Psalms 126:1

Psalms 126:1 says, A Song of degrees.  This is another song of degrees, then verse one says, When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.  The psalmist says that when the people of Israel were restored to their land from captivity, it was almost unbelievable to them.  Matthew Henry says that though it doesn't say, this was probably when they returned from captivity in Babylon.  When we are restored to a right relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ, it occurs immediately upon accepting Him as our Savior and Lord, and we should be amazed.  Verse two adds, Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.  Upon their return, the people of Israel were filled with laughter, or joy, and were singing praises to God.  The people around them knew that Gad had restored the people of Israel.  As Christians, when we are restored to God, we should be full of joy and sing praises to God so that those around us will know that He has redeemed us.  Vere three continues, The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.  Just as God had done a great thing for the people of Israel then making them glad, He has done an even greater thing for Christians today, and we should be exceedingly glad.  Their restoration was temporary and ours is everlasting spiritually.  Verse four states, Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south.  Though some of the people of Israel had returned, not all had, and those who had returned were burdened for those who hadn't and prayed for their deliverance.  As followers of Christ, we should be burdened for the lost of the world, even as we celebrate our own salvation.  Verse five adds, They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.  Those that were still in captivity would one day cry tears of joy when they were restored.  This was stated in faith that it would be accomplished.  We can state in certainty that those who put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord will be saved, and this should cause us to cry tears of joy.  Verse six continues, He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.  The psalmist said that those who had gone away into captivity weeping would return rejoicing and bringing there sheaves with them.  We are held captive by sin until we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, and once we do we should return unto God with rejoicing.  Just as the people then brought their sheaves, their necessities for everyday life by God's provision, so will we as Christians have God provide for all our needs spiritually. 

Psalms 125:1

Psalms 125:1 says, A Song of degrees.  This psalm is also called a song of degrees, then verse one says, They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.  The people then were told that if they trusted in the LORD that they would be as immovable as Mt. Zion, which couldnot be moved.  Though we could make the claim today that Mt. Zion could be moved, God never will be, no matter what people who do not believe in Him may claim.  Verse two adds, As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.  The psalmist said that just as certainly as the mountains surrounded Jerusalem, they were surrounded by God's power and protection forevermore as long as they put their faith in Him.  As followers of Christ, this is just as true for us today.  As long as we remain faithful to God, we are spiritually protected forevermore.  If we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we are saved forever, but we may lose God's protective hand in this lifetime if we do not remain faithful to His word.  Verse three continues, For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.  God gives us His promise that the oppression of His people by the wicked will not last forever, no matter how bad it may become.  All we need to do is remain faithful to God.  Verse four states, Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.  The psalmist then asks for God to do good to those who do good and are upright in their heart.  Of course, unless a person puts their faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord, they can do all the good in the world and it will not matter spiritually, because they will not be spiritually upright.  Verse five adds, As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel.  If we turn away from God and follow our crooked ways, God will one day punish us but if we put our faith in Jesus Christ and obey God's commandments, we will live in peace spiritually forever. 

Psalms 124:1

Psalms 124:1 says, A Song of degrees of David.  This is identified as a song of degrees by David, then verse one says, If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say;  David said that the people of Isreal had to acknowledge that God was on their side, or maybe more accurately that they were on His side.  God didn't endorse what they did, but they did what God endorsed, and so it is with Christians today.  Verse two adds, If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us:  Verse three continues, Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:  David said that if God had not been with them when their enemies came against them that Isreal would have been swallowed up.  This same God protects us today when we are surrounded by enemies, and He will always keep us from being defeated spiritually.   Verse four states, Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:  Verse five adds, Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.  David said that the people of Isreal were in a position where they would have drowned if God had not been their protector.  If we feel that we are drawing in the problems of life, we as followers of Christ only need to look to God in faith for answers.  Verse six declares, Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.  David said that people of Israel should bless God, because He had kept them from being prey for their enemies.  We have even more reason to bless, or praise God, because Jesus Christ, the Messiah, has already come.  Verse seven adds, Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.  As Christians, our soul has escaped out of the snare of sin, as David said then, like a bird out of the snare of the fowler.  We are set free from sin not to just barely survive, but to soar as a bird will when set free.  Verse eight adds, Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.  Just like David, our only hope is in God, the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of life. 

Psalms 123:1

Psalms 123:1 says, A Song of degrees. This is another psalm identified as a song of degrees, then verse one says, Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. David said he lifted up his eyes to the One that dwellest in the heavens.  We usually pray with our heads bowed in a sign of humility, but spiritually even then we should be lifting up our eyes to God.  Our focus needs to always be on God.  Verse two adds, Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.  David said that we should look to God the way that a servant should look to his or her master or mistress, with respect knowing that the master or mistress is the one who provides for them.  We do not look to God demanding that He provide for us, but instead knowing that He will out of His mercy.  Verse three states, Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.  Just as David asked for God to have mercy on the people of Israel because the world had contempt for them, we must ask for Him to have mercy us because the people of the world often have contempt for Christians.  No matter how badly we are treated by the people of the world, we are always secure in the mercy of God as followers of Christ.  Verse four adds, Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.  When we think that we have it bad in the world today as Christians, we need to understand that we are not the first to believe that we are.  Even in his day, the psalmist said that those who put their faith in God were the contempt of the proud, those who put their faith in their own abilities instead of God's grace.

