Day Two: Psalm 121

Psalm 121
Going on a pilgrimage or journey to the Holy City Jerusalem was probably met with mixed emotions. There was the joy that was to come with being with others, seeing the Temple, receiving the blessing; all of this was part of the joy of the journey! However, there was also the stresses that come with the journey, the hard, uneven ground found in Palestine, the cold of the evenings, nights in the open, and the ever present danger of thieves and robbers made the journey troublesome. Yet, in this beautiful psalm, the pilgrim takes courage in the Lord. It is a wonderful prayer of trust.

This psalm is known as the “travelers psalm” for good reason! Depending on the translation of the Bible that you use, the word watch, or guard, or keep is used several times throughout this psalm. It is a good word to ponder as we traverse through the journey of life on our way to the heavenly kingdom to which the Lord ascended.

Pray Psalm 121 in your bible using the steps of Lectio Divina as shared in  praying with the scriptures on the St. Joseph Retreat Center website blog. Imagine that you are praying this as you are traveling to the Holy City, Jerusalem.
 
How would this psalm have inspired confidence in the pilgrims on their journey to Jerusalem?

How can you use this psalm as you journey through the life on the way to the Heavenly Jerusalem, or true home?

What words or phrases stood out to you?  Write them down in your journal, or better yet, memorize them to give your courage on the journey!