Psalm 120 - 134 are the Psalms of Ascents. Some authors believe these are the psalms that were sung as worshippers made their way to Jerusalem to celebrate the annual holy days. As such, they are worship songs, full of thanksgiving and celebration. Consider what you have to celebrate as you read through this special set of psalms.
Psalm 120
1. What is it that this psalmist wants, rather than the war that the people around him desire?
2. Into what category would you put yourself? Do you look for peace and actively work for it, or are you ready to fight at the drop of a hat?
3. What are the things the psalmist wants deliverance from? How different would our world be if we had no deceit or lies?
Psalm 121
1. To where does the psalmist lift his eyes for help?
2. Sing the Dwight Armstrong song based on this psalm, “To the Hills I’ll Lift Mine Eyes.”
3. How do you know that God will not let you stumble?
4. Add 121:5 to the “hand” page in your journal.
5. Psalm 121:8 is a picture of Jehovah-Rohi, the LORD my shepherd. How is this verse like Psalm 23?
6. Draw a picture of God as your keeper. How would you depict it? This psalmist uses the idea of shading from the sun and the moon. How would you show God keeping you safe?
Psalm 122
1. How did the psalmist feel when someone wanted to go to the temple to worship God?
2. How do you feel when it’s time to go to church each week to worship God?
3. What do you do when your attitude is not right, when you’re not ready to worship God?
4. What was decreed to happen in Jerusalem?
5. What should you pray for in regards to Jerusalem?
6. How do you feel about Jerusalem? Do you think of it as the holy city?
7. Read the NIrV devotion.
8. Sing the song “We Have Come into His House.”
Psalm 123
1. Add 123:2 to the “hand” page in your journal.
2. To what does the psalmist compare the servants looking to their master?
3. Why does the psalmist ask for mercy from God?
4. Do you think to ask God for help when someone is putting you down and is scornful towards you?
Psalm 124
1. There are several word pictures drawn in this psalm of what would have happened if the LORD was not on our side. Choose one of them and draw a pictoral representation of the event. Write the verse underneath the picture as a caption. Be sure to add the scripture reference. Plan to display it where you can see it.
2. Can you think of an event in your life where something bad would have happened if God had not been on your side? Write about it in your journal.
3. Where is our help? What do you trust in for security and provision?
Psalm 125
1. Read verses one and two. To what is the LORD compared? Draw a picture depicting the protection that comes from mountains surrounding a people for protection.
2. Can you think of a country that has the natural protection of the mountains?
3. Add 125:3 to the “hand” page in your journal.
Add 125:4 to the “heart” page in your journal.
4. What do you think of when you read verse 3? Do you think it applies to us today? Why or why not?
5. Draw a picture of verse 5. What might this verse look like?
Psalm 126
1. Read this psalm through once. Then think of an instance when the people might have sung this psalm of joy and thanksgiving. Do you think they might have sung it when they came back from captivity in Babylon? Do you think they might have sung it when Israel was re-established as a country in 1917?
2. What is the overwhelming feeling from this psalm?
3. Sing “Bringing in the Sheaves,” “Give Thanks,” or “To God Be the Glory.”
Psalm 127
1. Add 127:4 to the “hand” page in your journal.
2. Sing the Dwight Armstrong song based on this psalm, “Unless the Lord Shall Build the House.”
3. Put verse one into your own words. Then put verse two into your own words.
4. How does God feel about children? (verse 3-5)
5. Draw a picture of children like arrows in a quiver. How would you depict this word picture? Write verse 4-5 as a caption underneath your drawing.
