Songs of The Steps, Introduction

A Song of Ascents, A Pilgrim Song, One of the Processional Songs, A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.

-Psalms 120-134, introduction note before verse 1

One time, when we visited a new church, and the worship leader began the time of songs, he began strumming his guitar and said, "here we go!"  This man understood that we were about to go on a journey together towards God.  It was not flippant or irreverent, but a true statement.

Psalms 120 to 134 are a group of Psalms that go together that are called, "Songs for pilgrims", or "Songs of ascents", or "Songs of degrees", or "Songs for those journeying to worship".  Each song builds on the previous one, but each are useful standing alone.  There are fifteen of them and they can also be grouped in threes or five triplets.

Summary labels for the five sections, postulated by Titus Chu are:

1. Vision
2. Consecration
3. Enjoyment
4. Enlargement
5. Maturity

First, we need to see God.  Then we give ourselves to God.  Then, we receive from God.  Then, we become enlarged in godliness or Christ-likeness.  Finally, we walk in maturity.

To give yourself to God, you must first see him.  And to receive from God and experience enjoyment from him, you must be surrendered to him.  And when these are in place in your life, then you become enlarged, which entails more seeing, more surrender, and more receiving.   Then, we walk in a mature transformed life; that we are always growing in.

Each step is built on the previous ones.  They are sojourner or pilgrim steps.  They are stages of growth or levels of revelation.