From Distress to Deliverance

By Dean Collins

Psalm 120 begins a section of the psalms known as the Psalms of Ascent. These psalms were used by ancient Jews as they made their pilgrimage to Jerusalem to worship God. Jesus very likely quoted or prayed these psalms as he made his final journey to Jerusalem as well. Psalm 120 is the first psalm of ascent and its author is likely at his furthest distance from Jerusalem as he writes.

Psalm 120 begins with a call to the Lord because of some significant struggle and distress. The psalmist has full confidence in the promises of God; he knows that God will answer him when he calls. There are many verses of scripture that assure us that when we call upon the Lord he answers us. Jesus told us as much in John’s gospel:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”

When we are in distress, we can go to our Father in heaven and know that he will answer. We may not immediately see or hear the answer, but God is always working on our behalf when we cry out to him.

As this psalm continues, we see that the psalmist needs deliverance from those who are deceitful. These liars may be telling lies about David, and/or David may be praying that God would protect his people from believing in lies that are being spread. David knows that the enemy of God is a liar, and just as Adam and Eve were deceived by the serpent in the garden, we too can be easily deceived.

As we pray this psalm, we would do well to ask God to guide us and protect us from the lies that the enemy spreads, even through the carelessness of Christians who repeat lies without checking the validity of what was said. Sadly, in an age of social media, lies are quickly told and retold. We can pray for discernment and for wisdom as we interact with our friends on social media. The psalmist said, “I am for peace but those who spread lies are for war.” A good question to ask oneself is whether our words and our social media posts promote peace or add to the hostility and anger in our culture.

Maybe as we consider Psalm 120, we might also read and meditate on Matthew 5:9-12.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Whatever you are going through today, you can take it to the Lord in your moment or season of distress. He will answer you. Paul reminds us in Ephesians that Jesus is our peace. The work of Christ on the cross brought us unhindered access to God. Because Jesus is our peace, he can also transform us so that we might be peacemakers as well.

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.”

There is no doubt that the enemy of God is always working to deceive us, to bring hostility and fear into the world, and to destroy whatever he can. Because of the Holy Spirit, we have the capacity to stand against the lies of the enemy, but we will not be successful unless we choose to stay in God’s word and pray to God throughout the day. When we abide in Christ and promote the peace of Christ in every relationship, we can be sure that God will deliver us and use us for his glory.

Father, we come to you in distress because we are aware of so many lies that the enemy has spread, intent on hurting us and keeping us from the security we have in Christ. Remind us that you and you alone bring peace into this world. Forgive us when we place our faith in anyone or anything other than you. Holy Spirit, expose the lies we have been tempted to believe and to spread. Forgive us when we have been lazy in discerning the lies that are perpetrated in our culture. Fill us with your Spirit and use us to promote peace today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Your Time with God’s Word
Psalm 120:1-7 ; John 16:23-24; Matthew 5:9-12; Ephesians 2:13-14 ESV

Photo by Marc-Olivier Jodoin on Unsplash
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