Psalm 120

Woe is me, that I dwell in Meshech,
That I dwell among the tents of Kedar! v.5

Read chapter 120
The Psalms of Ascents  begins here and goes through chapter 135.  These psalms are said to be written by a pilgrim in his pilgrimage back to the holy land.  Later these psalms, or songs, would be sung on the pilgrimage to the three great feasts held in Jerusalem as a reminder.  The Hebrew word for ascent is ma'aloth and means to go up.  The ascents are like a staircase, taking another step higher to the place one desires to be.
In this first psalm of ascent we see the psalmist is a long way from home.  He uses the classic "woe is me" to share the distress he was in.  Before he could take the first step he had to recognize and realize his current state.  He had to describe the hardship of taking the low road, being an alien in his current living situation, as he desired to take the high road.  Beth Moore said, "We must be honest about where we are before we can journey effectively to where we want to be."
What is the next level with God you want or need to take?  Do you feel like you're in a foreign place and long for "home"? If so, why?