O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! Adonai Elohim who chose You as His own possession has always longed for you to bless you; and cause His face to shine upon you and fill you with peace; but you were not willing. He who has called You by name, swore to Abraham and backed it with an oath (so that by two unchangeable things by which it is impossible for God to lie) You who flees to Him for refuge might find hope in the promises He made. Like a hen that gathers her chicks under her wings, Adonai, Thy husband, has longed for you. How long O city of the great King will Thou resist Him? How much longer until you recognize that the work of salvation, redemption and restoration is completed; if only you will believe in Him who died and rose again on your behalf (and not only for you but for also for the sake of the whole world). He is longing to fill you so that within your walls you will have peace, the Shalom of God. Yes, and He eagerly desires to lavish His overflowing grace upon You, O daughter of the Most High, so that prosperity, safety and blessing will be yours. Draw near to Him dear Yerushalayim and be assured that He will in no way cast you aside, for You are His chosen one, the place where He has put His name.
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 15th 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 now completed 22 days of counting up to the fifty days to Shavuot (Lev. 23:15-16), the next feast day of the Lord.
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.
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