Psalm 119:105-112

Life’s afflictions can be so unrelenting, so difficult.  It seems the Psalmist emphasizes this in this stanza.  He is afflicted “very much” (107).  Fear for his life is constant (109).  Those who afflict him are unmerciful (110).  In the context provided by the opening verse we can say that he feels he is in the darkest of dark nights.

Several years ago my wife and I got caught out at night on a trail in Montana.  We had been able to see our way through open areas in the fading light.  But when we entered a thickly forested area it was pitch black.  We had to spend the night on the trail until morning light.  It would have been good if I had done what I tell others to do: always take a flashlight!  It’s a no-brainer.

Likewise there are times when we feel as if we are in a dense forest of affliction.  We lose our sense of direction.  We feel we must go on, and yet the darkness is so intense all we can do is wait it out.  Unless, of course, we have had the foresight to pack along a flashlight. 

The Psalmist has his flashlight.  It is the word of God (105).  He is committed to walk in the light (106) to the end of his journey (112).

It is important to note what the Word does for God’s people when they are in the darkness.  They are able to see both their feet and the path they walk.  It reveals to us the exact place we are now in our pilgrimage. 

To use the hiking metaphor again might help us to understand the blessing of the Word.  When hiking it helps to have a map that informs us of the entire journey as well as a compass to give us our bearings.  These give the big picture.  Every now and then along the way we may stop for rest and look ahead to see where we are headed.  But then when we begin again to walk our eyes must have their main focus on where our feet are at that moment on the trail.  Otherwise we stumble.  If it is dark we lose our way and our situation becomes impossible.

We often liken God’s word to a map and a compass, and that it is.  But it also sheds light on the immediate situation.  How vital it is that His word be part of our daily walk.  How important it is that God’s word be hidden in our hearts and fresh in our minds so that we have His light for every step along the way.

Read Psalm 129

Let us again consider this wonderful Song that sustains the pilgrim along his way.  We can be thankful that our lifelong afflictions have not overcome us.  They can work for our good, but only if we trust the Creator of Heaven and Earth.  But let us now ask, What good can the pilgrim expect to see from his afflictions?

ŸTrials are for our SAFETY.

Without trials we would never turn to God, and thus we would never have that holy discontent with Meshech (Ps. 120) so essential for the pilgrim in his journey to God.  As one has said, God is said to choose His people in the furnace, because they oftenest choose Him there.

ŸTrials enable us to know GOD.

It is only in affliction that God is sought, so by many it is only in affliction God is known.  We only know God as deliverer if we have been in trouble and experienced His deliverance.

ŸTrials enable us to know OURSELVES.

We will think of ourselves as quite self-sufficient for life unless we be found in situations where our strength is exhausted.  It is only when they are crushed as the worm they are made to feel that the dust is their source; only when earthly props are withdrawn will they take hold of that arm of omnipotence that Jesus offers, and which He has offered so long in vain.

ŸTrials enable us to know OUR SIN.

Not only do we know our weaknesses of personality or strength, we also come to see our sin and our need of a Savior.  Nothing so effectively teaches this than our responses to trials.

ŸTrials enable the world to know GOD.

It is further that the world comes to know God by seeing the pilgrim in his affliction.  As the pilgrim comes to grips with God's righteousness and experiences the Creator's comfort in trial, it is then that the world sees God at work and wonders about the pilgrim's hope (1 Peter 3:15).

So in the face of trial, let the prayer of vs. 5-8 be yours.  The Psalmist prays that these trials (he calls them enemies) will...

þ Lose their integrity (v5, be put to shame, be seen as nothing compared to the Creator's provision).

þ Lose their effectiveness (v6-7a, like the grass growing on the housetops in the shallow dirt, insufficient for harvest).

þ Lose their supporters (v7b-8, people or events whose presence can lengthen or intensify the affliction).

Read Psalm 129

We continue to think about lifelong oppressions.  We can always be thankful that, though the afflictions are serious, yet they have not overcome us.  But the Psalm goes much beyond this and tells us that these afflictions are, in fact, for our good.  To quote the Scottish preacher, Alexander McLaren, The right use of retrospect is to make it the ground of hope.  How can we do this?

Unlocking the chains of the past that debilitate us is the subject of v4, the apex of the Psalm.  Having referred to his longtime and recurring afflictions and their grievous nature (v1-3), the Psalmist makes a simple but profound statement: the Lord is righteous.

We can never grow in our afflictions as long as we are convinced that the God we seek to know is somehow unfair with us.  God's men and women have always suffered affliction and have had to come to the place of trusting that God is right. 

Jeremiah lived in a difficult time in Israel.  His own ministry, which God had given him, was one failure after another.  No one listened to his sermons, no one responded.  While Jeremiah suffered, the wicked around him seemed to do well.  He had to come to recognize God's righteousness (Jer. 12:1).  Again, after Israel fell to the Babylonians, Jeremiah had to reckon with the fact that in all the suffering, God was righteous (Lamentations 1:18).  Failure to see this would not have changed Jeremiah's situation, but it would have left him bitter and broken.

The pilgrim must trust God's righteousness in his trials.

ŸThe pilgrim must believe God is righteous in sovereignty.

In other words, God has not made a mistake in allowing our affliction.

ŸThe pilgrim must believe God is righteous in love.

He must believe that, even in affliction, God is not unkind or hateful but is concerned with the pilgrim's good.  God is doing something for the pilgrim that cannot be done apart from affliction.  These trials break up the fallow ground of the pilgrim's proud and stiff heart.  As Spurgeon said, God uses these afflictions to manure the church.  What a picture.  Manure is stinky, unclean, and hot.  And yet the plant thrives with it.  And so God loves the pilgrim so as to permit his enemies (trials) to aid in the journey.

ŸThe pilgrim must believe God is righteous in faithfulness.

  The pilgrim must trust God's timing, and that He will be true to His promises.  He will eventually cut the cords of the wicked, He will always keep His word and accomplish His will.

Read Psalm 129

On our pilgrimage through this life there is an issue faced by every pilgrim, an issue that for some seems impossible to overcome.  The Psalmist in vs.1-2 refers to afflictions he has had since his childhood.  We refer to them as lifelong oppressions.  These are issues that date back to our childhood.  They may involve some traumatic experience, some debilitating handicap, or something about the way we were raised. 

