Psalm 120
by Pastor Mark Hudson
This is a brief Psalm after the longest Psalm in the Bible. This also begins a grouping called songs of ascents. This group begins in 120 and ends at 134. We can imagine these might be songs the pilgrims sang as they travelled to Jerusalem for Passover. We cannot be certain of the actual reason for this grouping, but that explanation does seem somewhat reasonable. If they sign this song first, was it early in their travels? Was it the first Psalm they sang? Spurgeon makes a funny comment about this idea of the Jews singing this song, “. . . we hope that pious people were not so foolish as to sing about their bad neighbors when they were leaving them for a few days. If they wished to leave their houses in safety, and to come home to kind surroundings, it would have been the height of folly to provoke those whom they were leaving behind by singing aloud a Psalm of complaint against them” (Spurgeon, The Treasury of David).
We see other groups within the Psalms. For example: Psalms of Asaph (73-83), Psalms of Korah (84-85; 87-88). The Lord reigns Psalms (93-100) and the Hallelujah Psalms (146-150). For our grouping, we wonder how this came about. Were these songs “floating” around and someone suggested putting them together? Were they sung every year?
This is not the happiest of Psalms. But life isn’t all happiness and joy. If you are in distress, you might mistakenly assume the Bible does not address your predicament. “In my distress I called to the Lord” is how this Psalms begins. The Psalmist, other Biblical authors, and many Christians have been and are now in distress. They are in distress, in this case, because of sins against them. Many in the Bible are afflicted. And millions of Christians around the world are suffering affliction.
But what the author is thankful for is that God “answered me.” This really is no small thing – God answers our prayers. First, God hears us when we call to him. Why should He listen to me? Who am I that the Holy uncreated One should listen to one of my prayers? Doesn’t He have more weighty matters to concern Himself with rather than my complaining? He not only listens but He knows that I prayed that prayer. How can He identify my prayer out of the millions sent His way? How and why does He care about one of my prayers? But, not only that, but He also answered me. That is more than we can ever ask for. He answers me.
Possibly His answer is not the one I hoped for. His answer might come slower than I wanted. His answer might not be understood by me, or His answer might not agree with my wishes at all. But it is His answer to my prayer. I should be content, thankful, and praise Him for it.
Notice the Psalmist has some specific difficulties. He is barely surviving. His pain is so bad, he cries out, “Deliver me, O Lord.” As if to say, I can’t handle this on my own. I need you to help me
When a person physically attacks you, you can defend yourself. But lies can come from anywhere. Lies do innumerable damage and incalculable hurt. Lies are pernicious and like daggers to a person. And they hurt more than sticks and stones – by a long shot. Our lips ought to be bloody from lying or deceiving or as Spurgeon wrote, “. . . red with the blood of honest men’s reputes.” He cries out for help from God and in verse three he begins to realize what they will receive.
Verse 3 is asking what kind of judgment will you face, those who lie? Verse 4 is the answer: a warrior’s sharp arrows. There is no warrior like God, and He has been watching, listening to the complaint of the godly. He knows how destructive lies are. Throughout human history someone lies about God, whether a snake in the garden, or false prophets. Lies about who God is, what He has done, why He has done it and what we ought to do and how we should live. His arrows are sharp and come from a mighty bow. They will hit their mark and the fire of judgment will follow. Fire and judgment were constant themes of the Lord Jesus. Is it our theme? Do we think, talk, teach about God’s judgment?
The Psalmist is speaking metaphorically in v. 5. Meshech is in the far north and Kedar in the far south. So, it is like us saying ‘coast to coast.’ He longs to be among God’s people, but he is, in fact, surrounding by the ungodly. He realizes that for every word of peace there are words of war from those who hate peace. He needs to be among God’s people.
Our Lord lived his life on earth this way. He saw with his own eyes the lives of the Jewish people He grew up with. I’m sure some were sincere, but I imagine many were not. Jesus spent decades just listening, observing, and sometimes questioning others. Then when He started talking all the venom and vile poured out. They cancelled Him eventually. With cruel hate and blind rage, they turned against their Creator and told Him to SHUT UP. They would not hear the tender truth of His words.
Dear Lord, You listen to our distress when we cry out to You. That still makes us wonder. Yet You not only hear us, but You also answer us. Thank You that Your answer is Your answer and not ours. We don’t even know what is best for us. Lord, keep us from ever lying about honest people. Keep us from deceiving others. Help us to wait for Your judgments which are certain, just, powerful, and coming upon all those who reject You. Protect us and forgive us by the blood of our Lord Jesus in whose name we pray. Amen.