What is the meaning of Psalm 120?
Introduction to Psalm 120
Psalm 120 marks the beginning of a remarkable collection known as the Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120-134), traditionally sung by Jewish pilgrims as they made their way up to Jerusalem for the three annual festivals. This psalm powerfully captures the cry of a believer living among hostile people, expressing both lament over deception and a yearning for peace. As the first step in the spiritual journey toward Jerusalem, it represents the initial stirring in a believer’s heart to leave behind the world’s falsehood and strife, seeking instead the presence of God.
Context of Psalm 120
Within the Psalter, Psalm 120 serves as the gateway to the fifteen Songs of Ascents, setting a tone of spiritual pilgrimage that characterizes this entire collection. These songs were likely compiled during the post-exilic period, though individual psalms may have earlier origins. The placement of this psalm at the beginning of the ascents is significant – before one can ascend to Jerusalem (representing drawing near to God), one must first recognize and reject the falsehood of dwelling in “Meshech” and “Kedar,” metaphors for hostile, ungodly environments.
The broader biblical context reveals this psalm’s resonance with themes found throughout Scripture – the tension between godly living and worldly opposition, the power of deceitful speech, and the believer’s longing for peace in a hostile world. This connects deeply with the New Testament teachings about believers being “in the world but not of it” (John 17:14-16) and the spiritual warfare against lies and deception (Ephesians 6:12).
Ancient Key Word Study
- שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת (Shir HaMa’alot) – “Song of Ascents”: This title carries multiple layers of meaning. Ma’alot can refer to physical steps, spiritual elevation, or musical notation. The root עלה (alah) means “to go up,” suggesting both the physical journey to Jerusalem and the spiritual ascent of the soul.
- צָרָתָה (tzaratah) – “in my distress”: From the root צרר (tzarar), meaning to bind, narrow, or constrict. This word paints a picture of being hemmed in or confined, emphasizing the psychological and spiritual oppression the psalmist experiences.
- קָרָאתִי (qarati) – “I called”: This perfect tense verb implies not just a single cry but a completed action with ongoing effects, suggesting persistent prayer that maintains its relevance.
- שֶׁקֶר (sheqer) – “deceit”: This word appears twice in the psalm, emphasizing its central theme. It describes not just lying but a fundamental disposition toward falsehood that opposes God’s truth.
- שְׂפַת (sefat) – “lip/language”: More than just speech, this term represents the entire capacity for communication and relationship. When paired with שֶׁקֶר (sheqer), it indicates systemic dishonesty.
- שָׁלוֹם (shalom) – “peace”: Far richer than mere absence of conflict, shalom encompasses wholeness, completeness, and well-being. Its use here highlights what the psalmist longs for but cannot find among deceitful people.
- לָשׁוֹן רְמִיָּה (lashon remiyah) – “deceitful tongue”: This powerful metaphor personifies deceit as an active agent of harm, wielding words like weapons.
- מֶשֶׁךְ (Meshech) and קֵדָר (Kedar) – These geographical references symbolize places far from God’s presence, representing spiritual as well as physical exile.
Compare & Contrast
- Verse 1: “In my distress I called to יהוה” could have been phrased as “I sought help from God” but uses the more intimate personal name יהוה and the verb “called,” emphasizing direct, vocal appeal rather than general seeking. This creates a sense of urgent, personal relationship.
- Verse 2: The phrase “lying lips” (שְׂפַת־שֶׁקֶר) is chosen over potential alternatives like “false words” to emphasize the organic source of deception rather than just its expression. The body part imagery makes the deception more personal and visceral.
- Verse 3-4: The military imagery of “sharp arrows” and “burning coals” is specifically chosen over other weapons or punishments, linking to ancient Near Eastern treaty curses and divine judgment imagery.
- Verse 5: “Woe to me” (אוֹיָה־לִי) expresses deeper anguish than a simple “alas” would, using an intense interjection that appears rarely in Scripture.
- Verse 6: The declaration “too long” (רַבַּת) is placed emphatically at the beginning of the Hebrew sentence, highlighting the psalmist’s exhaustion with exile.
- Verse 7: The contrast between “I am for peace” and “they are for war” uses deliberately parallel structure in Hebrew to heighten the opposition between the two positions.
Psalm 120 Unique Insights
The rabbinical tradition finds profound significance in this being the first of the Songs of Ascents. The Midrash Tehillim notes that the fifteen songs correspond to the fifteen steps leading up from the Court of Women to the Court of Israel in the Temple. Each step represented a higher level of spiritual attainment, with Psalm 120 representing the crucial first step of recognizing one’s spiritual exile.
