Psalm 120:1

James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 120:1

A CASE OF DISTRESS‘My distress.’Psalms 120:1The first of the Songs of Ascents, sung by the devout Hebrews, as they gathered from the farthest parts of the land to the great annual feasts. Ah, ye now desolate hills and valleys of the Holy Land, how blithe ye were in those happy days, when successive bands of pilgrims joined from the adjacent valleys in the great accumulated multitude that swept up to the Temple with their songs to keep the feast! I. The early stages in our journey towards the... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 120:1-7

CXX. Prayer Against Calumniators.— Here begin the Psalms of Ascents, i.e. Pss. intended to be sung by the pilgrims at the three great feasts on their way up to Jerusalem, which stood on a height. Psalms 120-134 all bear this title (see also Psalms 84:5). The title “ Psalms of Ascents” may have been originally given to the collection and then written over each Ps. individually. Psalms 120:1-Numbers : . “ What shall he ( i.e. Yahweh) give unto thee?” The punishment is in accordance with the... read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - Psalms 120:1-7

THE SONGS OF DEGREESPsalms 120-134GENERAL INTRODUCTIONThe principal hypotheses on which to account for the “Songs of Degrees,” “Songs of Ascents,” “Pilgrim Psalms,” and to each of which great names are attached, and each of which has something to say for itself, are as follows:—1. The songs of the pilgrims returning from exile (Syr. Chrysostom, Theodoret). 2. The songs chanted by the Temple worshippers on each of the fifteen steps of the Temple (The Rabbins, Gospel of Mary, Vulg.—Luther,... read more

C.I. Scofield

Scofield's Reference Notes - Psalms 120:1

A Song of degrees Literally, "of ascents." Perhaps chanted by the people as they went up to Jerusalem to the feasts. See, e.g. Psalms 112:1; Psalms 112:2. read more

Chuck Smith

Chuck Smith Bible Commentary - Psalms 120:1-7

This time let's turn in our Bibles to Psalms 120:1-7 to begin our Bible study this evening. Now you'll notice these psalms have a heading. The psalm, "A song of degrees." The word literally is ascents, A-S-C-E-N-T-S. And these are sort of the marching songs for the people of Israel as they would come thrice annually to Jerusalem to worship the Lord.There's a lot of things about the nation Israel that excite me. There are a lot of things that I wish that somehow we could incorporate in our... read more

Joseph Sutcliffe

Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments - Psalms 120:1-7

This and the fourteen psalms which follow, are entitled, “Songs of Mahaloth, or degrees.” Kimchi, and some of the rabbins say, they were so called because they were sung on the steps of the second temple, which were fifteen in number, and stood between the court of the men, and of the women. Dr. Lightfoot has adopted this opinion. For the same reason most of the Greek Versions denominate these psalms, songs of ascension. Psalms 120:5 . Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesech, and dwell in the... read more

Joseph Exell

The Biblical Illustrator - Psalms 120:1-7

Psalms 120:1-7In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and He heard me.The Songs of DegreesHow came this and fourteen following psalms to be put together, and to receive their distinctive title? It has been suggested that they were thus called from peculiarity in rhythm; but perhaps, in this respect, some of them might with as much correctness be described as songs of the goings-down. The opinion is equally doubtful that the heading was given them because, when they were chanted, the volume of... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Psalms 120:1

Psalms 120:1 « A Song of degrees. » In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me. A Song of degrees ] A most excellent song, Tremellius rendereth it; and so indeed this and the fourteen following are, both for the matter and for the form or manner of expression, which is wondrous short and sweet, as the very epigrams of the Holy Ghost himself, wherein each verse may well stand for an oracle. And in this sense Adam Hammahalah, or a man of degrees, is put for an eminent or excellent... read more

Samuel Bagster

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge - Psalms 120:1

my distress: Psalms 18:6, Psalms 30:7, Psalms 30:8, Psalms 50:15, Psalms 107:13, Psalms 116:3, Psalms 116:4, Psalms 118:5, Isaiah 37:3, Isaiah 37:4, Isaiah 37:14-Proverbs :, Isaiah 38:2-Deuteronomy :, Jonah 2:2, Luke 22:44, Hebrews 5:7 Reciprocal: Judges 15:19 - Enhakkore 2 Samuel 22:7 - my distress 2 Chronicles 14:11 - cried unto Psalms 6:9 - hath heard read more

Daniel Whedon

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 120:1

1. Distress… cried… heard This serial form trouble, prayer, and answer was common for David, and his faith in God touching the answer, gathered from past experience, was the ground of all his hope. read more

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