August 17-21

I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
Psalm 122:1

Our journey this week continues to open our eyes to the terrain of David’s heart. Each Psalm is a vista in itself where we could camp and survey the topography of the land. We can travel from the land of blessing to the battlefield. We can enter the dark caves of despair or sit in the field with him as he contemplates the fragility of life. Is there any aspect of life David doesn’t speak about? Sin, humility, strength, victory, love, hate; it’s all there!

But this week our excursion takes us to a higher place. On Wednesday we begin to mount the fifteen steps of ascent that will lead us into the presence of God. The Psalms of ascent are comprised of Psalm 120-134. But why fifteen and what are their significance? A closer look at this particular number may begin to shed some light on the mystery.

The Hebrew language and culture is oriental in nature. What appears on the surface often contains a much deeper significance than is often hidden from the untrained eye. A simple letter can tell a story and have an effect on the word in which it is contained. A good example is the letter (*). This single character in the Hebrew alphabet is pronounced “dalet,” and when translated, is the same word for “door.” It has the numerical value of four. These are foreign concepts to our western mind. If I asked you what the letter “d” meant and what is its numerical value, you’d begin to question my reasoning. Because Hebrew letters have numerical values, words also carry numerical values. The shortened version of God’s name is hy and is pronounced “YAH.” The y equals 10 and the h equals 5. Together they carry the numerical value of 15.

But wait! There’s more!!! Every month, the moon begins its cycle. Each day it becomes fuller and fuller until it reaches its magnitude – ON THE FIFTEENTH DAY!

David’s name has the numerical value of fourteen and he was the fourteenth generation from Abraham. The kingdom of Israel did not reach its full glory until the reign of Solomon – THE FIFTEENTH GENERATION!

Is it coincidence that the three Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had a fifteen-year overlap in their life spans? I think not!

The priestly blessing God commanded the priests to speak over the people to invoke His blessings on them is constructed of FIFTEEN carefully chosen words.

With God’s insight, David designed the Temple with FIFTEEN STEPS joining the women’s court to the men’s court.

So what is the common denominator in each of these things? They all show a progression to completeness and fulfillment. And what is that completeness? The presence and perfection of God.

The Israelites used the fifteen Psalms of Ascent in a few different ways.
1. They were spoken by the pilgrims who ascended to Jerusalem for the three pilgrimage festivals, Passover, Pentecost and the Feast of Booths. Jerusalem is on a hill, so no matter which direction you come from, you will have to journey “up.”
2. They were recited each day of the Feast of Booths by the priests who stood on the fifteen steps in the Temple that ascended from the women’s court to the men’s court. This took place when the priests went each morning to draw the water from the pool of Shiloh, a fresh water pool near the Temple Mount, and returned to pour it out on the altar as an offering.
3. They were sung by the exiles returning to Jerusalem from their captivity in Babylon.

In each case, the aspiration was to rise higher and connect with God in His holiness. For centuries, even millenniums, the Jewish sages have tried to ascertain the mystery of the fifteen steps to holiness. Each time they think they have a continuous thread, when they pull it only to find it broken. Personally, I am convinced that if you take only the first statements of each chapter and put them end-to-end, you will find a continuous progression of thought. Careful examination will lead us to a greater understanding of God’s command, “Be holy as I am holy!”

Although we do not traverse all the Psalms of Ascent in our trek this week, I think it may be beneficial to look at the end-to-end progression of the fifteen Psalms. Here they are with no breaks.

In my trouble I cried to the Lord, and He answered me. I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” To You I lift up my eyes, O You who are enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He is gracious to us. Had it not been the Lord who was on our side,” let Israel now say, “Had it not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us alive, when their anger was kindled against us.” Those who trust in the Lord are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever. When the Lord brought back the captive ones of Zion we were like those who dream. Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways. “Many times they have persecuted me from my youth up,” Let Israel now say, “Many times they have persecuted me from my youth up; Yet they have not prevailed against me.” Out of the depths I cried to You, O Lord, “Lord, hear my voice!” Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication. O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; nor do I involve myself in great matters or in things too difficult for me. Remember, O Lord, on David’s behalf, all his afflictions.” Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! Behold; bless the Lord, all servants of the Lord, who serve by night in the house of the Lord!

I hope you were able to follow the progression from a life of trouble in this world to the place of true worship; serving in the house of the Lord! There is so much to see as we ascend into God’s presence to view His holiness and be changed from glory to glory. Keep your eyes and ears open. You don’t want to miss a thing!

* - Hebrew characters are unavailable on blog site