Psalms 120:2

"A Song of Ascents. In my distress, I cried to the LORD. He answered me."

Key Reflection

In the context of Psalm 120:2, the original audience would have recognized this as part of a collection of songs used by Jewish pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem for religious festivals. The phrase "A Song of Ascents" indicates that it was one of these ascent songs, likely sung during the journey from Galilee or Samaria up to Jerusalem. When distress overcame the psalmist, they turned directly to God in prayer, echoing a common practice among ancient Israelites who saw their God as ever-present and responsive, even amidst trials.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Deliver my soul, O Lord -My soul is harassed and distressed. Perhaps the meaning also may be, My life is in danger. Or, if it refers to the soul as such, then it means that everything pertaining to his soul was deeply affected by the course which was pursued. He was maligned, slandered, misrepresented, deceived, and he had no comfort or peace. From lying lips -False, deceitful, slanderous. Compare the notes atPsalms 31:18. And from a deceitful tongue -From a tongue whose statements cannot be relied on; whose words are deceptive; whose promises are false.

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