Campus Community | Ascent

Summary

Psalm 120 is the first of the Psalms of Ascent — the beginning prayer on a pilgrimage out darkness and distress and into the light and love of God. In the final Psalm of Ascent, Psalm 134, the Psalmist finds himself in the house of the Lord. But that is not where he begins. Where he begins in in Psalm 120:1-2, in distress, crying out for salvation from a land filled with lies. In verses 3-4, he takes comfort in the knowledge that judgement will come. The deceitful tongue will be punished. The lie will be exposed as a lie, and the truth will be vindicated as true. But that day is still out in front of him. For now, The psalmist recognizes that his life plays out here on earth like an exile in a foreign land. This is why he cries out, “Woe to me,” in verses 5-6, because here, the Psalmist recognizes the formative threat of life lived in exile among those who do not know the truth. The reader can feel the tension in the final verse as the Psalmist recognizes that although he knows the truth, he is at risk of becoming like those who do not, unless the Lord answers his initial cry. The close of this first Psalm of Ascent anticipates the next, Psalm 121, where the Psalmist will begin by asking, “Where should I look for help?”

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Discussion Questions

1. In the message, the speaker said that all sin is the result of believing a lie. Discuss as a community what lies are at the root of various sins. Another way to think of it is by asking this question, “What does someone have to believe is true before he or she commits a certain sin?”
2. In honest reflection, what are some areas in your own life where you know the truth but live the lie? What areas in your own life do you find the hardest to trust to God? What are the comfortable lies that you know are wrong but just feel too hard to give up?
3. What do you think this Psalm teaches about community? In light of the message, why do you think life lived with other believers is so important?
4. People talk about putting their faith in Jesus. Discuss as a community what you think that actually means. In light of the message, what do you think it means to live by faith?
5. In light of the message, what do you think Jesus meant when he said, “I am the light of the world?”

Summary

In this Psalm, we are reminded of the great protector we have in our Creator God. Six times in this Psalm we find a form of the word “keep” which in its original form means protector. The writer was thinking of the treacherous journey up to Jerusalem but also the reminder of God who will KEEP us along the way. The thoughts found in the Psalm are a constant reminder and encouragement there is nothing we can ever face which God cannot handle. He is always with us, watching over us, and He is all we ever need to be safe throughout our lives. This promise is one which He will always KEEP! Let us be reminded, day by day, we are never alone and He will always bring us through in victory. That victory is found, not only along the way, but in the great promise of our Heavenly home He has guaranteed for all who believe in Jesus. What a promise, what a Savior!

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Discussion Questions

1. Besides the reminders found in Psalm 121, what are some other Scripture passages which reminds us of God’s presence and protection?
2. What are some habits we can include in our daily lives to remind ourselves of these promises?
3. How can we be sure God can be trusted to KEEP us?
4. List a few moments in your past where God did exactly what Psalm 121 says He will do

Summary

The Psalms of Ascent (120-134) provided the playlist for a posse of pilgrims pounding the pavement to the place where God’s people praised Providence as partners in His presence. As they turn the page to Psalm 122 at this point in their grueling journey, they step foot in the spectacular city God chose to display His glory. It’s no wonder they are filled with joy. 

Like our faithful forerunners, we can rejoice in every reunion of God’s family as we gather to declare His dominion, delight in His deeds, detail His decrees, deal with our doubts, and discover our destiny. Even though we approach the place of praise from different tribes, our differences diminish at the feet of our Father.

Here, we lock arms to pray that God would bring peace to our cities, security to our families and friends, and prosperity to our communities. In this place, we don’t pray merely for our material welfare or personal comfort. Rather, we pray that the trifecta of peace, security, and prosperity would be realized “for the sake of the house of the Lord our God” (Psalm 122:9). Every gathering reminds us that one day “a great multitude…from every nation, tribe, people, and language” will worship the Lord together forever (Revelation 7:9).

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 Discussion Questions:

1. Why does David consider the thought of going to God’s house a reason to rejoice?
2. What does David’s readiness for corporate worship reveal about his priorities in life?
3. What barriers exist in our churches because we come from different “tribes”?
4. How can we create unity in the body of Christ despite these differences?
5. Does worship lead to joy, or does joy lead to worship? What about unity and worship?
6. What does it mean to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” in our day?

Summary

Psalm 123 addresses how God’s people respond when facing scoffers or mistreatment at the hands of those opposing God and His people by acknowledging our position before God and to seek His mercy with faith and hope, even when surrounded by adversity. We know and testify that true humility before God opens the door to His abundant mercy, reminding us that even in the trials of life, our focus must remain on Him who delivers and protects.

This psalm yields two distinct encouragements. The opening calls us to frame our struggles under the sovereignty of our God enthroned in heaven. He compares our looking to God with expectant gaze of a servant-to-master and maid-to-mistress. This look contains no suspicion or fear, but rather reflects gladness, awe, dependence, and submissive trust.

We need to acknowledge our position before God and to seek His mercy with faith and hope, even when surrounded by adversity. True humility before God opens the door to His abundant mercy, reminding us that even in the trials of life, our focus must remain on Him who delivers and protects. This doesn’t remove or eliminate our frustration, but a delay in receiving mercy increases the pressure from our struggles and contempt from our enemies. Yet,we can expect God’s mercy because He cares for us and His plans are good.

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Discussion Questions

1. What does it meanpractically to “lift your eyes” to God when facing contempt or scorn? How does this posture differ from other ways we might respond to mistreatment?
2. The psalm suggests that “the master may be busy, elsewhere preoccupied and distracted; but the petitioner is patient and knows that in due course the master will exhibit mercy”—how do we cultivate this kind of patient trust when God’s response feels delayed?
3. The psalm teaches that both individually and communally believers can turn to God with their griefs, without needing to fear or approach hesitantly. What barriers prevent us from bringing our hurts to God, and how might this psalm reshape our approach?
4. How does understanding God as both powerful and merciful change the way you respond to injustice or oppression in your own life?

Summary

We’ve all got wounds from our lives…big ones, small ones, childhood stuff, betrayals, and losses. Life is messy. If you are not careful, these things from the past can quietly and subconsciously become the blueprint for how you live today. They don’t have to. King David shows us how redemption can turn what could have defined you into a source of deliverance for other pilgrims on the journey. You don’t have to be defined by the horrible things you have been through, and those same wounds, once healed, can be a source of help for those around you. If you feel like the enemy has his teeth on your soul, there is help in the name of the Lord!

Discussion Questions

1. How have you allowed painful experiences or traumas to shape your reactions or patterns in life (like shutting down, pulling away, or avoiding triggers), and what might it look like to stop letting them serve as your “template”?
2. Psalm 124 repeatedly says, “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side…” how does reflecting on God’s past deliverance in your own life redirect your focus and reframe your perspective from dysfunction and paralysis to hope and forward motion?
3. How can acknowledging and moving toward healing your wounds instead enable you to help others, and what is one area of your past pain that could be offered up to help someone else facing that situation?

Summary:

Psalm 125 shows us that turbulence reveals our trust. Our crises reveal who our Christ is. Whatever we claim to believe, it will be the times of testing that expose what or who we actually trust, whether our own achievements, coping mechanisms, friends and family, or Jesus.

God promises that all turbulences are temporary. Bad leaders and broken circumstances will not hold the scepter forever. We can trust God will one day end all turbulences because of His perfect track record. To say the least, He’s an experienced miracle worker: He parted seas, shut lions’ mouths, froze the sun, healed the sick, raised the dead. If He has been faithful to save his people for thousands of years, He can more than handle our present and future crises.

In the end, it is those who continually trust in the Lord who become “like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.” Christ himself is our example in this, and we cannot stand firm unless we trust him to be our unshakable Mount Zion.

Discussion Questions:

1. In what ways do crises expose what or whom we actually trust, despite our stated beliefs? Is this exposure a threat or a gift?
2. If turbulence reveals our trust, what kinds of turbulence today are best at revealing the true object of our faith?
3. How does the imagery of Mount Zion, “which cannot be shaken but endures forever,” shape our understanding of spiritual stability?
4. The psalm promises that “the scepter of wickedness shall not rest” on the righteous. How should Christians interpret this promise in the face of ongoing injustice or corrupt leadership?

Summary:

In Psalm 126, we hear the song of a Christian pilgrim who goes up, looks back, and keep on. This pilgrim song is structured like a diptych, an art piece with two contrasting panels that together reveal the artist’s intentions.

In the first panel (verses 1-3), the Psalmist looks back and remembers the wonder of Israel’s return from exile. The joy that emerges here is exemplary of the joy of every believer who relives the wonder of what God has done for them. Even the watching nations stood in awe of God’s kindness.

But this psalm does not end in nostalgia. The second panel (verse 4-6) teaches us that steady, persistent progress—no drama, just slogging away—is part and parcel of our pilgrimage. Christians are those who trust God and faithfully labor, sowing in tears knowing one day we “shall reap with shouts of joy.”

In the end, the faithful Christian pilgrim is one who lives in both panels, one who goes up to worship God, rejoices over what He has done, and keeps pressing forward.

Discussion Questions:

1. Old Testament pilgrims went up to Jerusalem seeking intimacy, security, and harmony with God. Where can we “go up” to today to find these same realities?
2. What does it mean that the Israelites were “like those who dream” when God restored their fortunes?
3. In verses 5-6, what is the significance of the agricultural metaphor? How does sowing and reaping help us understand the nature of spiritual growth?
4. How does Psalm 126 help us behold Christ as the ultimate fulfillment of Israel’s prayer for revival? In what ways has Jesus become our “stream in the Negeb”?

