A Throne, a Family, a Celebration
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A Throne, a Family, a Celebration

The people of Israel sang the Psalms of Ascent as they headed up to Jerusalem for the yearly feasts, such as Passover. In this message, Alistair Begg explains how three of these songs point ahead to three greater truths. The whole biblical story unfolds toward these eternal realities—a throne occupied by the true son of David, a family comprised of all of God’s people, and a celebration where we will bless the Lord forever.


The Lord Has Chosen Zion

A Song of mAscents.

1Remember, O Lord, in David's favor,

all ythe hardships he endured,

2how he swore to the Lord

and zvowed to athe Mighty One of Jacob,

3“I will not enter my house

or get into my bed,

4I will not bgive sleep to my eyes

or slumber to my eyelids,

5until I cfind a place for the Lord,

a dwelling place for athe Mighty One of Jacob.”

6Behold, we heard of it in dEphrathah;

we found it in ethe fields of Jaar.

7“Let us go to his dwelling place;

let us fworship at his gfootstool!”

8hArise, O Lord, and go to your iresting place,

you and the ark of your jmight.

9Let your kpriests be lclothed with righteousness,

and let your msaints shout for joy.

10For the sake of your servant David,

ndo not turn away the face of oyour anointed one.

11pThe Lord swore to David a sure oath

qfrom which he will not turn back:

r“One of the sons of your body1

I will set on your throne.

12If your sons keep my covenant

and my testimonies that I shall teach them,

their sons also forever

shall ssit on your throne.”

13For the Lord has tchosen Zion;

he has udesired it for his dwelling place:

14“This is my vresting place forever;

here I will wdwell, for I have desired it.

15I will abundantly xbless her provisions;

I will ysatisfy her poor with bread.

16Her zpriests I will clothe with salvation,

and her zsaints will shout for joy.

17There I will make aa horn to sprout for David;

I have prepared ba lamp for cmy anointed.

18His enemies I will dclothe with shame,

but on him his crown will shine.”

When Brothers Dwell in Unity

A Song of mAscents. Of David.

1Behold, how good and pleasant it is

when ebrothers dwell in unity!1

2It is like the precious foil on gthe head,

running down on the beard,

on the beard of Aaron,

running down on hthe collar of his robes!

3It is like ithe dew of jHermon,

which falls on kthe mountains of Zion!

For there the Lord lhas commanded the blessing,

life forevermore.

Come, Bless the Lord

A Song of mAscents.

1Come, bless the Lord, all you mservants of the Lord,

who nstand oby night in the house of the Lord!

2pLift up your hands to qthe holy place

and bless the Lord!

3May the Lord rbless you sfrom Zion,

he who tmade heaven and earth!

Copyright © 2024, Alistair Begg. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.

Alistair Begg
Alistair Begg is Senior Pastor at Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio, and the Bible teacher on Truth For Life, which is heard on the radio and online around the world.