Faith is a journey. This psalm is one of the psalms of Ascent, a psalm that Israelites sang as they journeyed to Jerusalem, to the seat of God’s presence (the temple) and power. I am sure that journey was extremely difficult. Even with an endless number of songs and podcasts available at my fingertips today, I still get bored walking around White Rock Lake. If I get bored that easily, I’m sure on the multi-day pilgrimage to Jerusalem, the Israelites got bored as well. And maybe they got more than bored. Maybe that got annoyed at the people they were with (a specialty of mine), physically exhausted from the travel, distracted by all their responsibilities, and they doubted if the journey was worth it, or even regretted it.
I don’t think our pilgrimage, our journey of faith today is too different than the Israelites on the ascent to Jerusalem. And on our journey today, as doubts, frustrations, fears, and regret may set in, this psalm reminds us of why we’re here, why we trust the journey, and what its culmination is. We remember that we are here because of the faithfulness of those before us, “Lord, remember David and all his self-denial,” (Psalm 132:1). We are intrinsically shaped by our community, and each of us have had countless faithful, loving people that molded us and helped set us on this journey. We also remember that we are here on the journey because we trust God’s character and promises, “The Lord swore an oath to David, a sure oath he will not revoke,” (Psalm 132:11). And because God has brought us here, kept His promises, paved our path, and surrounded us with community, we can look expectantly to the culmination of the journey, where God will “will bless her with abundant provisions; her poor I will satisfy with food. I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her faithful people will ever sing for joy. Here I will make a horn grow for David and set up a lamp for my anointed one. I will clothe his enemies with shame, but his head will be adorned with a radiant crown,” (Psalm 132:15-18).
On the journey to Jerusalem, the Israelites were going to the seat of God, the holiest city, the place of His power and presence. I wonder if, after being reminded of God’s goodness, surrounded by community journeying with them, those that shaped and formed them, that they saw God’s blessing and salvation already with them, surrounding them before and behind, throughout the whole journey.
- Dylan F.