The title Song of Ascents is the Hebrew phrase shir hama’aloth. The first word, shir, means hymn or song. The second word, ma’alah, means both a step (or stair) and a going up. Third Going up is often used in the Bible to refer to going up to Jerusalem. (A song of ascents. Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.) The liturgical use of these psalms came into Christianity through its Jewish roots. The form of the Scriptures used in the Early Church, at least so far as the Hebrew Bible was concerned, was primarily the Septuagint. In the Septuagint, these psalms are numbered 119–133. Many early hermits observed the practice of reciting the entire Psalter daily, coenobitic communities would chant the entire Psalter through in a week.
It reads in Psalm 125:1-5 NIV:
“Sixth: A song of ascents”
Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore. The scepter of the wicked will not remain over the land allotted to the righteous, for then the righteous might use their hands to do evil. Lord, do good to those who are good, to those who are upright in heart. But those who turn to crooked ways the Lord will banish with the evildoers. Peace be on Israel.