The mention of “coals of broom trees” (גַחֲלֵי רְתָמִים) in verse 4 carries special significance. The רְתָמִים (rethem) bush was known for producing coals that would appear extinguished on the outside while still burning intensely within – a powerful metaphor for both divine judgment and the hidden nature of deceitful speech.
The geographical references to Meshech and Kedar are particularly intriguing. Meshech was located near the Black Sea, while Kedar was in Arabia – opposite directions from Jerusalem. This suggests not literal residence but a spiritual state of being surrounded by hostile influences from all directions. The early church father Theodore of Mopsuestia saw this as prophetic of the church’s situation among hostile spiritual forces.
The psalm’s structure moves from individual lament to universal principle, suggesting a pattern for spiritual growth: recognition of personal distress leads to awareness of broader spiritual warfare, culminating in a longing for peace that can only be fulfilled in God’s presence.
Psalm 120 Connections to Yeshua
The Messiah Yeshua quoted and fulfilled numerous psalms during His earthly ministry, and while He didn’t directly quote Psalm 120, its themes powerfully foreshadow His experience and mission. Like the psalmist, Yeshua lived among those who opposed truth with deceitful speech, eventually leading to His crucifixion based on false testimony (Matthew 26:59-61).
The psalm’s cry for deliverance from lying lips finds its ultimate answer in Yeshua, who is Himself “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). His kingdom stands in opposition to the father of lies (John 8:44), and His Spirit guides believers into all truth (John 16:13).
Psalm 120 Scriptural Echoes
This psalm resonates with numerous biblical passages and themes. The cry against deceitful tongues echoes through Scripture, from the serpent’s lies in Genesis to the warnings in Proverbs about false speech (Proverbs 12:22). The longing for peace amidst conflict connects to Jeremiah’s struggle with false prophets (Jeremiah 14:13-14) and Paul’s teachings about spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10-17).
The theme of being a sojourner in a hostile land recalls Abraham’s journey of faith and Israel’s exodus experience. It anticipates the New Testament’s description of believers as exiles and strangers in the world (1 Peter 2:11). The psalm’s movement from distress to divine assistance establishes a pattern seen throughout the Psalter and Scripture.
Psalm 120 Devotional
This psalm speaks powerfully to believers today who feel surrounded by deception and hostility in an increasingly post-truth world. It reminds us that our first step toward deeper communion with God often begins with recognizing our own spiritual exile – our need to separate ourselves from the world’s patterns of deception and conflict.
The psalmist’s example teaches us to respond to hostility not with retaliation but with prayer and a commitment to peace. When we encounter deceit or opposition, our first recourse should be to call upon יהוה, knowing He hears and answers. This psalm encourages us to maintain our integrity and peace-seeking nature even when surrounded by those who “hate peace.”
Like the ancient pilgrims beginning their ascent to Jerusalem, we can view our daily challenges as opportunities for spiritual growth, each difficulty an invitation to draw nearer to God’s presence. The psalm reminds us that while we may live among those who oppose truth, our true citizenship is in God’s kingdom.
Did You Know
- The Songs of Ascents were likely sung in a specific sequence by pilgrims making their way to Jerusalem, with each song corresponding to a particular stage of the journey.
- The Hebrew word for “deceitful” (רְמִיָּה) in verse 2 is related to the word used to describe Jacob’s deceptive behavior before his transformation, highlighting the universal human struggle with truthfulness.
- Meshech, mentioned in verse 5, was one of the most distant places known to ancient Israel, located near modern-day Russia, emphasizing the psalmist’s sense of spiritual exile.
- The “coals of broom trees” mentioned in verse 4 were known to stay hot for days even when appearing extinguished, making them both practical for travelers and symbolically significant.
- Ancient Jewish tradition suggests this psalm was composed by David during his time hiding from Saul, though this isn’t stated in the text itself.
- The word “peace” (שָׁלוֹם) appears three times in this short psalm, creating a powerful contrast with the surrounding context of conflict and deception.
- The placement of this psalm at the beginning of the Songs of Ascents suggests it was seen as a necessary first step in spiritual pilgrimage – recognizing one’s need to leave behind worldly deception.
- The phrase “too long” in verse 6 uses a Hebrew construction that suggests not just duration but exhaustion with the situation, reflecting deep spiritual weariness.
- The geographical locations mentioned (Meshech and Kedar) are in opposite directions from Jerusalem, suggesting a symbolic rather than literal exile.
