In my distress
Psalms 120:1
120:1 In my distress. Psalms 120 through 134 are the “songs of degrees,” fifteen short psalms supposedly sung by pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem to sacrifice and worship in the temple. Five psalms were written by David (Psalms 122, 124, 127, 131, 133); the other ten are anonymous. It could well be that Hezekiah was the author, as the word “degrees” (which appears in each superscript) is the same as the “degrees” on the dial of Ahaz (Isaiah 38:8). As a sign to King Hezekiah that He would add fifteen years to his life, God had supernaturally caused the shadow on the sun dial to go back ten degrees (Isaiah 38:5,7). In commemoration of this gracious miracle, Hezekiah promised to “sing my songs...all the days of our life in the house of the LORD” (Isaiah 38:20). It would be appropriate for him to compose ten songs, one for each degree moved by the shadow, then add five of David’s songs to make fifteen, one for each year added to his life.