Memorizing the Psalms - 13 (120-136 Ascent and Arrival))

In this series, I am considering strategies for memorizing all the psalms of the Hebrew Psalter. Ask yourself also - what is(are) the central verse(s) of each psalm?

אֶל יְהוָה בַּצָּרָתָה לִּי	120:1	To יהוה when I am trouble bound
אֶשָּׂא עֵינַי אֶל הֶהָרִים	121:1	I will lift up my eyes to the hills
שָׂמַחְתִּי בְּאֹמְרִים לִי	122:1	I was glad when they said to me
אֵלֶיךָ נָשָׂאתִי אֶת עֵינַי	123:1	To you I lift up my eyes
לוּלֵי יְהוָה שֶׁהָיָה לָנוּ יֹאמַר	124:1	Unless יהוה had been for us
הַבֹּטְחִים בַּיהוָה כְּהַר צִיּוֹן	125:1	Those trusting in יהוה are like mount Zion
בְּשׁוּב יְהוָה אֶת שִׁיבַת צִיּוֹן	126:1	When יהוה turned the captivity of Zion
אִם יְהוָה לֹא יִבְנֶה בַיִת	127:1	If יהוה does not build a house
אַשְׁרֵי כָּל יְרֵא יְהוָה	128:1	Happy all who fear יהוה
רַבַּת צְרָרוּנִי מִנְּעוּרַי יֹאמַר	129:1	Exceedingly they troubled me from my youth
מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ יְהוָה	130:1	From the valleys I call to you יהוה
יְהוָה לֹא גָבַהּ לִבִּי	131:1	Of David יהוה my heart is not haughty
זְכוֹר יְהוָה לְדָוִד אֵת כָּל עֻנּוֹתוֹ	132:1	יהוה Remember David and all his afflictions
הִנֵּה מַה טּוֹב וּמַה נָּעִים	133:1	Here! How fine and how pleasant
הִנֵּה בָּרְכוּ אֶת יְהוָה כָּל עַבְדֵי יְהוָה	134:1	Here! bless יהוה all servants of יהוה
הַלְלוּ יָהּ הַלְלוּ אֶת שֵׁם יְהוָה	135:1	Hallelu Yah Praise the name of יהוה
הוֹדוּ לַיהוָה כִּי טוֹב	136:1	Give thanks to יהוה because it is good

The fifth book of the Psalter contains an additional sequence of Psalms called the Psalms of Ascent, Psalms 120-134. The last two above, 135 and 136, share a large number of words and are of nearly identical length.

• Psalm 120, the first of the 15 Songs of Ascents, begins with darkness and charade.
• Psalm 121 promises a God who does not snooze and who keeps Israel.
• Psalm 122 is the prayer for Jerusalem.
• Psalm 123 is about contempt.
• Psalm 124 is a recognition of dependence on .יהוה
• Psalm 125 is an image of security symbolized by the mountains around Jerusalem.
• Psalm 126 is a joyful hope expecting trouble and release.
• Psalm 127 is the middle song, inscribed of Solomon, a second recognition of dependence and a celebration of children.
• Psalm 128 continues the blessing of the family.
• Psalm 129 is a second request to Israel to confess the memory of exceeding trouble. It ends with a non-blessing.
• Psalm 130 includes watching for the morning and the need for ransom from iniquities.
• Psalm 131 notes the value of being mute, as the nursing child on its mother’s back.
• Psalm 132 is the bringing of the ark to the temple, with the priests clothed with righteousness.
• Psalm 133 celebrates the unity of kin, with images of the oil and the dew descending.
• With Psalm 134, the blessing in the courts, we complete the Songs of Ascent, and then we begin to close the brackets that were opened in earlier Psalms.
• Psalm 135 is the culmination of the prior 15 psalms where the worshipers now stand in the courts of the house of God.
• Psalm 136 the fourth psalm with this invitation, identifies the formative event of the Sea of Reeds and the decisive parting as the new frame. This closes the Creation-Redemption themes in the Psalter.