Songs of Ascents

Song of Ascents is a title given to fifteen of the Psalms, 120–134 (119–133 in the Septuagint and the Vulgate), that each starts with the ascription (Hebrew: שיר המעלות, Shir Hama'aloth‎). They are also variously called Gradual Psalms, Songs of Degrees, Songs of Steps or Pilgrim Songs.

Psalm 121 (King James Version)
A Song of degrees
1I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
3He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
8The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and
even for evermore.

The Psalms are songs of joy, songs of contrition, songs of supplication. These awesome verses can be the prayers we do not know the words to pray.

I find great comfort in the Psalms. For this reason I wish to know more about these great works.
We read the bible on a daily basis, but do we attend to everything on the page?
I never took the time to look up the meaning of the notations at the beginnings of chapters of scripture. Some of them were rather self evident notations expressing sentiments or conditions of the writer or expected audience such as: Psalm 4 (New King James Version)
To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

But “A song of Degrees”, “A song of Assents”. What do these mean?

Song of Degrees - song of steps, is a title given to each of fifteen of the psalms, numbers 120-134 inclusive. The probable origin of this name is the circumstance that these psalms came to be sung by the people on the ascents or goings up to Jerusalem to attend the three great festivals (Deut. 16:16). They were well fitted for being sung by the way from their peculiar form, and from the sentiments they express. "They are characterized by brevity, by a key-word, by epanaphora [i.e, repetition], and by their epigrammatic style...More than half of them are cheerful, and all of them hopeful." They are sometimes called "Pilgrim Songs." Four of them are claimed in their ascriptions to have been by David, and one (127) by Solomon, the rest being anonymous. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_of_Ascents

This explanation made sense and followed biblical principles.
Deuteronomy 16:16-17 (New International Version)
16 Three times a year all your men must appear before the LORD your God at the place he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles. No man should appear before the LORD empty-handed: 17 Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you.

Some other explanations were found at a Jewish site: http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/655450/jewish/What-is-a-Song-of-Ascents.htm

What is a “Song of Ascents”?
By Naftali Silberberg

Why do certain psalms begin with the words, "A song of ascents"? What sort of ascent is this referring to?
Answer:
Fifteen psalms, chapters 120-134 of the Book of Psalms, begin with the words, "A song of ascents."
Many interpretations have been given for these ambiguous words. Here are a few of them:
a) In the Holy Temple courtyard, there was an ultra wide stairway that consisted of fifteen large, semi-circular steps that "ascended" into the inner section of the courtyard. The Levites, whose job it was to accompany the Temple service with song and instrumental music, would stand on these steps and sing these fifteen psalms.
b) These psalms were sung on a high "ascendant" musical note.
c) These psalms were sung starting in a low tone of voice and steadily ascending to a higher one.
d) These psalms were sung by the Jews who ascended from Babylon to Israel in the times of Ezra the Scribe.
e) These psalms were sung by the Jews when they would "ascend" to visit the Holy Temple three times annually for the festivals.
f) These psalms praise, exult and "elevate" G d.
g) The Talmud gives an aggadaic explanation:
"When King David was digging the Shitin [a stream that ran beneath the Holy Temple, into which the wine libations were poured], the water of the depths arose and threatened to flood the world. David said, 'Is there someone who knows whether it is permitted to write [G d's] name on an earthenware shard and we will throw it into the depths and it will subside?' . . . Ahitophel responded, 'It is permitted.' [David] wrote the name on earthenware and threw it into the depths. The depths receded 16,000 cubits. When he saw that it receded greatly, he said, 'The higher the depths, the moister is the ground [which benefits agriculture].' He said the fifteen [songs of] ascents, and the depths rose 15,000 cubits."
Rabbi Naftali Silberberg,
Chabad.org editorial team

I am a very visual person and each of these explanations expand my joy in reading these great Psalms. I can stand at the base of the Holy Temple steps and hear the Levites sing these Psalms, I can envision hundreds singing as they approached The Holy Temple for worship. I can read the Psalms with new joy.

All of these explanations stir my soul and enhance my appreciation of God’s word.
My God I thank you for a growing appreciation of Your Word. I thank you for resources to help me better understand the importance of Your Word in our daily lives. I thank you for opportunities to share Your Word.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!