Embrace the Word for Wednesday, November 11, 2026

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Psalm 120, which expresses deep distress, is the first of a sub-collection of Psalms within Book 5 of the Psalter. Psalms 120-134 all share the superscription, “Songs of Ascents.” Of these fifteen Psalms, four are attributed to David (122,123,131,133) and one to Solomon (127). Each of these “Songs of Ascents” reflect the notion of going up, which suggests that this sub-collection was compiled to guide the Israelites in their journey to Jerusalem. Originally, this journey could have pertained to the remnant as they returned from Babylonian captivity. This possibility does fit nicely with the overall emphasis of Book 5 with its focus on a new exodus and return from exile: “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south” (Psalm 107:2-3). Yet a second possible explanation (which could be complementary to the first possibility) is that the “Songs of Ascents” were used subsequently as Israelites pilgrimaged to the Temple for some of their annual festivals of worship. Several common features are a part of the “Songs of Ascents,” such as references to “Zion,” “Jerusalem” and the “Temple” (122,125,126,127,128,129,132,133,134), the mention of “Israel” as the people of God (121,122,125,128), and the language of “blessing” and “peace” (120,122,125,128). Another introductory observation about the “Songs of Ascents” is that this sub-collection of fifteen Psalms seem to be grouped into five sets of three. In these three Psalm groupings, the first Psalm in each group highlights some distress, the second Psalm points out some action by the LORD, and the third Psalm features an outcome.

Psalm 120 opens with an acknowledgment of distress: “In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. Deliver me, O LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue” (120:1-2). It seems best to take verse 1 as a reference to a past distress that the Psalmist had previously experienced. As he looks back on an earlier distress, the Psalmist rehearses what occurred when he prayed to the LORD: the LORD answered him. The term “distress” literally speaks of being in a bind, that is a tight spot squeezing in on him. Whatever the particulars of the previous situational difficulty that the Psalmist was going through, he recalled that pressure he felt internally. More importantly, the Psalmist remembers that the LORD intervened and that past difficulty and its accompanying distress subsided. The LORD worked on the Psalmist’s behalf and delivered him. It is the Psalmist’s memory of what the LORD had done in a past distress that was helping to give shape to how he approached a new distress. The new difficulty involved “lying lips, and a “deceitful tongue.” Treacherous people committed to deploying falsehoods to inflict harm to the LORD’s people is a perennial problem. What evil people do is not unintentional, they knowingly and purposely say untrue things for the goal of misguiding others. But as the Psalmist has done in the past, he calls upon the LORD for deliverance. The Psalmist’s recollection of the past has aided him in knowing the truth about handling the distress of deceiving liars who sought to harm him—he must first turn to the LORD.

Having first turned to the LORD amid his fresh experience of distress, he next addresses the one whose deceiving lies have brought harm to him: “What shall be given to you, and what more shall be done to you, you deceitful tongue? A warrior’s sharp arrows, with glowing coals of the broom tree!” (120:3-4). Whether the Psalmist’s words were literally spoken directly to the deceiving liar’s face or just spoken as an expression of his desires in reference to the one who was behind his distress, its hard to tell for sure. The Psalmist rhetorically wonders what the LORD would do to someone who lies and deceives. The Psalmist’s rhetorical inquiry seems to speak of the matter of sowing and reaping. What will the LORD give to someone who sows deceit? What does the LORD do—what will a deceiver reap for his deception? The point is that the Psalmist’s deceitful adversaries will face consequences for their actions. The Psalmist entrusts the matter to the LORD, for these consequences would not come through retaliation on his part, but as judgment from the LORD. Such judgment is liken to the devastation wrought by flaming arrows—arrows with long burning, intensely hot coals taken from a broom tree, whose roots are thought to be the source of good charcoal.

As the Psalmist waits for the LORD to rescue him through enacting judgment on his deceitful adversaries, he voices honest grief: “Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!” (120:5). “Woe” is essentially the opposite of blessed. Thus, instead of enjoying the favor of the LORD, the Psalmist feels as if he is experiencing the sadness of calamity. The Psalmist pronounces “woe” on himself because of who surrounds him. He likens the difficulties and troubles that he is facing to embarking on a journey through Meshech. Meshech was a region north of Judah inhabited by fierce, warlike people. Meshech is the land associated with Gog of Magog (See Ezekiel 38-39). In addition to feeling like he was on a journey in Meshech, the Psalmist also notes that it feels like he was dwelling in Kedar. Kedar refers to the nomadic tribes to the south and southeast of Judah. These tribes were inhospitably belligerent. Obviously the Psalmist was not in two places at once; the Psalmist is stating how he feels rather than where he is physically located. It is as though he is surrounded by hostile barbarians far from the safety of the Promised Land.

The Psalmist feels like he is living in the land of “woe,” even though he might have possibly been in his homeland. He concludes with expressing his longing for peace: “Too long have I had my dwelling among those who hate peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war!” (120:6-7). Building on verse 5, the Psalmist concludes that he is surrounded by people who hate peace. Perhaps what the Psalmist means is that he is surrounded by people who not only have an aversion to the notion of peace but expressly hate him. Whichever the case may be, the Psalmist does not anticipate that he would experience any circumstantial peace any time soon. While his adversaries show no interest in peace, the Psalmist has a strong longing for peace. This suggests that the Psalmist not only longed for peace but sought to live in peace and create peace. Yet every attempt in which the Psalmist pursued peace only seemed to result in further hostility. It should be assumed what while the godly long for peace as evidenced by their attempts to cultivate peace, the wicked do not value peace, as sowing discord and stirring up strife makes sense to them. The absence of peace and the wicked’s euphoria over creating and sustaining hostilities ends up being the sad note that ends this first Ascent Psalm. Longing for peace will be a reoccurring theme in the “Songs of Ascents.” As the journey to Jerusalem unfolds in this sub-collection, it seems significant to note that Jerusalem literally means the peace of the LORD—that is the city of the peace of the LORD.

As we reflect on Psalm 120 we can consider the peace that the Lord Jesus Christ has secured for His people. Peace is a multifaceted term; it refers to a sense of safety, stability, and well-being on several levels. Whichever level of peace we speak of, the Lord Jesus Christ is at the center. The Bible speaks of the need to be at peace with God. In light of man’s sinfulness and God’s holiness, there is great enmity between God and man—man seeks to live independently of and in rebellion towards God, while God’s standard of justice has brought about a holy wrath towards man. Christ has established peace between God and His people: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (See Romans 5:1). The Bible also speaks of the need for peace between humanity. Sin has left man in a state of hostility with his fellow man. But Christ has established the basis for peace between mankind: “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility” (See Ephesians 2:14-16). Believers can live in peace with each other because Christ has made us “one new man.” The Bible also speaks of a third level of peace, which we might call inner or intrapersonal peace. Peace within our own hearts can be experienced through Christ: “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (See Philippians 4:6-7). With these three aspects of peace all  available through Christ, we, of all people should be able to confess: “I am for peace.” In fact, the admonition from the Apostle Paul should be a guide to our hearts: “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” (See Romans 12:18).

That’s all for Embrace the Word for Wednesday, November 11, 2026. I look forward to being back with you for the Friday, November 13, 2026 episode of Embrace the Word as we take a look at Psalm 121.