INTRODUCTION - Read Psalm 121
"This is the second in the series of Psalms which are titled: "A SONG OF ASCENTS". As a song sung by travellers, this is particularly relevant for our TRUST IN GOD through our journey." David Guzik
In the Ancient world, travelling was difficult and dangerous. The Psalmist that wrote Psalm 121, knew this. He was likely speaking as a pilgrim himself, travelling to Jerusalem. He said:
"I lift up my eyes to the mountains - where does my help come from. My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1&2
He then immediately answers His question. The Psalmist is looking for a "HELPER", and as it is in the 1st Person, it appears that it is "a confession".
In the subsequent verses, 3-8, God shifts from a helper to a "GUIDE and KEEPER". watching over His people. The language shifts to the 2nd Person (YOU), and the Psalmist celebrates GOD'S LOVE AND CARE.
"In the Verses 3-8, the theme is that Yahweh us the guardian of Israel, keeping watch over them (Sharmar)." W. Dennis Tucker Jnr.
TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN THE LORD - Read Psalm 121:1&2
"Some years ago I wanted to teach my son about FAITH. I put him on a table and stood back a couple of feet. He was only a little fellow, about 2 years old. I said to him:
"Willie, jump!"
The little fellow said, "Papa, I'm afraid".
So I said to him: "Willie, I will catch you. Just look at me, and jump."
The little fellow got all ready to jump, looked down at me, a said:
"I'm afraid!"
"Willie, didn't I tell you that I would catch you? Will papa deceive you? Willie, look at me and jump and I will catch you".
The little fellow got all ready a third time to jump, but he looked at the floor, and for the third time said:
"I'm afraid!"
"Didn' I tell you I would catch you?"
"Yes!"
At last I said: "Willie, don't take your eyes off me."
I held the little fellow and said: "Now jump. Don't look into at the floor,"
He leaped into my arms.
Then he said to me: "Let me jump again".
I put him back and the moment he got on the table, HE JUMPED. I heard him cry:
"Papa, I'm coming".
I had just enough time rush and catch him. He seemed to put too much confidence in me. But, YOU CANNOT PUT TOO MUCH CONFIDENCE IN GOD." Dwught L Moody.
For some people the mountains were a sense of fear. "Hills" and "mountains" signified danger to the pilgrims. The Temple in Jerusalem was "precariously placed" among the Judean Hills (Mt Zion), and was "vulnerable" to enemy attacks. The mountains have been interpreted by a number of commentatrors as "a treachourous and dangerous path". In an age when highway robbery was a real danger, the mountains provided plenty of rocks for the thieves to hide behind, before exploding on a "unsuspecting traveller."
Some comentators suggest that this was an "anxious look to the hills" looking for dangers and threats.
Do you have any anxieties that cause you to worry? At the moment for me, it is going into the schoolroom each day, and on Monday I will be going into hospital for a simple operation. It's not that I don't trust the doctors, it is just that I am not too keen on hospitals. It's a good thing I have trust and confidence in my Father God, His Son and the Holy Spirit, who I know are with me always.
"In both Hebrew and Aramaic the action of "lifting eyes" implied looking at something longlingly, with desire, rather than dread." W. Dennis Tucker
The Psalmist looked to the distant hills of Jerusalem as he travelled to fulfill his pilgrimage. The traveller looks towards Jerusalem's Temple - God's presence - as his goal, knowing that "HELP" would come from the God "who made Heaven and earth". The Hebrew word for "help" - "ezer" - does not do the word justice, for the Psalmist is seeking divine protection for himself and his fellow Israelites.
The beautiful poetry in these Verses gives the impression that these hills were a "symbolic source of strength" for the pilgrims coming to Jerusalem. Based on past experience, seeking the Lord's help gave him HOPE, TRUST AND CONFIDENCE in an omnipresent Father.
When you need help from the Lord, all you need to do is to "lift your eyes" to Heaven. I still need to lay my anxieties each day at Jesus' feet, expressing gratitude for the help of His Father. The secret to TRUST AND CONFIDENCE is to look into the Lord's face, just like "Willie" did with Dwight, his "papa". We can believe that God has all things under His control and we can rest in His goodness.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5&6 (NKJV)
"Worry drains our energy and makes us tired. Relax, and untie the knots of anxiety, with the assurance that the Holy Spirit will be there in our moment of need." Charles Swindoll
We look up and are comforted by GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY. We look up and are reminded of GOD'S PROMISES. PRAY, and leave your worries with God. Trust HIS PROVISION! Walking with God is the most exciting and rewarding experience. God takes us through struggles and difficulties, so we can grow more like Jesus and committed to Him.
"Quiet TRUST promotes COURAGE! You can walk with God in PERFECTX TRUST!"
Charles Swindoll
"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart TRUSTS IN HIM and I AM HELPED. Therefore, my heart greatly rejoices and with my song I will praise Him." Psalm 28:7 (NKJV)
GOD'S WATCHFUL LOVE AND CARE - Read Psalm 121:3&4
"Those who TRUST GOD know where to turn in times of trouble. With God to GUARD THEM they may come to no harm." Pat & David Alexander
The Psalmist refers to God's WATCHFUL LOVE AND CARE for all God's people. God's love is "higher than a mountain" and we can thank the Lord that His love is "HIGH, DEEP and LONG". It surrounds us in our time of distress and anxiety.
