Ascending Into His Presence
“Unto You I lift up my eyes,
O You who dwell in the heavens.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters,
As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
So our eyes look to the LORD our God,
Until He has mercy on us.” (Psalms 123:1-2 NKJV)
This is one of the fifteen psalms titled, “A Song of Ascents.” Other translations of the descriptive Hebrew phrase are alternately, Gradual Songs, Songs of Degrees, Songs of Steps or Pilgrim Songs. These were intended to be sung by pilgrims as they went up to Jerusalem for their feast days.
Topographically Jerusalem was a high point in Judea, for instance, some 4,000 feet higher than the Dead Sea only 10 miles away. In addition, it’s place as the capitol city, the City of David, made it a significant (or high) location for all the country. So whether in physical fashion or just symbolically, one was always said to be going, “up to Jerusalem,”
The function of these Psalms is somewhat akin to the contemporary Christian practice of singing hymns or worship choruses prior to the ministry of the Word. In this analogy, the sermon, or, “breaking the bread of life,” would be seen as the high place to which we are journeying. Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs prepare our spirits to receive from the Word, much as the Songs of Degrees prepared the pilgrims for their arrival in Jerusalem on high, holy days. As so often may be said, what is old is new again.
This particular Gradual Song is only four verses long; like each of this type of psalm, it focuses on a specific area of need for the penitent. In this case, scorn and contempt from others is the burden from which he seeks relief. The seeker compares himself to a servant, who can read from the slightest movement of the master’s hand or head exactly what is wanted. Analogous to the way those servants seek to please their masters, we look to God to please Him, praying for relief from our burdens.
In full confidence we can come. As David said in Psalm 141,
“(M)y eyes are upon You, O GOD the Lord;
In You I take refuge;
Do not leave my soul destitute.” (Psalms 141:8 NKJV)
Though the Father is high and mighty, unassailable in all His glory, He is ever so approachable to the pure in heart. As He told His people through Jeremiah, “‘(Y)ou will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.’” (Jeremiah 29:13 NKJV) Come into His presence with singing; rejoice before the Lord, your God. He is not hiding; He will be found.
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