Psalm 128
1. Who is blessed? How shall he be blessed?
2. Add 128:2 to the “hand” page in your journal.
3. Put verse 3 into your own words. What does it mean to “see your children’s children”?
Psalm 129
1. Add 129:7 to the “hand” page in your journal.
2. Why have “they” not prevailed against the psalmist?
3. Draw a picture of verse 3. This is a very vivid image of persecution and oppression. How does it make you feel?
4. Draw a picture of verse 6. What does this word picture look like? To whom is it referring?
Psalm 130
1. What does the psalmist say would happen if God condemned anyone? Why?
2. Why does God forgive?
3. Why would you hope more for God than watchmen for the morning?
4. Why does the psalmist say you should hope in God?
Psalm 131
1. Add 131:1 to the “heart” page in your journal.
2. Why do you think the psalmist doesn’t occupy himself with things too great for him?
3. Do you occupy yourself with things that are too great for you? What do you think that means? Can you think of an example?
4. What does it mean to calm your soul like a weaned child?
5. How long should Israel hope in God?
Psalm 132
1. Why wasn’t David going to sleep? What did he have to do first?
2. Read 1 Samuel 7:2. What does this verse have to do with this psalm?
3. What is the Davidic covenant that is expressed in verses 11-12? Do we still see this today? If you think so, where?
4. Add 132:17 to the “horn” page in your journal.
5. There is a definite change of time in verses 13-18. What do you think this part of the psalm is talking about? When will God satisfy the poor with bread and clothe Jerusalem’s priests with salvation?
Psalm 133
1. What is this psalm talking about? What is good and pleasant? To what does the psalmist compare brotherly unity?
2. Why does the psalmist compare unity to the oil running down the beard of Aaron? Read Exodus 30:22-23. Do you see a connection?
3. Why does the psalmist compare unity to the dew on Hermon? The elevation of Hermon is 9200 feet. It is the source of the Jordan - and therefore, sustains physical life. The times of refreshing come from the headwaters of the Jordan. This is what brotherly unity is like.
4. Which of these word pictures means more to you? The oil on Aaron’s head - the anointing of the Holy Spirit in your life? Or the times of refreshing, the living water of Jesus Christ?
5. Read the NIrV devotion.
6. Read Proverbs 6:19. With the verse in Proverbs and this Psalm as a basis, write in your journal how you think God feels about getting along with others.
Psalm 134
1. Add 134:2 to the “hand” page in your journal.
2. How should you bless the LORD?
3. When should you bless the LORD?
4. Sing the song based on this psalm, “Bless Ye the Lord" or “Let’s Just Praise the Lord.”
Psalm 120
1. What is it that this psalmist wants, rather than the war that the people around him desire?
2. Into what category would you put yourself? Do you look for peace and actively work for it, or are you ready to fight at the drop of a hat?
3. What are the things the psalmist wants deliverance from? How different would our world be if we had no deceit or lies?
Psalm 121
1. To where does the psalmist lift his eyes for help?
2. Sing the Dwight Armstrong song based on this psalm, “To the Hills I’ll Lift Mine Eyes.”
3. How do you know that God will not let you stumble?
4. Add 121:5 to the “hand” page in your journal.
5. Psalm 121:8 is a picture of Jehovah-Rohi, the LORD my shepherd. How is this verse like Psalm 23?
6. Draw a picture of God as your keeper. How would you depict it? This psalmist uses the idea of shading from the sun and the moon. How would you show God keeping you safe?
Psalm 122
1. How did the psalmist feel when someone wanted to go to the temple to worship God?
2. How do you feel when it’s time to go to church each week to worship God?
3. What do you do when your attitude is not right, when you’re not ready to worship God?
4. What was decreed to happen in Jerusalem?
5. What should you pray for in regards to Jerusalem?
6. How do you feel about Jerusalem? Do you think of it as the holy city?
7. Read the NIrV devotion.
8. Sing the song “We Have Come into His House.”
Psalm 123
1. Add 123:2 to the “hand” page in your journal.
2. To what does the psalmist compare the servants looking to their master?
3. Why does the psalmist ask for mercy from God?
4. Do you think to ask God for help when someone is putting you down and is scornful towards you?
Psalm 124
1. There are several word pictures drawn in this psalm of what would have happened if the LORD was not on our side. Choose one of them and draw a pictoral representation of the event. Write the verse underneath the picture as a caption. Be sure to add the scripture reference. Plan to display it where you can see it.
