Ascents

In my Bible it notes that Psalms 120-134 are psalms of ascents that the Israelites would sing on their way to Jerusalem to celebrate festivals.

My Bible also lists a word of meaning for each psalm and I have tried to focus on seeing this word in these Psalms:
120-Repentance
121-Providence
122-Worship
123-Service
124-Help
125-Security
126-Joy
127-Work
128-Happiness
129-Perseverance
130-Hope
131-Humility
132-Obedience
133-Community
134-Blessing

Psalm 119

Ps. 119 talks a lot about the value of the Word and the Law. There are many benefits listed to reading them and following God.
It made me think of a friend who is struggling in her faith. She has many needs that ps. 119 indicates could be met by reading the Word (Bible) but she doesn't feel up to it. She knows the truth of the Word. The Word has been planted deep in her heart. So her not reading the Bible could be for a number of reasons
-it is powerful
-it will confront her on things she knows she should be doing (or not doing as the case may be)
-it could change her(!)

Psalm 117

This looks like the shortest psalm but it packs quite a punch! Short and sweet. I am tackling psalm 119 tonight. Some things are short and some are long. As long as they need to be.

Psalm 115

Psalm 115 seems to give a good description of an idol. Though the idols today probably don't look like the idols of psalm 115's time, they are still around. They are manmade not God-made. Trying to think of modern day idols- money probably tops the list. Maybe cars? Houses? TVs? Idols are also trusted in, so maybe that would make money the top one over other possessions. More people trust in money than other things.
I am happy to trust in the Lord

Psalm 107

Psalm 107 is a series of stories that all make the same points:
1. We make bad choices or get in bad situations
2. If we realize the situation and call on the Lord, He will deliver us.

Now, the deliverance may not look like what we would expect or want, but He seems to be pretty good at bringing us out if we want to be brought out.
Why do we (as humans) only tend to look to God when the things are bad? Though other psalms are about praising God for good things, there seems to be a theme about calling on God when things get bad. I am glad He is there for us when things are both good and bad.

Psalm 101

Well, upon reading psalm 101 I had some difficulty with it. It came off a bit proud to me. What with the seemingly required perfection and the destruction of evildoers. As I found this psalm puzzling I looked up a spurgeon internet reference and what I got from that was to think about it as David singing not how he is, but how he would LIKE to be. Which made it a bit easier to understand. There can always be a utopia in how we would like to be compared to how we are.
I read that it was a psalm of longing and expectation, which is not how I interpreted it at all on the first read.
When I read it, I think I was reading it in the light of Jesus, which may have been missing the point altogether.

7 No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house;
no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence.

But Jesus hung out with the sinners

8 Every morning I will put to silence all the wicked in the land;
I will cut off every evildoer from the city of the LORD.

Oh dear, I couldn't see Jesus in this at all.
So, obviously, interpreting this psalm in the light of Jesus was the wrong way to read it.