Pilgrim Psalm [Lent 2A - Psalm 121]
The Rev. Jeremiah Williamson Psalm 121 Pilgrim Psalm The journey was dangerous. And the way was not safe. So common and pervasive was the peril that it served as the backdrop for the well-known Parable of the Good Samaritan. That story, told by Jesus in Luke’s Gospel, begins with an unnamed traveler being stripped and beaten by robbers. The man is left for dead on the side of the road, the road that leads to Jerusalem. Psalm 121 is one of the best known psalms in the entire poetic collection. It has for centuries lived in the hearts and souls of the people of God. It is a song that instills comfort and confidence. For centuries it has been prayed in moments of anxiety and insecurity and has been a remarkably effective conveyor of peace and tranquility. The psalm is one of fifteen psalms grouped and categorized as Songs of Ascent, part of a collection within the larger collection. These ...