Summary:

This psalm, likely written by Solomon, is another reminder of the things that truly matter in life. So often, we find ourselves immersed in the “rat race” of life running after things others believe important. Solomon writes to encourage us to lean into what God says is important and recognize the blessing when doing so. This is a clear reminder to us all when we lean on the Lord’s strength to build our lives, we are blessed; when we depend solely on ourselves, we will fail miserably.

The first two verses remind us to seek Him and trust Him in every aspect of life. It is a clear picture of the importance of dependence on Him in both our personal efforts as well as in our culture. In these formative years through your college experience, cultivate those habits of total dependence and rest on God so as you move through the decades of your life, it becomes second nature.

The last three verses remind us of a great truth which would be better to learn now than later. The verses refer to the importance and value of family. Again, we are bombarded with conflicting messages today on how we must work for our benefit. We are told to focus on self, to seek pleasure and happiness solely based on what makes you happy. Solomon reminds us here in Psalm 127 to focus on the two MOST important things: 1) our relationship and dependence on God and 2) our families. Everything else comes next.

Ultimately, Psalm 127 is a call to action to change our thinking. It is a reminder of the confidence we can have in life, not based on our accomplishments or possessions, but on the gifts God gives.

Discussion Questions:

1. What would it look like in our futures to “build our house” on the Lord?
2. How do we truly seek Him for daily life?
3. In what ways can we rest in Him and His promises throughout the turbulent moments of life?
4. What habits would be helpful to cultivate now to ensure complete trust in Him?
5. How can we replace our anxious moments in life with restful moments because of our trust?

Summary:

Psalm 128 gives us a vision of life that moves beyond self-made ambition and performance into true worship and a faithful walk with God. The one who fears the Lord doesn’t simply attend classes or convocation—they walk in His ways daily. That posture transforms everything. Success is no longer defined by academics or achievement alone but by faithfulness and obedience. Fruitful influence is received as a gift, not claimed as an entitlement.

The “table” where blessing is experienced today may look like a dorm room, a small group, or a late-night conversation. Relationships become the primary spaces where God’s blessing takes root and grows. Even now, God is shaping legacies that will one day be expressed in homes and future gospel impact.

Spiritual formation and true happiness are cultivated as we embrace the gospel and walk in the fear of the Lord. Psalm 128 points us toward lasting impact—on campus and far beyond. As we faithfully guard and cultivate our walk with God today, it will bring enduring honor to Christ in our families, our ministries, and our participation in His mission for generations to come.

Discussion Questions:

Psalm 128:1 describes blessing flowing from “fearing the Lord” and “walking in His ways.” How would you describe the difference between knowing about God (as a dutiful Christian) and truly walking with God in reverential awe, in this current season? (See also Micah 6:8; John 15:4-5)

Psalm 34:11-15 describes that practical outworking of the fear of the Lord. How should “the fear of the Lord” be evident in your daily interactions with others? Based on these truths, what is most convicting to you right now?

Psalm 128:2 connects daily work with God’s blessing. In what ways are you tempted to define success by performance (grades, accomplishments, popularity)? How does Scripture redefine success? (See also Colossians 3:23-24; Matthew 6:33)

The psalm highlights the “table” as a place of relational blessing (in this case the family). Where are your current “tables” (dorm, team, friend group)? How might God want to use you to cultivate spiritual influence in those places? (See also Acts 2:46-47; Hebrews 10:24-25)

Psalm 128 points to generational impact. How does remembering that your life has long-term, gospel-centered influence shape your choices today? (See also 2 Timothy 2:2, Psalm 71:14-21; Psalm 78:4-7)

Summary

Psalm 129 is one of the least familiar of the Psalms of Ascent — not nearly as well-known as it’s sister Psalm — Psalm 130. They are meant to be read together, however, because in Psalm 130, the Psalmist reflects on the sin that he has done, but in Psalm 129, he reflects on the sins that have been done to him. The psalm invites us to ask the question in our own lives, “What do we do when we’ve been wronged?” In answering that question, there are three primary things the Psalmist would have us see. The first is that it’s neither right or wise to deny that we have been hurt by others’ sin. The second is that healing is found in community, not isolation. But third, the Psalmist notes that because of God, he is not a victim. In spite of what has been done to him, he writes in verse 4, “But the Lord is righteous; he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.” In this respect, the Psalm is deeply convicting. How often do we try and answer the wrongs done to us by allowing resentment to take root in our heart? 

Discuss Questions

1. In the message, the speaker said that a Christian has forfeited the right to harbor offense in their heart against another person. Why has what Christ done robbed his followers of harboring offense?
2. When you are wronged, what is your typical response? How do you manage it?
3. Why is community so important when it comes to processing pain and hurt?
4. In honest reflection, what are some areas in your own life where you are harboring offense against someone else?
5. What do you think is the distinction between forgiveness and reconciliation?