The assumption often expressed is that for the pilgrim to successfully complete his journey he must heal his memories.  There are a myriad of therapy solutions offered, some quite strange, but others seeming to have occasional success. 

This Pilgrim Song addresses this issue with a refreshing, though challenging viewpoint.

These oppressions are real, according to vs.1-2.  Israel as a nation had suffered much from the hostility of others beginning with the Egyptian bondage out of which the nation was born.  All through her history Israel suffered miserably at the hands of Canaanites, Ammonites, Edomites, Philistines, Aramaeans, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Moabites, and others.  The pilgrim recognizes that the simple fact of having parents who were themselves imperfect means that he will have things in his background that must be overcome.  Add to that the inevitable traumatic experience (an abusive parent, a rape, belittling by a teacher, coach or fellow-student, a physical or social abnormality, etc.) and most people have little trouble thinking of something that has afflicted them from their youth.

Further, these oppressions are of fearful proportions.  They have gone on for a long time (from my youth).  They have been recurring (many times, v2).  And they are truly grievous, like someone dragging a plow over one's back (v3).  Don't think otherwise: the Lord we desire to know Himself knows our lifelong oppressions.  Are you aware of this type of thing in your life?

Pay attention to v2.  The pilgrim is aware of his affliction.  But he is not obsessed with it, or with some need to go back and correct the past.  When he remembers his lifelong oppression he is overcome by one thought: yet they have not prevailed against me.  If we are going to complete our journey to God we must understand this: the concern is not about changing the past, but living in the present.  And the present truth that cannot be denied is simply this: no matter how devastating these afflictions, I am still here, I am still on the journey.  They have not prevailed!

Read Psalm 128

In this Psalm we see what we often call the good life.

A. The promise of the good life, v1-4.

1.    The recipients of the good life, v1,4.

Note that it is God who defines good life, though His description is not that different from what we might offer.

This promise is to "saints" (v1) and yet to each "saint" (v4).  A "saint" is someone who fears the Lord and who walks in His ways.  A man's heart will be seen in his walk.  Deep reverence for God will be evidenced by regular and constant conformity to His will.

What does the Bible mean by the fear of the Lord?  The Hebrew term used here can refer to being afraid of someone or something.  But it also is used of being in awe, having reverence, honor and respect for someone.  It is a fear joined with love and hope, and is therefore not a slavish dread, but rather, a family reverence seen in the relationship of a child to his father.  The fear of God is not only an Old Testament concept (Matt. 10:28; 2 Cor. 5:11; 7:1; Phil. 2:12; Eph. 5:21; Heb. 12:28,29).

Practically, the one who fears God has an underlying and ongoing realization of God's presence and involvement in every event of life.  He acknowledges God at all times (Prov. 3:5-6).

2.    The description of the good life, v2-3.

At work the one who walks in God's ways has an honest livelihood and a comfortable living.  The Bible makes it clear that the man is not necessarily free of pain, even the pain of losing his job.  But he is not jobless because of laziness, insubordination, dishonesty or unwillingness to work at menial tasks.  Nor is his comfortable living the result of having lots of money.  Part of his godly life is his contentment and generosity with God's provision (Matt. 6:19-34; Phil. 4).

At home this man is blessed with an enjoyable marriage and family.  Again, it's not that his home is perfect and without trouble.  But it is that the one who walks in God's ways is finding satisfaction in those God has placed closest to him.

B. The prayer for the good life, v5-6.

The prayer is for the very thing God has promised.  If we join Ps. 127 and 128, this brings us back to the beginning: unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.  Those who fear God and walk in His ways are faithful to seek their happiness (blessedness) from God by prayer.

Read Psalm 128

Note several thoughts from this Psalm.

ŸGodliness is beneficial in this life as well as in the one to come (1 Tim. 4:8).

Pilgrims who are on their way to heaven have earthly responsibilities (such as work and family).  The early Church Fathers struggled with this.  To many of them conjugal life was an essentially earthly notion and was incompatible with a high view of godliness.  Even men such as Augustine and Chrysostom saw these Psalms as allegories where the wife was viewed as the Church.  This encouraged devotion to the Church and made celibacy a mark of godliness.  Martin Luther, in the reformation, vindicated the truth of God, first by his teaching, and then by his marriage to Catherine von Bora.  Christian marriage was holy.

The same applies to work.  As Charles Spurgeon put it...

God is the God of laborers.  We are not to leave our worldly callings because the Lord has called us by grace; we are not promised a blessing upon romantic idleness or unreasonable dreaming, but upon hard work and honest industry. Though we are in God's hands we are to be supported by our own hands.  He will give us daily bread, but it must be made our own by labor.... Without God it would be vain to labor; but when we are laborers together with God a promise is set before us.  The promise is that labor shall be fruitful, and that he who performs it shall himself enjoy the recompense of it.

ŸThe corporate benefit of one man's blessings.

One person who fears God can effect an entire family (v3), even an entire nation (v5-6).  God's blessing for individuals (v1-4) should positively effect others (v5-6).

ŸThe sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man.

This was noted above in the quote from Spurgeon.  Ps. 127 says that blessing rests on the house God builds.  Ps. 128 says that blessing rests on the house where the father fears God.

ŸThe relationship of promise and prayer.

We see here a classic example of praying the word of God.  The prayer of v5-6 is based in the promise of v1-4.  We know God grants that which is according to His will (1 John 5:14-15).  We can do no better than to fill our prayers with the promises of God from His word.

ŸAnd finally, in the words of Matthew Henry,

Those who are truly holy are truly happy.

Read Psalm 127

We have seen that if God is not in the building then the building is in vain.  The watchman will do his duty, but if God is not with him the enemy will come from a different direction or he will miss some little detail and the city will suffer attack.  How can I be sure that God is involved?  From different Biblical building sites we can find our answer.

A. Set your heart and soul to seek the Lord.

This is what David told Solomon: Set your heart and soul to seek the Lord your God; arise therefore and build the sanctuary (1 Chron 22:19). First seek God.  Don't be in a big hurry to build. 

B. Strengthen your hands for the work.

Nehemiah first told the people how the hand of God had been on him (i.e. God was in it).  Then it says they strengthened their hands for this good work (Neh. 2:18).  Even in training our children we must be willing to be prepared or trained.  A parent will seek to strengthen his hand from his own upbringing, but also from the Scriptures which have much to say on the subject, and then from the advice and example of others.

