The songs of ascent are 15 Psalms found in the fifth and final book of the Psalms (which begins at Psalm 107).  Several of them were written by David (122, 124, 131 and 133) and one was written by Solomon (127).  There are many different theories as to how they were written and used by the ancient Israelites.  The most common way to understand them is as pilgrim psalms: psalms that present our spiritual journey as we move from spiritually far away towards the presence of God.  Many think that these songs were sung by Jewish pilgrims as they travelled geographically “up” towards the physical and spiritual high point of the temple in Jerusalem to worship God.  These pilgrimages would have made three times a year for the festivals of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles (see Exodus 23:14-17).
 
These songs fit our situation well, as we too are pilgrim people.  We are on a journey with God towards the home in the new creation that he has planned and won for us through Christ’s death on the cross.  But we are not there yet.  These songs are God’s gift both personally and corporately to equip us for that journey and to teach us to fix our eyes and hopes on Jesus, the pilgrim who travelled before us and paved the way for us, as we face similar struggles along the way.