Rise Toward God’s Presence

If you’ve ever wondered what it means to walk step by step into a deeper experience with God, the Psalms of Ascent hold a powerful key. These 15 psalms were sung by both travelers on their way to Jerusalem and priests ascending the temple steps—each verse a step closer to God’s presence. As you follow their example in worship and trust, you too can rise toward God’s presence and receive the blessings He longs to pour out.

One day I was reading my Bible and pouring over the book of Psalms, and my attention was caught by the little descriptive captions at the beginning of each psalm. Some of them read “A Psalm of David” or “To the Chief Musician.” But when I got to Psalm 120, I started seeing captions I didn’t understand

All 15 captions for Psalm 120 through Psalm 134 said the same thing: “A Song of Ascents.” Although I knew what “A Psalm of David” was, I was puzzled by the term “Psalm of Ascent.” So I decided to do some digging into the meaning of this intriguing description.

The Hebrew word for “psalm” is mizmor, which means “a poem sung with instruments.” Its root is another Hebrew word, zamar, which means “to touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument; to play upon; to make music accompanied by the voice; to praise.” So a psalm is a song that is sung accompanied by musical instruments.

But what “ascent” was this description referring to? According to scholars, there are two answers to this.

First of all, these psalms were sung by worshipers each year as they ascended the road to Jerusalem to attend the three “appointed time” feasts: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. The intensity and anticipation built as each new psalm was sung on their way to meet with the Lord during these special occasions.

The second use of these psalms was by the priests as they ascended the 15 steps to minister at the temple. After a priest had performed a sacrifice on the bronze altar and washed in the bronze laver in the outer court, he came to a set of stairs leading up to the temple, which housed the inner court and Holy of Holies.

As the priest stood before these steps, he would sing Psalm 120: “In my trouble, I cried to the Lord, and He answered me. Deliver my soul, oh Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue …” (Psalm 120:1-2). Perhaps YOU are in some kind of trouble or distress today—whether in your finances, your health, your relationships, or your peace of mind. God wants you to know that He sees what you are going through, and He wants to set you free from your distress as you honor Him today.

The priest would continue on, step by step for the next 14 steps, until he reached the inner court. Each step includes a powerful message of encouragement for your life today:

• Step 1: “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains, from where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made Heaven and Earth …” (Psalm 121:1-2).
• Step 2: “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord …’” (Psalm 122:1).
• Step 3: “To You I lift up my eyes, oh You who are enthroned in the heavens …” (Psalm 123:1).
• Step 4: “Had it not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us alive … the waters would have engulfed us …” (Psalm 124:2, 4).
• Step 5: “Those who trust in the Lord are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever …” (Psalm 125:1).
• Step 6: “When the Lord brought back the captive ones of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with joyful shouting …” (Psalm 126:1-2).
• Step 7: “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain …” (Psalm 127:1).
• Step 8: “How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways …” (Psalm 128:1).
• Step 9: “Many times they have persecuted me from my youth …” (Psalm 129:1).
• Step 10: “Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord, Lord, hear my voice …” (Psalm 130:1-2).
• Step 11: “O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty, nor do I involve myself in great matters, or in things too difficult for me …” (Psalm 131:1).
• Step 12: “Remember, O Lord, on David’s behalf, all his affliction; how he swore to the Lord and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob …” (Psalm 132:1-2).
• Step 13: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity …” (Psalm 133:1).
• Step 14: “Behold, bless the Lord, all servants of the Lord, who serve by night in the house of the Lord!” (Psalm 134:1).

For the sake of space, I’ve only included the first one or two verses from each of the Palms of Ascent, but I encourage you to read through all of them in your Bible. Just as they were an integral part of God’s “appointed times” and the priests’ ascension up the stairs into God’s presence, so will the Lord use these psalms to draw you closer to Him.

Remember: God doesn’t need you to praise Him. YOU need to praise Him, because in praising Him, you find blessings and victory. In His presence is “fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11), and in His presence we are increasingly transformed into His likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Just as the pilgrims on their way to celebrate the feasts knew they were approaching God’s awesome presence, that should be your objective as well: meeting with God during His appointed times in order to gain greater intimacy with Him.

And as we see the example of the priests climbing the steps one at a time, singing God’s praises and declaring Israel’s desperate need for Him, so must you take steps of praise every day as you acknowledge that your hope is in Him alone. After all, as a believer, YOU are a priest too, part of “a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession” (1 Peter 2:9).

My friend, the final “Psalm of Ascent” is Psalm 134, and it ends with this triumphant reminder of your Heavenly Father’s desire to draw you into His presence so He can BLESS you: “The Lord who made heaven and earth bless you from Zion!” (v. 3).

God is eager to bless you. Make sure you don’t miss your appointment.

…

Excerpt taken from Seasons of Blessing: The Promises and Provision of God’s Appointed Times by David Cerullo

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