PSALMS OF ASCENT!

PSALM 124:1

Let Israel Say

A SONG OF ASCENTS. OF DAVID. IF THE LORD HAD NOT BEEN ON OUR SIDELET ISRAEL SAY (PSALMS 124:01 NIV)
DANGER!
This Psalm carries four pictures of danger: i. Earthquake (v3b, see Numbers 16:30 for a vivid example) ii. Flood (v4a) which is in the natural realm outside our control and overwhelming in its nature iii. Beast of prey (v6) iv. Fowler v(7) These latter two are threats in the animal and human realms. We face many sources of danger in our lives - some to do with the consequences of our own sin or the sin of others, and some dangers that are simply part of living in this fallen world. What do we do when such dangers are brought to mind or threaten to overwhelm us? David (for it is he who wrote this Psalm) has a novel and inspiring approach - to sing about the dangers and about the one who can save us. His spiritual perspective on these threats can help us when we are under threat.

CHOIR
The singing here is started by one of the pilgrims, and he inspires the others to join in (see a similar situation in Psalm129:1). Our experience of Gods faithfulness is the spur to calling others to rejoice together with us. That is one of the reasons for families to have family devotionals, and one of the reasons worship leaders need to have good quiet times before coming to lead us in singing on a Sunday morning! Then parents can remind their children and song leaders can remind the congregation of what we know, but sometimes forget and neglect to sing about. The fact is that the very time we would be helped by singing about God is the same time that we do not feel like doing so. With Gods help, and the encouragement of our friends, we can grow to develop the habit of praising when we are in the pain, instead of waiting for the pain to pass. God gets

more glory that way, and we get more joy - because we are far more conscious that we are doing this in Gods strength rather than our own. Next time you are threatened why not burst into song?

WITNESS
The bottom line of the life of a follower of God is that God is for us. Our job is to witness to this fact in our own lives to others. This Psalm does not spend time and energy arguing that God has helped us, nor does it explain Gods help. Instead the Psalmist has written a song as a testimony to Gods help. A person who is not of the Christian faith should be overwhelmed by a testimony such as this. They ought to be asking why we sing with such condence. As we go through the rest of this amazing Psalm in future blogs keep in mind the fact that it is available to us an inspiring example of how to handle the devastating things of life.

Malcolm Cox, email: malcolm.cox@iccmissions.org | ICC Missions on facebook | www.nwlcc.org