Hey Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for the Bible Recap.

Today we read seven Psalms that all fall into a category known as the Psalms of Ascent.

There are 15 Psalms in this category, and they span Psalm 120 through 134.

But before we dig into today's individual chapters, let's talk about what the Psalms of Ascent are.

The first thing that's important to know is that Jerusalem is the city that will eventually be the

nation's capital, and it will be the headquarters of the tabernacle and the future temple.

Jerusalem is at a high elevation, so no matter which way you approach it, you have to go up to Jerusalem.

So when all the people of Israel, who've been dispersed all across the land,

come together every year to celebrate the high holy days, they have to make a long journey up to Jerusalem,

hence the word ascent.

And most historians say that as they made their long pilgrimage three times a year, they would sing these 15 songs. These were their road trip

hymns of praise to God, with reminders of who he is and what he has done for them. And some of them

even have language that refers to travel or the things travelers would be particularly

mindful of,

like Psalm 121, for example. This is a Psalm of confidence. It points out all the ways Yahweh is superior

to the pagan gods of the day. David praises God for being his stability in all times, day and night.

He's a God who is never tired or distracted, unlike the pagan gods of the day

who require sleep and are reported to return to the underworld at night. This tireless, undistracted

God would be comforting to people who are sleeping along the highways as they travel to Jerusalem.

And David even talks about God providing shade to them, which is especially nice if you happen to be

traveling through the Judean desert. And I love how the Faith Life Study Bible summarizes his

protection. It says, Yahweh is not just a hideout, but a bodyguard. He's not just in one place. He goes

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