Pilgrim Songs

We continue our trip through the Bible with today’s focus on Psalms. Not only are the scripture reading and sermon from Psalms, but the liturgy, prayers, and anthems are all either Psalms or are adapted from them. The Book of Psalms not only has been the “hymnal” through millennia for those who worship God, but it contains hymns/poems for any situation in which we might find ourselves. Embedded in the midst of the Book of Psalms is a series, “Psalms of Ascents,” which scholars believe were traveling psalms as pilgrims traveled toward Jerusalem to the Temple and then arrived there. Carol cites one of them, Psalm 130, as a cry out to God from the depths, a place we have all likely been. But even in the time of deepest distress, it also expresses strong faith in the Lord. Psalm 131 also expresses a feeling of focus, not on “things too great and too marvelous for me,” but on a quieted soul “like a weaned child with its mother.” As a people of God we are on a journey, certainly called to strive for peace and justice for all, but this Psalm also calls us to firm grounding in God. The scenes of Jesus at rest are good examples.