Do you know about the Psalms of ascent? Jerusalem is located on a hill, traditionally called “Mt. Moriah,” where God saved Abraham from sacrificing Isaac. This location is holy to people of faith who count themselves heirs of Abraham.
The Psalms of ascent, Psalms 120-134, were sung by God’s Old Testament people as they ‘ascended’ the hill to Jerusalem on their religious pilgrimage for the major Jewish festivals to worship the Lord. For Jewish celebrations like Passover in the spring, or the Feast of Booths in the fall, I have read that Jerusalem could triple in size. Those crowds would arrive singing these Psalms.
Please remember, Scripture is plain! It was not the temple, nor the city, which the Jewish people were to worship. ONLY the Lord Himself is worthy of honor and praise! But, can you imagine being part of the hundreds of thousands of God’s people singing these Psalms as they ascended to Jerusalem? What an experience of faith! What an experience of unity in being part of God’s family! My heart is filled with anticipation as Kathy and Mary and I embark on a spiritual pilgrimage of our own this Thursday, October 17. I was asked to serve with the Wittenberg English Ministry, which provides worship and devotions for English speaking tourists in Wittenberg Germany.
My service is from October 22-31. Wittenberg is the city where Martin Luther taught at the university, where he struggled as he delved into Scripture, where he despaired because of the truth of God�.