Psalms 122:1

Psalms 122:1 says, A Song of degrees of David.  This is identified as a song of degrees by David, then verse one says, I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.  We, like David, should be glad when they say to us that it is time to go into the house of the Lord.  Though we would see this as the church building, as Christians our own home should be the Lord's house.  Verse two adds. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.  Jerusalem was seen as God's holy city, and David said that God's people would stand within its gates.  Though we don't have a holy city as followers of Christ, we must still stand in the boundaries of God's word.  Verse three states, Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:  David said that Jerusalem was a compact city.  Matthew Henry says the houses were built in an orderly manner and supported one another.  We as Christians, though scattered throughout the world, should likewise worship God in an orderly manner and support one another, even though we do not have a physical city in which to do so.  Verse four adds, Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.  Jerusalem was the place where the tribes of Israel, all of God's chosen people, went as a testimony to their faith in God and to worship Him.  The church building today should be where we as Christians do the same thing.  Verse five continues, For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.  Jerusalem was the seat of power for Israel, and the place where God's judgment was carried out.  All of our places of government should be the same, but we know that they are not.  Verse five says, Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.  The people of Jerusalem were God's chosen people, and David asked that people pray for their peace and that those who loved God should prosper.  We as followers of Christ should pray for peace for our fellow believers and that they might prosper spiritually.  Verse seven adds, Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.  Just as David prayed for peace and prosperity within the walls of Jerusalem, we should pray for peace and prosperity within the church today.  There is no room for fighting and bickering in the church, the people of God.  Verse eight declares, For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee.  For the sake of his brothers and companions,  David asked for peace.  We should be concerned for our fellow Christians and pray for their peace.  David was not just looking for his own peace and prosperity, and neither should we be as followers of Christ. Verse nine adds, Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good.  Because we as Christians make up the house of God, we should seek what is good for all of our fellow Christians under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. 

Psalms 121:1

Psalms 121:1 says, A Song of degrees.  This is also classified as a song of degrees, then verse one says, I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.  When we are having problems, or even when we aren't, we need to lift up our eyes to God, where our strength comes from.  Though David said he looked up to the hills, I believe his intention was to say that he looked up to God, Who Moses had met on the mountain.  Verse two adds, My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.  There can be no doubt Who David was referring to here.  David said his strength came from the Creator, the only true God, and so does ours as Christians today.  Verse three states, He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.  If we have put our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord,  He will not allow us to be moved spiritually.   Verse four adds, Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.. Just as God did not not sleep then, He does not sleep today.  The God of Israel is still the same God we worship today.  Verse five declares, The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.  The LORD was David's keeper, and He is ours also if we put our faith in Him.  Verse six adds, The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.  There is never a time, day or night, that God does not protect Christians.  Verse seven continues, The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.  We often act as though we need to be afraid of the people who do not believe in or openly deny God, but we have God's promise that He will protect our soul if we are followers of Christ.  Verse eight concludes, The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.  God should preserve or guide all that we do from the time that we actually accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. 

Psalms 120:1

Psalms 120:1 says, A Song of degrees.  This is called a song of degrees, then verse one says, In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me.  Matthew Henry says the song of degrees is not really explained, but there are fifteen classified as such, by different authors.  This one is attributed to David, and he says that in his distress he called out to the LORD and He heard him.  If we as followers are ever in distress and call out to God, He will always hear us.  Verse two says, Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.  David asked God to deliver him from those who were lying about him.  We may not have people lying about us today, but if we are Christians and they are lying about us, I believe we should look to God for help and not get into a shouting contest with them.  Verse three asks, What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? David calls on those lying about him to consider what the outcome of this action might be.  We might point out to those who may be lying about us that they need to consider what this may result in, especially if they are lying about God at the same time.  Verse four adds, Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.  David said they might face the sharp arrows of the mighty, but I believe more importantly they will face the wrath of God one day, no matter what happens in this life.  Verse five states, Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!  Matthew Henry says this is not a reference to David actually living in these places, but to those who were opposing him being people like the people in those areas.  We may live in a nation that calls itself a Christian nation, but we are often surrounded by people who are not only not Christians, but who even deny the existence of God.That does not excuse us from following God.  Verse six adds, My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace.  Like David, we may live in an area where the people around us hate peace.  We only need to look at what is going on in cities today to see that this is true.  Verse seven continues, I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.  We should be for peace as followers of Christ, but we should also not be surprised if those around us are for war against God's word.