Reading Plan · Day 179
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Psalms 120-125
Day 179
Previously · Day 178 · Psalm 119
The previous day's reading covered the longest chapter in the Bible.
Day 179 Read
Where You Stopped
Psalm 120
1A Song of Ascents. In my distress I cried unto Jehovah, And he answered me.
2Deliver my soul, O Jehovah, from lying lips, And from a deceitful tongue.
1A Song of degrees. In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me.
2Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.
Commentary · verses 1-2
3What shall be given unto thee, and what shall be done more unto thee, Thou deceitful tongue?
4Sharp arrows of the mighty, With coals of juniper.
3What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?
4Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.
Commentary · verses 3-4
God would judge those who were deceitful.
5Woe is me, that I sojourn in Meshech, That I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
5Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!
Commentary · verse 5
"Meshech" referred to a people living in the north of Palestine and Syria. "Kedar" referred to a people of Ishmael beyond Moab and Ammon (both from Lot). Both of these people groups hated peace and loved war.
6My soul hath long had her dwelling With him that hateth peace.
7I am for peace: But when I speak, they are for war.
6My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace.
7I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.
Where You Stopped
Psalm 121
1A Song of Ascents. I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: From whence shall my help come?
2My help cometh from Jehovah, Who made heaven and earth.
1A Song of degrees. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
Commentary · verses 1-2
The psalmist answered his own question. His help came from God, the Creator.
3He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4Behold, he that keepeth Israel Will neither slumber nor sleep.
5Jehovah is thy keeper: Jehovah is thy shade upon thy right hand.
3He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
Commentary · verses 3-5
The psalmist began to write directly to the reader. God is your keeper.
6The sun shall not smite thee by day, Nor the moon by night.
7Jehovah will keep thee from all evil; He will keep thy soul.
6The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
Commentary · verses 6-7
God is your protector.
8Jehovah will keep thy going out and thy coming in From this time forth and for evermore.
8The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
Where You Stopped
Psalm 122
1A Song of Ascents; of David. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go unto the house of Jehovah.
1A Song of degrees of David. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.
Commentary · verse 1
Remember, David was a tenth generation bastard (Perez) and was barred from the temple according to Deuteronomy 23:2. This was WHY David could not build the temple. So it made sense that it would make him glad when he was even near the temple.
2Our feet are standing Within thy gates, O Jerusalem, 3Jerusalem, that art builded As a city that is compact together;
2Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.
3Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:
Commentary · verses 2-3
Jerusalem was a city that was "compact" together. "Compact" meant "to unite, join, bind together, be in league/covenant."
4Whither the tribes go up, even the tribes of Jehovah, For an ordinance for Israel, To give thanks unto the name of Jehovah.
5For there are set thrones for judgment, The thrones of the house of David.
6Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: They shall prosper that love thee.
7Peace be within thy walls, And prosperity within thy palaces.
4Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.
5For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.
6Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.
7Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.
Commentary · verses 4-7
Peace and prosperity (profitability) were within God's House.
8For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee.
9For the sake of the house of Jehovah our God I will seek thy good.
8For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee.
9Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good.
Commentary · verses 8-9
For the sake of God's House, David sought others' good.
Where You Stopped
Psalm 123
1A Song of Ascents. Unto thee do I lift up mine eyes, O thou that sittest in the heavens.
1A Song of degrees. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
Commentary · verse 1
The psalmist lifted his eyes to God who sat in the heavens. God was spiritual and lived in spiritual places. God can be everywhere; God was omnipresent.
2Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their master, As the eyes of a maid unto the hand of her mistress; So our eyes look unto Jehovah our God, Until he have mercy upon us.
3Have mercy upon us, O Jehovah, have mercy upon us; For we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
4Our soul is exceedingly filled With the scoffing of those that are at ease, And with the contempt of the proud.
2Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.
3Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
4Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.
Where You Stopped
Psalm 124
1A Song of Ascents; of David. If it had not been Jehovah who was on our side, Let Israel now say, 2If it had not been Jehovah who was on our side, When men rose up against us; 3Then they had swallowed us up alive, When their wrath was kindled against us: 4Then the waters had overwhelmed us, The stream had gone over our soul; 5Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.
1A Song of degrees of David. If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say;
2If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us:
3Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:
4Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:
5Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.
Commentary · verses 1-5
David recognized, and wanted Israel to recognize, that if it was not for God being on their side, they would have been destroyed.
6Blessed be Jehovah, Who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.
7Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: The snare is broken, and we are escaped.
8Our help is in the name of Jehovah, Who made heaven and earth.
6Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.
7Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.
8Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
Commentary · verses 6-8
This caused David to bless God, the Creator.
Where You Stopped
Psalm 125
1A Song of Ascents. They that trust in Jehovah Are as mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abideth for ever.
1A Song of degrees. They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.
Commentary · verse 1
Those who trust/have faith in God, would not be moved and would live for eternity.
2As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, So Jehovah is round about his people From this time forth and for evermore.
2As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.
Commentary · verse 2
God was in the presence of His people for eternity.
3For the sceptre of wickedness shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; That the righteous put not forth their hands unto iniquity.
4Do good, O Jehovah, unto those that are good, And to them that are upright in their hearts.
3For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.
4Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.
Commentary · verses 3-4
A request of Jehovah to do Good (Right and Just) to those who were Good: Right and Just.
5But as for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, Jehovah will lead them forth with the workers of iniquity. Peace be upon Israel.
5As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel.
Commentary · verse 5
These were the first six songs of Ascents. There were fifteen in all. No one knows for what purpose this group of psalms were used. The theories tend to concern singing these songs as people ascended to a gathering place, whether it was fifteen steps to the temple or some other gathering place, these psalms were relatively short and could all be sung in a relatively short period of time during an event.
This day's reading covered the first six of the fifteen songs of Ascents.
The distress this psalmist experienced was from people lying to him and deceiving him. His response was to cry out to God. A lie was a wrong WHAT. Deception was a right WHAT with a wrong or no HOW/WHY.