The Songs of Ascent were written to accompany journeys taken repeatedly to Jerusalem. As they sang these songs, the people reminded themselves of the good things God had done, the battles they’d fought, and how God had changed them as a result.

These journeys were not wanderings. They had a purpose. The people “went up” to a specific place. Jerusalem represented safety, the rule and reign of God alone, their shalom, and especially their joy. Psalm 126 helps us see our “going up to Jerusalem,” and all it represents, is the in-between for us: from where we’ve been to where we’re headed.