On My Way Up: A Summer Pilgrimage in the Psalms of Ascent | Psalm 129
The intention of the Psalms of Ascent was to cement the historical faithfulness and strength of God against the backdrop of generational hardship, opposition and even rebellion. These Psalms accentuate the enduring patience and powerful grace of God that sustained them as a people.
Journey vs. Pilgrimage
“Life is a journey” gives a nod to the inevitable ups and downs, twist and turns of life. To survive life as a journey you have to roll with the punches and understand that with each day “you just get what you get.”
“Life is a pilgrimage” affirms that there is a purpose in the path and intention with the destination. Followers of Christ are making their way up to God daily and into His presence eternally.
Romans 8:28-39 (NIV) 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Nothing and no one have the ability/power to stop our pilgrimage of being shaped into the image of Christ or to be eternally present with Christ.
Psalm 129 is a communal Psalm. A communal Psalm uses the history of the community to speak hope to the future of the community.
Your own personal experiences with God matter immensely, they just aren’t enough sample size to catch the full scope of God. If you limit your learning by just what you experience personally, you will live in a state of doubt with each new circumstance you encounter.
The 2 Big Take-a-Ways from Psalm 129:
God’s justice prevails in the end even when it looks like it has failed in the middle.
Perseverance is what marks a pilgrimage.
Psalm 129 (NIV) “They have greatly oppressed me from my youth,” let Israel say; 2 “they have greatly oppressed me from my youth, but they have not gained the victory over me.3 Plowmen have plowed my back and made their furrows long. 4 But the Lord is righteous; he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.” 5 May all who hate Zion be turned back in shame. 6 May they be like grass on the roof, which withers before it can grow; 7 a reaper cannot fill his hands with it, nor one who gathers fill his arms. 8 May those who pass by not say to them, “The blessing of the Lord be on you; we bless you in the name of the Lord.”
Genesis 12:1-4a (NIV) The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” 4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him;
Faith is a verb. Without movement, faith isn’t faith.
Their pilgrimage as a nation illustrates that…
Spiritual opposition is a constant on a pilgrimage.
When we separate ourselves from God and try walk on our own, we fall down.
When we stand for God and with God, we overcome.
God only lets His people endure so much injustice before He delivers them.
“Oppressed” means rivaled – “we have been rivaled since our infancy, our whole existence has been a fight. This rivalry has produced, long deep gouges in our backs.”
3 Plowmen have plowed my back and made their furrows long.
4 But the Lord is righteous; he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.
Injustice in a moment does not negate God as just for a minute. Evil’s existence doesn’t not nullify God’s goodness.
Big Lesson: God’s justice prevails in the end even when it looks like it has failed in the middle. The Psalmist is teaching that no one moment in our history defines who we are as a people of God or the just character of our God.
5 May all who hate Zion be turned back in shame. 6 May they be like grass on the roof, which withers before it can grow; 7 a reaper cannot fill his hands with it, nor one who gathers fill his arms. 8 May those who pass by not say to them, “The blessing of the Lord be on you; we bless you in the name of the Lord.”
Abraham is our Dad, too!
Galatians 3:26-29 (NIV) 26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
“Surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses” means to look at God’s history when you get overwhelmed by your present.
Perseverance isn’t a passive endurance – hold your breath until the storm passes. Perseverance is active forward movement. Perseverance refuses to be taken out emotionally or physically by present hardship. There is something to be said for being able to take a punch. There is something more to be said about punching back!
Perseverance is a pilgrimage necessity because it is the pathway to hope.
Romans 5:1-5 (NIV) Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Hope is the harvest of perseverance!
James 1:2-4 (NIV) Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
The 2 Big Take-a-Ways from Psalm 129:
God’s justice prevails in the end even when it looks like it has failed in the middle.
Perseverance is what marks a pilgrimage.