we are pilgrims: ‘We cannot settle down in Meshech or be at home in Kedar. So if you are, stop trying to conform to this world’s lies and ways of life…. Say goodbye to your sins, and start marching to Zion. The King of Glory is awaiting you.’