C. Seek the Lord in prayer.

In Scripture prayers were regularly offered in the context of building.  Nehemiah prayed at the beginning and during the building of the walls.  In Psalm 51:18 David, as part of his prayer of confession, asked God to rebuild what David, by his immoral example, had torn down.  If you want God in it, ask Him to be in it.

D. Stand the building on the foundation of Christ.

An essential issue in building anything that lasts is that it have a good foundation (Matt. 7:24-27).  In our spiritual buildings the foundation is always Christ (1 Cor. 3:11).  In fact the Bible says that what Christ is doing today is building His Church (Matt. 16:18).  When Christ is the foundation of our homes then our homes are part of what He is doing.  This happens when Christ is Lord of the marriage and then of the life of the family.

E. Establish the building with the word of grace.

According to Acts 20:28 the word of grace is able to build you up.  God is brought into the building of our homes when His Word is brought into the home. Like Timothy (2 Tim 1:5; 3:14-15) whose mother and grandmother taught him the Scriptures from his childhood, and as commanded in the law (Deut. 6:4-9) so the word of grace brings God into all He has given us to do.

Psalm 119:97-104

This stanza begins with the words of one who is seeing Scripture at work in his life in very real ways.  “Oh, how I love Your law!”  I have felt that myself; I have seen it in believers young and old.  When the light comes on, the direction they seek is found, or the path is made clear, there is a deep joy in the heart that cries out, “I love this Book!”

The joy of the Psalmist centers around the clarity he finds in Scripture as opposed to the confusion he finds elsewhere.  God’s people know there are 2 ways: truth and falsehood (v104), good and evil (v101).  His enemies, his teachers, and the ancients (v98-100) are those whose wisdom is always lacking. 

Rather than following them and going astray the Psalmist has kept his feet from their way (v101).  He has not departed from God’s judgments (v102).  In fact, as strongly as he loves God’s law, with the same intensity he hates every false way (v104).  He has found the word of God to be completely satisfying (v103)

We should consider this ourselves.  The world’s teachers can be quite intimidating to be sure, given their status and power.  After all, the evil and false way is the way of destruction, Broadway Avenue on which most of our acquaintances travel (Mt. 7:13).  And those who travel that road are never happy about those few do-gooders who travel the narrow way of affliction (Psa. 123:3-4; 1 Peter 4:3-4).

In youth it is our peer group exerting pressure to walk with the majority in their pleasures.  In college it is the professor who has crafted a philosophy that denies God and exalts man.  In the workplace it is the successful entrepreneur whose proven track record in attaining wealth and power is the only path to follow.

And yet, do you feel the confidence of the man of the Word?  By God’s commandments, testimonies and precepts he cannot be touched by any of these "experts.".  The longer he lives, the sweeter are God’s words.  They fit reality.  They keep him from trouble.  They give him success with his Creator for he is taught by God Himself (v102).

He will not be diverted.  The Scriptures are his meditation all the day.  He is confident as he walks the narrow path.  “The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide” (Psalm 37:31).  Do you walk with this confidence?

Read Psalm 127

One might be surprised to find included in the Pilgrim Songs a family emphasis.  After all, isn't this journey personal?  Yes, it is.  But if you think about it, our personal journey is always in the context of family.  That is where we start our lives; family shapes our lives to a great extent; and we are never free from the memory and impact of family.  Remember that the typical journey to Jerusalem in Bible times involved the entire family (Luke 2:41).

So this Psalm has some great family truths.  1) Overwork is a waste. 2) Children are special. 3) Large families are not a sin. These are important.  Yet, as in each Psalm thus far, what is important here is what the Psalm says about our pilgrimage, our journey to God.  And the point in this Psalm is simple: a building, be it our home or our business, not built by God, is empty. 

The principle is in vs.1-2 and might be stated thus: Your efforts are futile if God is not in it.  It's not that builders and watchmen are not needed.  After all, by God's design, Solomon built the temple, and Ezekiel was a watchman (Ezek. 3:17).  But the point is that you cannot do the job if God is not in it, even if you stay up late and rise up early (v2), even if you are the workaholic husband or the soccer mom rushing here and there to get every kid to every practice and game and event. 

Scripture illustrates this.  The tower of Babel (Gen. 11:4) was a monument to man's greatness, but it became useless (empty) because God was not in it.  David did not build the temple, though he wanted to, because he knew God was not in it (1 Chron. 22:8).  The rich farmer planned to build bigger barns but it was a plan of pride, God was not in it, and so it never happened (Luke 12:18).

The Bible also contains positive illustrations.  Solomon did build the temple that his father had wanted to build.  The reason?  God was on his side (1 Chron. 22:18).  And while David was not permitted to build the temple, the Lord did build David's house (i.e. his lineage, 2 Sam. 7:27).  The people of Israel successfully established themselves in Babylon when they were held captive.  The reason: God was in it (Jer. 29:28). Thus they experienced the kinds of benefits of which our Psalm speaks (vs. 3-5).

Look at your life.  Does it seem that you are busy, too busy to make time for your Creator?  You deceive yourself in thinking that success depends on your feverish activity.  The pilgrim understands that his journey is to a temple whose builder and architect is God (Heb. 11:10,16).

Read Psalm 126

Songs of deliverance are common in the Bible. 

vIn Exodus 15 The Song of Moses and Miriam rejoiced in the deliverance from Egypt and it's multiplied troubles. 

vIn Judges 5 The Song of Deborah remembered deliverance from the Canaanites, the result of Israel's backsliding. 

vIn 2 Sam. 22 The Song of David recounted deliverance from David's enemies. 

vIn Rev. 15:3-4 The Song of Moses and the Lamb praises God for deliverance of the martyrs from the future antichrist.

In our Psalm the pilgrim begins by recalling a song (vs.1-3), the theme of which is: the Lord has done great things.  It is a joyful tune sung before the nations.  Forty years after Israel's deliverance from Egypt the people of Jericho knew about it and feared (Josh. 2:8-11).  Many years later the Philistines knew of God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt and feared (1 Sam. 4:5-8).

What path must the pilgrim take for deliverance from captivity?