"Yet in all these things we are more than conquerers through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels or principalities or powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created things, shall be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:37-39 (NKJV)
The "watchful eye" of the LORD is not passive. He "guards and protects" us. The Psalmist intended that God be known as the GUARDIAN ANGEL OF ISRAEL. As our guardian the Lord remains on watch to protect His people. He neither "slumbers nor sleeps."
In ancient Near Eastern traditions, the gods were often depicted as sleeping. This was not true with our Father God - "the greater deity". The Psalmist proclaims that God "will not let your foot slip". As the Lord is "watching over you", He helps you by establishing them in a firm place, allowing their feet "not to be moved."
"He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber and sleep" Psalm 121:3&4 (NKJV)
"Put on the whole armour of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.......Therefore take up the whole armour of God that you may be able to witjstand the evil day, an having done all, TO STAND." Ephesians 6:11-13 (NKJV)
This is 1st of 6 times in this short Psalm that the Hebrew word "shamar" ("keeping/watching over") is used.
THELORD IS OUR PROTECTOR AND SHADE: Read Psalm 121: 5&6
It is the Lord wo is our "SHADE AND RIGHT HAND". In these next verses, God is seen as our "FRIEND" , who not only watches over us but stands next to us as "our shade", both in the day and night, protecting us from the "hot sun" and the "harmful moon's rays". The Babylonian "moon god" was said to have caued many illnesses.
"The Lord Himself watches over you. The Lord stands beside you as a protective shade. The sun shall not harm you by day nor the moon at night." Psalm 121:5&6 (NLT)
"I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved." Psalm 16:8 (NLKV)
Adding to this claim that God stands by you as a "protective shade", the Psalmist also finds relief from the "heat of the sun" and the "moon at night". The brutal rays of the sun in the Midddle East could assault the traveller, such as the pilgrim on the way to one of Israel's feasts in Jerusalem. God promised care for the travellers, with a reference to the cloud that followed the Israelites, going back to the wilderness where they left Egypt. Mentioning the threats of both day and night, as they travelled, they knew they could have God's protection through their whole life.
"What the Psalmist really means though, in figurative language is that nothing, either of the day and night can harm us, if God is keeping guard. God is our covering against every calamity. He is our shade against the visible perils of the day as well as the hidden perils of the night."
James Boice - cited by David Guzik.
THE LORD PROTECTS YOUR LIFE - Read Psalm 121:7&8
"The Lord will keep you from harm - HE WIL WATCH OVER YOUR LIFE. He will WATCH OVER YOUR COMING AND GOING, both now and forever more." Psalm 121:7&8 (NIV)
This promise is "COMPREHENSIVE"! God's people may trust in His OMNIPOTENCE, His provision for all our activity (our "coming and going"), and at all times ("forevermore"). For faithful travellers on the way to Jerusalem, these words brought COMFORT. He is an ONIPRESENT GOD, travelling with us wherever we go, and watching over us. We can sleep on our journey because He never does.
This repetitive phrase: "THE LORD WATCHES" is particularly needed for these travelling pilgrims. We can have CONFIDENCE and FAITH that the LORD WILL TAKE CARE OF US through every part of our life.
"You can weather the storm, walk through the valley and hold on during our midnight hour. A new horizon awaits you and first step on this new path of your life journey starts right now."
Benjamin Windle
CONCLUSION - Read Psalm 121
"Lifting up our eyes to the hills", their is potential for "our feet to slip", the mention of the "sun and moon" and finally the image of "coming and going", are reminders that a travellers journey is fraught with peril - whether it is getting lost along the way, beaten down by natural forces or simply "harm from evil".
The journey to worship with God is also full of promises:
* God is our HELPER, GUARDIAM AND KEEPER (CARER).
* We can have CONFIDENCE AND TRUST in or Father God.
* God JOURNEYS WITH US and STANDS BY US.
We are assured by the Psalmist that if we PRAY THIS PSALM we can have faith in our circumstances - "though challenging and risky" our Fathe God will be by our side. We will NEVER WALK ALONE!
"I Lift My Eyes", (2007), Brian Doerkson (Composer and Performer), Integrity Hosanna, You Tube
"I Lift My Eyes", (2020), Keith & Kristyn Getty, Jordan Kauffin, Matt Maher (Composers & Performers), Getty Music, You Tube
"The Holy Bible - New International Version", 2011, Biblica
"The Holy Bible - New King James Version", 1982, Thomas Nelson
"The Holy Bible - New Living Translation", 2015, Tyndale House Publishers
ALEXANDER, Pat & David, "The Lion Handbook to the Bible.", 2009, Lion Hudson Publishers
SWINDOLL, Charles, "Perfect Trust", (2000), Thomas Nelson
GRECO, Johm, "The Songs of Ascent - A Devotional Adventure in the Book of Psalms", 2023, You Version
GUZIK, David, "Psalm 121 - The God Who Keeps and Helps" , 2020, www.enduringword.com, YouTube
MOODY, L Dwight, "The Works of Dwight L Moody."2012, www.golgothspress.com
TUCKER, W Dennis Jnr, GRANT, James A, "The NIV Application Commentary - Psalms: Volume 2", 2018, ZondervanAcademic.com
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