A Bible Study in EasyEnglish (2800 word vocabulary) on Psalms 120 to 134
Keith Simons
EasyEnglish is a system of simple English designed by Wycliffe Associates (UK). This commentary has not yet received Advanced Theological Checking.
A word list at the end explains words with a *star by them.
Last part: About the title: “Songs of Ascent”
King David is the traditional author of many (or most) Psalms. And his name appears as the author of 4 Songs of Ascent: Psalms 122, 124, 131 and 133. David’s son, King Solomon, appears as the author of Psalm 127. David chose the place for the temple (God’s house in Jerusalem); and Solomon’s workmen built it.
Bible students are not sure that the titles are part of the original Psalms. But we do know that people were travelling to Jerusalem to *worship during Solomon’s life. Soon after his death, the kings of northern Israel tried to stop this (1 Kings 12:27). And after that, people from northern Israel did not often travel to Jerusalem for the sacred holidays (2 Kings 23:22-23).
If David and Solomon wrote the Songs of Ascent, then they are about 3000 years old. But some people have thought that the correct date may be about 500 years later, during the life of Ezra. Ezra taught the people to obey God’s rules about the sacred holidays again (Nehemiah 8:13-17). But people did not go long journeys to *worship then. The *Jewish people who were in Israel lived only in a few towns near Jerusalem.
Next part: The Songs of Ascent today
Index: Psalms 120 to 134: Bible Study and Commentary
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© 2010, Keith Simons.