A. It is a path of faith, v4.

In his captivity, his oppressive situation, the pilgrim cries out to the Lord.  He has not forgotten Who promised to be his help along the way (Ps. 121).  He realizes that the freedom he longs for will not be the result of his own effort; he has by now grown weary of this solution.  His deliverance will necessitate a work by God Who is greater than the captors. 

B. It is a path of perseverance, v5-6.

Captivities are not quickly turned around; that's the nature of things.  We may live with a particular difficulty or temptation for years.  During that time our willingness to stay on the path of faith is tested.  So with the pilgrim!  But he trusts his Helper, and is getting to know Him better.  He is learning that his God is a God of grace Who will perfect, establish, strengthen and settle the pilgrim after he suffers (1 Pt. 5:10); a God Whose grace will be sufficient in weakness (2 Cor. 12:9); a God Who gives more grace to the humble as the difficulties increase (Jas. 4:6).  Perseverance means the pilgrim goes about his life, even with tears, with the conviction that those who sow in tears shall reap in joy (v5). 

Do you see why the pilgrim begins by recalling the past deliverance from captivity?  It encourages his faith to know that God has done this in the past.  He can believe that the Lord Who has done great things for them (v2) will do great things for us (v3).

Read Psalm 126

This song is sung by the pilgrim in captivity.  It looks back on a captivity experience (v1) but also pleads for deliverance from a current captivity experience (v4).  Captivity is a situation where we find ourselves bound or limited, against our will, by someone or something else.  Israel was captive in Egypt and then in the Assyrian and Babylonian kingdoms.

We seldom speak of being in captivity.  In America we fought a war of independence so as not to be subject to any foreign power. Yet our souls are often captive to any number of powers.

1.    Multiplied troubles may hold us captive.  We have one trial, then another and another until we think nothing else can happen, but it does!  We feel trapped or overcome. 

2.    Spiritual depression may hold us captive. Our days are not merely blue, they are black.  We have no motivation, no friends (it seems).  We go to bed at night to get away from it, but awake to find its frightful yoke still around our necks.

3.    Miserable backsliding may hold us captive.  There may be a wrong we cannot escape.  It may be the disease of alcoholism, an addiction to pornography, or an obsession with our credit card.  But the disease, the addiction, and the obsession are slavery.  I am held and I have no power to break free.

4.    Grievous doubt may hold us captive.  Guilt for any of the above or for some past misdeed may overcome us.  We lack an optimism (hope) about tomorrow and have no confidence to live today.  There is no assurance about our relationship with our Creator.  This too is captivity.

Listen carefully: slavery is not something reserved for a few people that society labels sick or addicted.  When Jesus uttered those well known words, "you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32), the crowd argued that they had never been held captive by anyone and didn't need freedom.  Jesus' answer was simple: Whoever commits sin is a slave of sin (v34).  That definition of captivity makes us all captive.

Finally, the Maker of Heaven and Earth, Who watches over the pilgrim can deliver the pilgrim from captivity so sorrow is replaced by singing and laughter (v1-3). Jesus says this deliverance involves being true disciples by abiding in His word (John 8:31).  This deliverance is for the one who seeks God (Ps. 126:4).

Read Psalm 125

There are 2 more matters to see in this Psalm concerning God as our refuge.  Did you notice the "forever" theme in vs.1-2?  Those who trust in the Lord abide forever because the Lord surrounds His people forever.

This "perseverance" of those who trust God is, again, a matter of faith in what God does, not what the pilgrim does.  Jesus prayed that we would be kept forever (John 17:11,15,21,23).  It is seen in the fact that He gives eternal life to all who believe (John 10:27-29).  Perseverance is proven by those questions in Rom. 8:31-39 that we spoke of a few days ago.  It is evidenced in the imperishable seed, the gospel, which saves the believer (1 Peter 1:18-25).  In all that we are saying we agree with this Psalm: the believer's forever life is based in the Creator's forever refuge!

Finally we must recognize how it is that the pilgrim experiences this protection from the Creator.  The last 2 verses contrast those with upright hearts with those who turn aside to crooked ways.  Placing this alongside the call to faith in v1 leads one to recognize that having God as a refuge does not mean one is experiencing that help from God.  Remember King David's experience.  God was his refuge.  But when he sinned with Bathsheba he took himself out of that refuge and then all manner of terrible things happened to David and his family.

1.    The refuge is the word of God.

2 Samuel 22:31: As for God, His way is perfect;

     The word of the Lord is proven;

     He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

God's word bears the same qualities as God Himself.  Since He is faithful, so is His word.  Since He is eternal, so is His word.  Since He is all-wise, so is His word.  The point is that God will be our refuge; but if we are living outside His word we're living outside His protection and thus we will not experience  that protection.

2.    We must be in the refuge.

Ps. 2:12 says "Blessed are those who put their trust in Him." 

By faith in Jesus Christ you enter that refuge: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31).

3.    We must remain in the refuge. 

Ps 73:28 But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Your works.

By drawing near to God daily we stay in the refuge. 

Be blessed today; find refuge in God.

Read Psalm 125

This Psalm, while speaking of another means of God's help for the pilgrim, has a rather interesting perspective.  For the 2nd time in the Pilgrim Songs the mountains around Jerusalem are mentioned.  But unlike Ps. 121 where the imposing hills represented the difficulties awaiting the Psalmist as he travels to Jerusalem, here they illustrate God's provision of a refuge for His people.  The same mountains that intimidate those who wish to approach Jerusalem provide a refuge for those already in Jerusalem.  So perhaps if you are in a difficult time you might consider your perspective.  In this Psalm you will see God's help as He surrounds you with His strong arms.

Notice that in the 5 verses of this short Psalm the source of the pilgrim's protection is mentioned four times: it is the LORD, Yahweh.  This is the covenant name of God which signifies His faithfulness to Israel.  Thus His role as refuge is based solely on the faith of the pilgrim (v1).  It is for those who trust in the Lord, not those who seek to work for or earn or merit this protection. 

In what sense is God our refuge?.  It is not that He shields us from troubles, nor does He always work a miracle to get us out of trouble.  What the Psalm says is that we are like Jerusalem in 2 ways: we cannot be shaken and we are surrounded by mountains.  Jerusalem is not dwarfed by mountains; only Olivet is higher.  But the mountains are formidable to approach and the resulting ravines create sheer cliffs for any army seeking to attack Jerusalem.

