I am for peace
Psalm 120
A Song of Ascents.
1 In my distress I cry to the Lord, that he may answer me:
2 ‘Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.’
3 What shall be given to you?
And what more shall be done to you, you deceitful tongue?
4 A warrior’s sharp arrows, with glowing coals of the broom tree!
5 Woe is me, that I am an alien in Meshech,
that I must live among the tents of Kedar.
6 Too long have I had my dwelling among those who hate peace.
7 I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.
The Songs of Ascents, Psalms 120-134, were sung by pilgrims as they made their way from wherever in Israel or other parts of the world they lived to Jerusalem to attend holy feasts and festivals at the temple. The pilgrims were on a double upward journey – towards Jerusalem which was built on a hill, and the spiritual journey is described as a upward journey.
We are not sure exactly how these songs were used. Were they sung in order? Were some sung at particular points on the journey? Some seem to reference particular moments in the journey. However they were used, in reflecting on these psalms we are listening in on songs the people of Israel sang when they were on pilgrimage. That in itself marks it worthwhile to give these psalms a look, which we will do over the next 5 weeks—reading three per week.
The song opens with a cry to God for help – to be delivered from lying lips. The question arises how do we get from lying lips in vs. 1 to the struggle between war and peace in vs. 6,7. There is a saying, “The first casualty of war is the truth.” Lies are told about the enemy/opponent/adversary to create the pretext for war. Rumours, which very frequently are untrue, circulate to raise up ire against the group or individual the rumours are about.
As the pilgrims journeyed together the opportunity to rumours and lies would be very high. In any group the opportunity to spread rumours is very high. Here the cry is for God to help those who sing this song as they travel to Jerusalem, as they travel to bring their worship to God, to be people who live for peace even in the words they speak about others. This cry for God to help us be people of peace even in the words we say about others applies as much today as some 3,000 years ago.
PRAYER:
O Lord, guard our mouths that we do not spread rumours and lies. O Lord, protect our ears that we would not be swayed by the rumours and lies we hear or are told. O Lord by the action of the Holy Spirit, give us the strength to remain committed to peace when all around people encourage conflict and war. In Jesus’ name. Amen.