2. Can you think of an event in your life where something bad would have happened if God had not been on your side? Write about it in your journal.
3. Where is our help? What do you trust in for security and provision?
Psalm 125
1. Read verses one and two. To what is the LORD compared? Draw a picture depicting the protection that comes from mountains surrounding a people for protection.
2. Can you think of a country that has the natural protection of the mountains?
3. Add 125:3 to the “hand” page in your journal.
Add 125:4 to the “heart” page in your journal.
4. What do you think of when you read verse 3? Do you think it applies to us today? Why or why not?
5. Draw a picture of verse 5. What might this verse look like?
Psalm 126
1. Read this psalm through once. Then think of an instance when the people might have sung this psalm of joy and thanksgiving. Do you think they might have sung it when they came back from captivity in Babylon? Do you think they might have sung it when Israel was re-established as a country in 1917?
2. What is the overwhelming feeling from this psalm?
3. Sing “Bringing in the Sheaves,” “Give Thanks,” or “To God Be the Glory.”
Psalm 127
1. Add 127:4 to the “hand” page in your journal.
2. Sing the Dwight Armstrong song based on this psalm, “Unless the Lord Shall Build the House.”
3. Put verse one into your own words. Then put verse two into your own words.
4. How does God feel about children? (verse 3-5)
5. Draw a picture of children like arrows in a quiver. How would you depict this word picture? Write verse 4-5 as a caption underneath your drawing.
Psalm 128
1. Who is blessed? How shall he be blessed?
2. Add 128:2 to the “hand” page in your journal.
3. Put verse 3 into your own words. What does it mean to “see your children’s children”?
Psalm 129
1. Add 129:7 to the “hand” page in your journal.
2. Why have “they” not prevailed against the psalmist?
3. Draw a picture of verse 3. This is a very vivid image of persecution and oppression. How does it make you feel?
4. Draw a picture of verse 6. What does this word picture look like? To whom is it referring?
Psalm 130
1. What does the psalmist say would happen if God condemned anyone? Why?
2. Why does God forgive?
3. Why would you hope more for God than watchmen for the morning?
4. Why does the psalmist say you should hope in God?
Psalm 131
1. Add 131:1 to the “heart” page in your journal.
2. Why do you think the psalmist doesn’t occupy himself with things too great for him?
3. Do you occupy yourself with things that are too great for you? What do you think that means? Can you think of an example?
4. What does it mean to calm your soul like a weaned child?
5. How long should Israel hope in God?
Psalm 132
1. Why wasn’t David going to sleep? What did he have to do first?
2. Read 1 Samuel 7:2. What does this verse have to do with this psalm?
3. What is the Davidic covenant that is expressed in verses 11-12? Do we still see this today? If you think so, where?
4. Add 132:17 to the “horn” page in your journal.
5. There is a definite change of time in verses 13-18. What do you think this part of the psalm is talking about? When will God satisfy the poor with bread and clothe Jerusalem’s priests with salvation?
Psalm 133
1. What is this psalm talking about? What is good and pleasant? To what does the psalmist compare brotherly unity?
2. Why does the psalmist compare unity to the oil running down the beard of Aaron? Read Exodus 30:22-23. Do you see a connection?
3. Why does the psalmist compare unity to the dew on Hermon? The elevation of Hermon is 9200 feet. It is the source of the Jordan - and therefore, sustains physical life. The times of refreshing come from the headwaters of the Jordan. This is what brotherly unity is like.
4. Which of these word pictures means more to you? The oil on Aaron’s head - the anointing of the Holy Spirit in your life? Or the times of refreshing, the living water of Jesus Christ?
5. Read the NIrV devotion.
6. Read Proverbs 6:19. With the verse in Proverbs and this Psalm as a basis, write in your journal how you think God feels about getting along with others.
Psalm 134
1. Add 134:2 to the “hand” page in your journal.
2. How should you bless the LORD?
3. When should you bless the LORD?
4. Sing the song based on this psalm, “Bless Ye the Lord" or “Let’s Just Praise the Lord.”