Thus we are told first that the Lord surrounds His people (v2). Ps. 34:7 reiterates this: The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him.  The story in 2 Kings 6:8-17 illustrates this.  The eyes of Elisha's servant were opened to see the army of the Lord surrounding the city.

Second we are told that the Lord will limit evil (v3).  God has certainly allowed evil in His creation; but He will always keep His people from being in a situation where they must reach out their hands to iniquity.  This reminds us of 1 Cor. 10:13 again:

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

The pilgrim's need is to trust the Lord.  He will be his Refuge!

Read Psalm 124.

The snare is a problem we get into ourselves.  It may likely be something left over from our life in Meshech, "the city of destruction".  And now on the pilgrimage, it has again snatched us up and will destroy us!  Is it hopeless? No!

Note that 2 phrases are repeated in this Psalm:

1.    v1-2: "If the Lord had not been on our side."

This is the fundamental issue.  God, Who promised to be the Help and to watch over the pilgrim all the way to his destination, is in fact yet on the side of the pilgrim.  Certainly when believers allow themselves to be entrapped they might expect a loving Father to discipline them, and He does.  But some might think that even the most loving father would walk off, leaving them to their own devises.  Such is not the case.

Perhaps there is something very deep here.  This idea of the Lord being on our side is spoken by the Apostle Paul in a special passage in Romans 8:31.  In the verses that follow questions are repeatedly raised:

i.       Who shall bring a charge against God's elect (v33)?

ii.     Who is he who condemns (v34)?

iii.  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ (v35)?

The answer to every question has something to do with God's provision for the Christian.  God has justified us!  Christ has died for us, been raised for us, and intercedes for us! 

The pilgrim that fails to understand this will be diverted from the path, assuming that his personal guilt is unforgivable.  He will assume that the One Who would help him will only now judge him. But he must learn that his Help will be true to His word.  And how will the pilgrim learn this?  Through the second repeated phrase.

2.    v7: "We are escaped."

It is only when we have been ensnared by the fowler, made to suffer the pain of sin, and then given the way of escape (1 Cor. 10:13) that we learn something about God that is indeed amazing. The amazing grace that saves a wretch like me is also the grace that brings us through many dangers, toils, and snares.  Amazing grace, how sweet the sound!

Psalm 119:89-96

Do you ever wonder if the Bible has something to say about issues that seem to be unique to our day and time?  If you haven’t wondered about it yourself, there has never been a shortage of those who have doubted the Bible usefulness today, given the fact it is an ancient book.

This stanza seeks to dispel this thought.  It begins by affirming the timelessness of God’s Word: Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven (v89). God’s word does not need to change; it is settled! The stanza ends by affirming the breadth of issues the Bible addresses: I have seen the consummation of all perfection. But your commandment is exceeding broad (v96).  In other words, for all time, and for every situation, the word of God is profitable.

The verses in between affirm the same.  A critical affirmation is made in v90-91.  God is faithful in all generations.  We think a lot about change when we contemplate the generations.  If those before us were believers we may acknowledge the the Scriptures fit their lives.  But we may think the challenges of today exceed those of past years, thinking those were “simpler times”.  Then we may fear for our children or grand-children as the world becomes increasingly more difficult.  But these verses make it clear: God is faithful to all generations, continuing specifically to this day.  

Verses 92-93 affirm the life-giving nature of Scripture.  As Jesus said to Satan: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matt. 4:4; cf. Deut. 8:3).  Because of all this the Psalmist is committed to God’s testimonies regardless of what the enemy throws at him (v94-95).

Heb. 4:12 claims the Bible is living; it contains living oracles (Acts 7:38).   Rene Pache (The Inspiration & Authority of Scripture) calls this the “eternal youth of Scripture” (p293).  “The revelations of old have lost nothing of their efficacy, being forever quickened by the divine voice which gets through to our hearts here and now” (p86).

Those who read the Bible on a regular basis can testify to the way that in every context of life, wherever they are reading, they find Scripture to have something that fits the current issues of life.  What a wonderful Book.  It is God’s Word for all time, for every situation.  Seek His precepts in it daily and you will truly live.

Read Psalm 124.

The problem of contempt and ridicule in the previous Psalm seems to pale in comparison with whatever is going on in Ps. 124. Men have risen up against the pilgrims (v2).  They are for a time trapped as birds in the snare of a fowler (v7), terminology that usually brings to mind Satan, the evil one himself.  The difficulty is especially critical because it threatens to overwhelm the soul (v4f).

Remember: the problems can overwhelm us, but they are also the only way we can grow deeper in knowing God.  We only know the all-wise God when we have no idea what to do.  We only know the all-powerful God when we are weak.  We only know God our Savior when we are burdened by sin and guilt.  Without trials we know about God but we are not growing to know Him.

Snares or traps usually work on a simple basis: the trap is set with bait that appeals to what the "fowler" is after.  It may be a color, an odor, or a taste.  It does require that the sought-after animal leave its safety and enter a danger area.

Satan's traps are like that.  For example, the beautiful woman snare (1 Sam. 18:21; Prov 5:3-4) uses the beautiful woman as bait and appeals to the man's youthful lusts to draw him into the trap.  The fear of man trap (Prov 29:25) uses an intimidating relationship as bait and counts on a person's desire for safety to draw them to destruction.  Instead of staying on the path where the Creator is our Help the pilgrim takes the path of least resistance.  Or there's the spiritual pride trap (1 Tim. 3:6) where an immature person is given significant spiritual responsibility.  The new leader, drawn by the pride of life, takes the bait, assuming he is mature, and thus becomes arrogant and fails morally.

There are many of these mentioned in Scripture.  What you see in these few is ...

1.    The pilgrim plays a part in that he takes the bait.

2.    The consequences for the pilgrim are, in fact, devastating, having the power to overwhelm the soul and devour him.

But in this the pilgrim now learns something that could not otherwise be learned.  He learns that the Maker of Heaven and Earth has not left him (v1-2).  His Help (v8) has broken the snare (v7).  We do not even see a cry for mercy in this Psalm.  What we hear from the pilgrim is praise (v6) that God has not given him what he deserves but has graciously delivered him.  If God be for us who can be against us?  (Rom 8:31)

Read Psalm 123.

