Psalm 135 would have been sung after the ascent to Jerusalem. It’s a psalm that encourages true worship in which praise is the inevitable expression of a relationship with the living God and creator of the universe. God’s people would be reminded of the abundant reasons they have for praising and blessing “the name of the Lord,” and that our God is worthy of all praise.
The Songs (or Psalms) of ascent are 15 psalms that pilgrims would sing or recite on their way to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast days. They were reminders of God’s grace and goodness. These songs were and are reminders of what discipleship looks like as we walk in relationship with God in our own lives. We will use these 15 songs to travel us towards our holiday of Christmas because (as all things do in the Bible), they ultimately point to Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith.