This Sunday, I will be preaching on Psalms of Ascent. These psalms were the traveling music for Israel when they journeyed to Jerusalem for the big festivals during the year. It must have been an exciting time when these events rolled around and the people packed their belongings to make the long pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
Like any long trip, singing often finds its way into the journey. These psalms were hope filled, expectant, and filled with praise and thanksgiving for the opportunity to make such a trip. It would have been a joy filled experience as they traveled many miles to reach the place where they would feast and celebrate as one people for worship.
How has music been an important part of helping you to prepare for worship? Do you ever find yourself singing/humming the songs from the previous week of worship? What's it like when you arrive to church for worship? Are you filled with anticipation for how God will meet us as we gather as God's people?
We use the word, "ascent" because to journey to Jerusalem, you literally had to ascend and make a gradual climb to reach the city. Tired and exhausted, just think of how incredible it must have been as you looked up and finally saw the Temple off in the distance.
I have a friend who is there now. It must be a moving experience for him as he walks in the footsteps of God's people from centuries past.
Psalms of Ascent give us a glimpse of what it means to travel to worship with the people of God week after week. Before we arrive to church each week, let's make sure that we already have a song on our heart.
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