We have noted that the pilgrim's first hindrance on the journey to God comes not from the hills ahead but from the city behind him.  He expects this because he has lived in that city and shared its pride and arrogance.  It's the kind of thing that comes from those who are self-righteous (Luke 18:9,11) or complacent (Job 12:5; men at ease have contempt for misfortune as pilgrims are wont to have).  He expects contempt because Christ Himself, the Ultimate Pilgrim on this earth, experienced contempt. 

We have said God will be the pilgrim's help.  So what is the pilgrim to do about contempt?  Should he be ready with a snappy retort?  Should he return insult for insult?  To the surprise of many the answer is "no!”

One thing the pilgrim is called to do in this Psalm: he must simply commit the contempt to God (v1-2).  Specifically, he looks to God as "the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress."  What does this mean?  Slaves have no power, no expectations, no rights.  For maids, as women, it is always worse.  When they are mistreated for their service to their master what can they do?  They simply look to the master for satisfaction.  They look reverently, obediently, attentively, continuously, expectantly, singly, submissively and imploringly.  And they do this until He has mercy.  All this precludes any hurt feelings.  This is not personal against the pilgrim; it is in fact directed toward the One to Whom he draws near.  So he commits it to the Maker of Heaven and Earth as Christ Himself did (1 Peter 4:19)

One should note that the Bible adds something beyond what this Psalm says about our response to insult.  Numerous New Testament passages say that, rather than returning insult for insult, we can and should return a blessing for an insult (Matt. 5:44; Rom. 12:14; 1 Peter 3:9).  Again, this response is reminiscent of Jesus Himself Who, from the cross, asked His Father to forgive the very ones pounding the nails.

Perhaps this first test for the pilgrim is a special opportunity to test his faith in the One Who promised to be his help in Ps. 121.  In a difficult moment the pilgrim is asked to simply give it to God.  Let God, in His time, in His way, deal with the matter.  Graciously, and with purpose, continue on to the place you long to be!

Read Psalm 123.

We have turned our back on Meshech; we are confident of Help to see us to the end; we have a grand view of the goal. 

And so we begin; perhaps with small steps; we begin to walk away from the despair and deceit and destructive ways of Meshech.  But this means we must also, in some ways, walk away from the people of Meshech.  Here and there an activity will change, or we will drop a relationship.  And it will not be long before Meshech will notice.

If you have a holy discontent for this world and determine to walk away from it, what do you suppose those who are still in that world will think?  What will they say?  The contempt of the men of Meshech is the first problem for the pilgrim, and he experiences this before he even gets to the hills.

In v3, the word contempt is a term that assumes a superior position, and then looks down on others.  It is the opposite of reverence or regard.  In v4 scorn means to make fun of someone.

Illustrations of this contempt, of course, begin at the cross where mockers made fun of Jesus.  "If you are the Son of God come down from the cross.  He saved others but he cannot save Himself."  (See Ps. 22:6; Isa. 53:3; Mt. 27:42).  He taught His disciples that they must expect the same treatment (Jn 15:18-25).  Israel experienced contempt when they were rebuilding the walls.  Their neighbors called them "feeble Jews" and said that even "if a fox jumps on it, it will fall down" (Neh. 4:1-3).  For the Psalmist a recurring form of contempt was the question, "Where is your God?" when he was beset with trials (Ps. 42:3,10).  I once heard Christians referred to as those who base their lives on false pronouncements of ancient figmental deities.

This contempt or scorn must be expected.  The pilgrim must remember that no matter how congenial he may be with the people of Meshech, the fact is that when he determined to make his journey to God he turned his back on people with certain values and judgments.  He was saying he found life in Meshech to be unsatisfying and sought something better.  And when this happens to people who are proud (v4) they do not take it well.  They will feel they are being judged and will fight back.  Remember that pride is a way of life in Meshech.  You have lived there; you used to have the same attitude.

Do not be surprised by the contempt.  Instead, lift your eyes to the Lord for His mercy (v1-2).

Read Psalm 122.

Where are we headed on our pilgrimage?  We are not going to Jerusalem or any other earthly city.  Rather, the Christian is on a journey to the temple of heaven, as well as on a day-by-day journey into a closer fellowship with the God Who lives in him.

God's people today need to have a longing for heaven.  It ought not be feared or neglected.  Note the following:

w 1 Cor 1:7: we long for the Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.

w Phil. 3:20-21: we long for our Savior from heaven.

w 2 Tim. 4:8: we love the appearing of Christ.  (Contrast this with v10, having loved this present world.)

w Titus 2:13: we look for the blessed hope.

This longing for the coming of Christ and our going to be with Him is not escapism.  In fact, it enables the pilgrim to function with hope and a positive mental attitude during his earthly days.  So we are encouraged to read and study, from time to time, those parts of Scripture (e.g. Rev. 21-22) that give us a glimpse of that place.

But what of the pilgrimage whereby we grow in the knowledge of our Creator now?  As David was spurred on by a vision of Jerusalem, so we can be encouraged by a vision of what a deeper relationship with God is like.

This is the point of setting your attention on Jesus. When you see Him you see one who was in perfect fellowship with His Father (Hb. 12:2-3; 1 Jn. 1:1-4; 2 Co. 3:17; 4:6,11).  Join Him in the desert of fasting and temptation.  Pray with Him all night.  Agonize with Him in the Garden.  Hear Him from the cross.

Then look at others in the Bible who grew in their knowledge of God.  Go with Abraham to Mt. Moriah to sacrifice his only son.  Observe Jacob wrestling all night with the angel of the Lord.  Sit with Job in the ashes of tremendous suffering.  Join David in confessing horrible sin.  Then, with Isaiah see God high and lifted up.

Also, cultivate this longing in the annals of Church history.  Many fellow-pilgrims have recorded their journeys and can help us.  Read the Confessions of Augustine, a'Kempis' Imitation of Christ, Fox's Book of Martyrs, Pilgrim's Progress, The Journal of John Wesley, The Life of Robert Murray M'Cheyne, Brother Lawrence's Practice of the Presence of God, Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret, or the writings of A.W. Tozer or Oswald Chambers.  The joys of these who came to desire nothing on earth but God will give you a wonderful vision of where you're headed.

Read Psalm 122.

We have found that before the pilgrim can truly begin his journey to God he must first recognize a holy dissatisfaction with his present situation.  Then, because that journey takes him on a narrow, difficult road, he must have the assurance that Someone will help him along the way.  This Psalm grants one other obvious need to be filled that the trip might have success.  The pilgrim must have a satisfying vision of where he is going.

As a child I often sang the first verse of this Psalm as a call to worship in a church service.  The idea was that being in the church building meant we were in the "house of the Lord".  For the Psalmist, an Israelite, he was in fact headed for a building, the temple in Jerusalem.  But even this Psalm makes it clear that it is the presence of the "Testimony" that gives Jerusalem it's significance.  The journey is not simply to a city or building but to the very place where God promised to dwell with Israel.

Look at how the Psalmist thinks.  In v1 friends have come to ask him to accompany them on pilgrimage to Jerusalem.  This was common.  As in the days of Jesus (Lk. 2:41-45) groups of people would travel together to Jerusalem for a feast.  With every joining together of roads the crowd would grow larger and larger. 

(King David, who wrote this Psalm, may have been thinking of times in his youth when he lived in Bethlehem, although it fits best with his time as King when he actually lived in Jerusalem.  The house of the Lord was the tabernacle of testimony. He also might have written the Psalm anticipating a time future, after his son Solomon had completed the temple project.)

So they ask the Psalmist to join them.  His emotional response is that he is glad.  And why is he glad?  Because he has such a wonderful vision of the splendor and serenity of Jerusalem.  In his mind he seems to be standing within the gates of Jerusalem (v2). He reviews it's beauty, it's glory as the gathering place of the tribes of Israel for the giving of praise to God, and it's greatness as the seat of government.

One cannot underestimate the value of a vision of the destination before one sets out on a difficult journey.  I have often been encouraged on long trips or hikes by pictures I have seen of my destination.  The pictures are not themselves satisfying, but they present a compelling goal that will see us into and through the inevitable struggles.

Do you long to know God as David longed to be in Jerusalem?  Think about where you're headed and you too will be glad.

Read Psalm 121.

Matt. 7:13-14  “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

The one who seeks to journey to God is on a narrow, winding, difficult road.  There is no other way.  But there is a confidence that he will have all the help he needs from the Lord Who made heaven and earth.  And the traveler will call on Him often (Ps. 124:8; 134:3).  When he does, how will the pilgrim be helped?

* God watches over the pilgrim, v3-4.  The idea of slipping refers to a time of great insecurity or calamity.  The fact that God will neither slumber nor sleep solves a critical issue since, while in the mountains, the traveler will need sleep.  His Help will not be caught off guard.

* God protects the pilgrim, v5-6.  He is our shade.  In this picture the sun is the enemy and it will sap our strength, burn us, cause us to overheat.  But note what the term shade means.  It means first that God is walking with us, and second, that His shadow will be cast over the pilgrim.

* God guards the pilgrim, v7-8.  Here the concern is harm of any sort that might come.  God will guard us, not by always keeping us from difficulty, but by limiting the difficulty and giving us an escape (1 Cor 10:13).  Remember Stephen in Acts 7 who died joyfully at the hands of evil men. He showed the evidence of one protected by God; his body was killed but his soul rejoiced as he entered heaven.

The pilgrimage will lead through one difficulty and then another.  It must be!  But rejoice in the Help who is the Maker of Heaven and Earth.  You will never be out of his sight.  He can and will keep you.

Jude 24: Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.

Psalm 119:81-88

In this stanza it seems that the Psalmist pours out his heart to God concerning the length and depth of his affliction.  We hear his “how long” prayer, the prayer of the saints when they feel as if they would buckle under the seemingly endless difficulty.

His soul faints (v81) and his eyes fail as he constantly searches God’s word for comfort (v82).  He has become like a “wineskin in smoke” (v83), shriveled up and useless.  He wonders, “How long” before God will deliver him (v84),

Not only the length of his affliction; the weight of the burden is also having it’s way.  His enemies are going against God’s law (v85) as they wrongfully treat him (v86).  “They almost made an end of me on earth” (v87).

And so he prays again to be revived by God’s grace, his concern being that if God does not intervene he may be tempted to disobedience (v88).

Let us note a couple of important thoughts from this section of Psalm 119.  First, the saint does pour out his complaint to God.  We need to be assured of the fact that God does want to hear what is on our hearts.  He is the one who has bid us come and cast our cares on Him (1 Pt. 5:6-7).  He is the one Who tells us to pray about everything (Phil. 4:6-7).  He commands us to come to His throne in our time of need that we might receive what we need from His grace (Heb. 4:16).  He does not reproach us when we ask for wisdom (Jas. 1:8).  He treats us like the perfect and holy Father He is (Matt. 7:7-12).

Come to Him when you hurt.  This glorifies Him!

But also note that in the pouring out of his complaint the saint does not question the word of God.  He continues to “hope” in it (v81); he does not forget it (v83) nor forsake it (v87); he trusts in it (v86). 

We may need to ask God for the ability to understand His word or for insight into how it is to be applied.  But if we question it’s veracity we only open the door to leave behind the only sure counsel, direction and basis for hope that is available to mankind.

  Bring your burdens to Him today.  Do not be shy about proclaiming your weakness to Him.  But at the same time affirm your absolute trust in His word which is able to build you up (Acts 20:32).

Read Psalm 121.

This Psalm is oft referred to as The Travelers Psalm as it promises God's care and protection for one on a journey in dangerous and difficult territory.  When kept in its context as a Pilgrim Song its significance deepens significantly.

When one turns from Meshech (or any city in Israel) to head for Jerusalem he is faced with the realization that Jerusalem is surrounded by mountains.  He will have to traverse them to get to the sanctuary.  Hills represented difficulty.  There were ups and downs, some very steep.  There were dangerous wild animals.  Hills were often the place where thieves did their work.

In the Psalms ahead of us the pilgrim will face ...

w Ridicule (Ps. 123)

w Satan's traps (124)

w A long and tiring trip (126)

w Family threats (127)

w Lifelong hang-ups (129)

w Past failures (130)

w Selfish pride (131)

He will discover that as Jesus said, the road is narrow and difficult (Matt. 7:13-14).  Two thoughts must be reconciled.

