Psalm 119: 176 Steps to Heaven

I have chosen to focus on this psalm [119] because it formed the important center of Celtic praise. In Ireland it was once referred to as The Biait. The word comes from Psalm 119: 1, which begins Beati immaculati in via, `Blessed are the undefiled in the way." 

Celts believed that the psalm was connected with the captivity of the Jews in Babylon. They believed that on their return from Babylon to Jerusalem these Jews recited the Psalm, moving 176 paces every day, which just happens to be the number of verses in the psalm. Sean O’ Duinn says that the daily recitation of the 176 verses of Psalm 119 over the year long journey of 365 days symbolized for Celts the journey from hell to heaven. Babylon for them was a symbol of hell, and Jerusalem the symbol of heaven.