ASCENT (2020)

Right in the middle of the Psalms, there is this series of songs sung by the Israelites making their pilgrimage to Jerusalem, to the mountain of Zion, where it was said that heaven touched down to earth. This was the place where the presence of God dwelt among man. The Psalms of Ascent describe the journey from exile to the hot spot of God’s presence. It’s about turning from evil and journeying back toward the goodness of God. If you are experience distance from God, an overwhelming season of life, or just a period of anxiety and stress, the Psalms of Ascent are a way back to joy, a reminder to lift your eyes to the hill, to see where your help comes from.

This series is part of a special season at First Baptist Church, where the entire community was forced into their homes by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. As we were sequestered away, we read these psalms to inspire our hope and faith in a God who is greater than disease, who loved us and provided for us through dark times.