A. You cannot draw near God because of the problems.

These kinds of problems are sufficient to take you off the pathway to God.  The broad path to destruction is filled with those who one time thought they might take the narrow road, only to find it too difficult.  They could not stand being laughed at or being considered dead by their families.  They could not get past traumatic events in their childhood or the guilt of yesterday's sins.  This journey to God is not easy and the hills will be too hard.

B. You cannot draw near God without the problems.

This may seem a paradox but it is true.  The very hills that will stop your journey are the life-situations through which you will grow in the knowledge of God.  They will motivate you to want to know God, for when we are at ease we generally turn away from God.  The hills give God the opportunity to make Himself known.  In our weakness we experience His strength.

Thus, at the outset of his journey, the pilgrim settles the issue.  The journey will be hard, but his Help will be the one who made the hills, the Maker of heaven and earth.  He believes that the God who wants to be known will keep him on the journey.  And indeed He will!

Read Psalm 120.

We cannot be at home in Meshech and love God at the same time.  The pilgrimage to God begins with a holy discontent towards Meshech.

But many people live as if they think it possible to be comfortable in the world, in Meshech, and committed to God at the same time.

Can we agree that the Bible says that loving Meshech while you love God is not an option?

Mt. 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

James 4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Remember back in Psalm 73 the conclusion that the writer came to: earth has nothing I desire besides you (73:25-28).  And why this discontent?  Because Meshech and God are at odds.  This is not the world God created and pronounced good.  It is God's good world taken over in rebellion, taken over by its sinful selfish citizens.

This is the whole point of pilgrimage.  A pilgrim is one who realizes he is on a journey.  Any town he enters along the way cannot be his end because it is only along the way.  He must live as a stranger or alien (1 Peter 1:17; 2:11).

You may not like this but you cannot deny the truth of the simple fact that you cannot proceed to any destination unless you turn your back on your current location.

Listen to John Bunyon, the author of Pilgrim's Progress:

Remember, if the grace of God has taken hold of your soul, you belong to another world now.  You are actually a subject of another, more noble kingdom, the kingdom of God -- the kingdom of the gospel, of grace, of faith, righteousness, and the kingdom of the world to come.  You should work to live in this kingdom, rather than dragging the heavenly things God has given you through this world's dirt.  Instead, beat down your body's selfish urges, destroy your self-centered point of view, boost your mind up to the things that are above, and put into practice before everyone the blessed word of life.

We cannot love and hate Meshech at the same time any more than we can set out on a journey and stay home at the same time.

Read Psalm 120.

The first three Pilgrim Psalms (120-122) deal with issues at the outset of the journey.  They help us recognize basic truths at the beginning which will help bring us to a successful conclusion.

This Psalm may at first sound like just a bunch of griping.  But it is not.  The writer refers to 2 groups of people in v5: Meshech and Kedar.  And what is the connection between these two?  It is not geography. The people of Meshech were descendants of Noah's son Japheth, the Mosques, who lived in the wild mountain region between the Caspian and Black Seas.  The tents of Kedar refers to descendants of Ishmael, wandering tribes, whose "hand is against every man, and every man's hand against them."  One was north of Palestine, the latter south.  So we should assume that the writer did not actually live in these two places at once.

Rather the connection is moral.  These were both warring tribes, fierce barbarians.  Thus, we understand the Psalmist to say that living where he lived was like living in Meshech and Kedar.  And what were those places like? They were places of ...

1.    Distress, v1.

2.    Deceit, v2.

3.    Destruction, v3-4.

4.    Disagreement, v5-7.

Which is not to say that it was not...

5.    Deserved.

It's not that the Psalmist was better than those around him.  By birth he was in fact no different.  But something had happened.  The relationships and situations that once were normal, enjoyable, or tolerable he now found to be reason to cry for deliverance (v1f).

The point here is so simple when you think of pilgrimage.  We will never set out on a journey to the place where God dwells if we do not desire to leave the place where we dwell.  It is what we call holy dissatisfaction. 

We will never go to the store for groceries if we don't sense that the situation in the fridge is intolerable.  We will not seek additional training for our work unless we conclude that the current situation cannot continue.  To go anywhere we must be willing to leave where we are.  Nothing could be more simple.  And so it is in a journey to God.  It begins with being wholly dissatisfied with Meshech, the place I now dwell.

If you are still enamored with where you are now with God, you will never draw closer to Him.  Do you have holy dissatisfaction?

Read Psalm 73:16-28.

The Psalmist was obsessed with the wicked. Call it self-pity or sin, he simply saw around him evil people who were actually living in ease and prosperity.  And this grated on him terribly. Until...

Until when?  What was the turning point?  It's in v17: "Until I went into the sanctuary of God."  At the "holy place" of God...

1.    His thinking was changed (v17-20).  He remembered that the wicked might yet get caught and pay for their wickedness.  And if not in this life, surely in the one to come.

2.    His heart was changed (v21-22).  He was humbled and repented of his foolish thinking.  He had been animal in his thoughts, like a beast that knows no better.

3.    His relationship with God was changed (v23-24).  He was again trusting God, dependent, realizing that God would always be for him, in this life and the one to come.

4.    His whole life attitude was changed (v25-28).  Though his strength fail God would be his strength.  No longer would he be preoccupied with those around him; rather he would draw near to God.  He was now totally satisfied with life because he was totally satisfied with God.

"Until I went into the sanctuary of God."  The sanctuary of God was, for the Psalmist, the temple in Jerusalem.  It was the most holy place where God had promised to come and dwell with Israel.  It was the place where the men of Israel were encouraged to come, not once, not twice, but even three times a year.  Coming to the temple is what the religious call pilgrimage, not simply a journey to a place but a journey to God.

In the New Testament we also see that God dwells in a temple.  There is the temple of the heart (1 Cor 6:19-20), and there is the temple of heaven (Rev. 21:22, heaven is a temple, where God dwells).  It is perhaps easy to see that this lifetime is a pilgrimage that will end at the temple of heaven where believers will certainly experience a glory beyond imagination.  But the believer is also called to the daily pilgrimage that results in a closer and deeper relationship with the eternal, personal God, Who has taken up residence in that believer's heart.  The result of that pilgrimage will be the same: he will come to find full and complete satisfaction in the One his soul desires (v25).  Psalms 120-134 will sustain the Pilgrim on his journey to heaven as well as on his daily journey into a closer walk with God.  Are you on pilgrimage today, seeking to know God (Phil. 3:10) and to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18)?