Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say:
This opening line belongs to the Psalms of Ascent sung by pilgrims as they drew near to Jerusalem and its temple, songs that stirred spiritual truths in the hearts of the worshipers. It is one of the Psalms of Degrees chanted upon the fifteen steps leading up to the inner court of the temple. It stands in the group connected with the return of the Jews from Babylonian captivity, expressing the mingled joy, sorrow, and anxiety of the returning exiles.
This opening line belongs to the Psalms of Ascent sung by pilgrims as they drew near to Jerusalem and its temple, songs that stirred spiritual truths in the hearts of the worshipers. It is one of the Psalms of Degrees chanted upon the fifteen steps leading up to the inner court of the temple. It stands in the group connected with the return of the Jews from Babylonian captivity, expressing the mingled joy, sorrow, and anxiety of the returning exiles.