Song of Ascents - Psalm 121, Verse 5

I think of what You said to Abram when You made a covenant with Him: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward." The more we reflect on this brief sentence the more we see the greatness of the promise. To have You as a shield, a defender, a fortress and a hiding place is the most secure dwelling any child of God should want. Further the promise that You are an exceedingly great reward to those who have the same faith as Abraham is another glorious pledge that we often miss. But then You also told the patriarch something else. You said, "I am El Shaddai. Walk in My presence and be pure-hearted." O Adonai, our keeper, our shade and ever-present help who is always with us, how we hold to the promise and overlook the command. We are always quick to remind You of what You have committed but are slow to walk in obedience and faith before Your presence as set-apart, righteous children of light. Perfect Your work in us Adonai, that we will always remember that in a covenant, we too must be faithful and true if Your word is to become more than just 'sloganeering' and 'quotations'. We want to see it become a reality within us, a testimony of Your faithfulness; so that others can see that Adonai is truly our keeper and a shade against harm—for though a thousand may fall by our side and ten thousand by our right hand, we are safe under Your wings.

Song of Ascents comprises of a collection of 15 psalms from Psalm 120 to 134. While there are a number of suggestions as to what the phrase, “Song of Ascents” could mean, one thought is that these psalms were sung by Israel as they went up to Jerusalem to celebrate the three annual feasts that the Lord had commanded (Lev. 23; Ex. 23:14).

We have just concluded the Feast of Unleavened Bread which started on the 15^th day of the first month of the Biblical calendar (or on the evening of March 30, 2018). During this seven day feast, Israel went up to Jerusalem singing these Songs of Ascent. We have completed 12 days of counting up to the fifty days to Shavuot (Lev. 23:15-16).

My purpose of posting a verse from these psalms each day (during these days between the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot) which in Greek is called Pentecost) is so that we too—if you are a son (or daughter) of Israel, even though you once may have been a Gentile but now through the great grace shown to us by the Father and through the blood of the Messiah Yeshua—can pilgrim into the presence of the Most High God (for we are the temple of God and the Holy Spirit dwells in us) singing these psalms to Him who sits on the throne (in heaven and in our hearts).

Join with me then O son of Israel and let us exalt the name of our God together as we pilgrim on His appointed feast days just as He commanded.