Progress

 As you know, I love the Psalms.  As a church musician, I believe that I should “saturate” myself in them.  They are God’s song book!  If you looked at God’s iPod I am sure you’d find a whole section of songs based on the Psalms!  Okay, I am just joking about the iPod.  But, Psalms are dear to the heart of God.  How do I know?  Just read the Psalms!  Notice how God reveals Himself in the Psalms.

One of the best studies is to concentrate on the

Songs of Ascent
Psalms 120-134

The term "Psalms of Ascent" (“Degrees”) or, as the New International Version calls this heading, "songs of ascent" is not clear.  Some say these 15 songs are related to the 15 steps of the temple suggesting that the worshipers sang them as they ascended to the Temple.  Most likely they are thought to have been sung by the pilgrims as they traveled to Jerusalem to keep the three annual feasts of the Lord (Passover, Firstfruits, and Tabernacles).  In particular, they looked forward to being at the Temple, the House of the Lord.

 

The prevailing thought in the study of these Psalms…Progress!

The Christian life is to be one of progression. Our spiritual life is one of a continual going forward and upward.  Never should there be a “standstill” (unless the Lord tells us to “stand still”).

God draws us

God uses stripping and depriving to make us grow further

God uses pure love to make us go forward even more.

                                                                              –Madame Guyon, French writer of the 1600’s

One man stated our progress as:

We are in Christ

We abide in Christ

Christ in us

Christ formed in us.

A Chinese writer states about the inner life with Christ:

1.  Grace is received

2.  There is inner conflict

3.  Then yieldedness

4.  Then harmony

NOTE:  it takes time for us to go to the point of harmony with Christ.

Begin the study of the Psalms of Ascent by simply reading from Psalm 120-134 in one sitting.