The Lord Our Protector

VERSE OF THE DAY.

Psalm 121:7-8 (New Living Translation).

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The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.

The Lord protects you from all evil and harm watching over your life he protects you at all cost as you come and go both in the present and time of future ahead to come.

Psalm 121.

Psalm 121 – The God Who Keeps and Helps.

This is the second of the series of psalms which are titled A Song of Ascents. As a song sung by travelers, this is particularly relevant for the trust placed in God through the journey.

“David Livingstone, the famous missionary and explorer of the continent of Africa, read Psalm 121 and Psalm 135, which praises God for his sovereign rule over all things, as he worshiped with his father and sister before setting out for Africa in 1840. His mother-in-law, Mrs. Moffat, wrote him at Linyardi that Psalm 121 was always in her mind as she thought about and prayed for him.” (James Montgomery Boice).

A. Help from the LORD, the Creator of all and helper of Israel.

1. (1-2) Help from Yahweh.

I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.

a. I will lift up my eyes to the hills: The singer of this psalm looked to the hills, likely the distant hills of Jerusalem as he travelled toward the city to fulfill his pilgrimage.

i. “The singer is still far from the appointed place of worship, lifting his eyes toward the distant mountains. He is not far from Jehovah, however. In Jehovah’s keeping, even though far from the center of external worship, the pilgrim realizes his safety.” (Morgan).

ii. The point is wonderful. The singer understood that the group didn’t need to arrive at Jerusalem before they came under God’s protective care. He would watch over them on the journey. God is just as present in the journey as in the destination.

iii. There are two other suggestions of what was intended by this looking up to the hills, though they are less likely.

· Some suggest this was a consideration of the high places where idolaters set their altars (Numbers 22:41, Deuteronomy 33:29, 1 Kings 12:31).

· Some suggest this was an anxious look to the hills, looking for danger and threats from often-present robbers and gangs.

b. My help comes from the LORD: The traveller looked to Jerusalem as his goal, yet his trust was not in that city itself. Help would come from the God who made heaven and earth. The Creator would be his helper.

i. “The sole source of ‘help’ comes from Yahweh, who, as Creator, has unlimited power.” (VanGemeren).

ii. “What he is telling us is that his gaze did not stop when he looked upward to the hills but that he looked beyond them to God, who made the mountains.” (Boice).

iii. “The City of God, and the Temple, are to be desired and delighted in; the mountains upon which they rest are to be remembered. But not from them does help come to distressed souls; it comes from Jehovah.” (Morgan).

2. (3-4) The help God brings.

He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

a. He will not allow your foot to be moved: God would help His people by establishing them in a firm place, allowing them to stand and not allowing their foot to be moved.

i. “The foundation, God’s infinite power and goodness, on which thou standest, cannot be moved; and whilst thou standest on this basis, thy foot cannot be moved.” (Clarke).

ii. “Our feet shall move in progress, but they shall not be moved to their overthrow.” (Spurgeon).

iii. For the Christian, this reminds us of the principles found in Ephesians 6:11 and 13 – that the believer is to find a place to stand, and this can only be done by looking to the Lord and trusting the One who will not allow your foot to be moved.

iv. The standing of the believer in Jesus is impressive.

· We stand in grace (Romans 5:2).

· We stand in the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1).

· We stand in courage and strength (1 Corinthians 16:13).

· We stand in faith (2 Corinthians 1:24).

· We stand in Christian liberty (Galatians 5:1).

· We stand in Christian unity (Philippians 1:27).

· We stand in the Lord (Philippians 4:1).

· The goal: We will stand perfect and complete in the will of God (Colossians 4:12).

b. He who keeps you: This is the first of six times in this short psalm that the Hebrew word shamar (translated keeps and preserve) is used. The theme is that God will watch over His people as a watchman watches over the city or the party of travelers.

i. “This psalmist is so absorbed in the thought of his Keeper that he barely names his dangers. With happy assurance of protection, he says over and over again the one word which is his amulet against foes and fears. Six times in these few verses does the thought recur that Jehovah is the Keeper of Israel or of the single soul.” (Maclaren).

ii. “The Divine Being represents himself as a watchman, who takes care of the city and its inhabitants during the night-watches; and who is never overtaken with slumbering or sleepiness.” (Clarke).

c. He who keeps you will not slumber: When we look to the LORD, we have confidence in the fact that God does not sleep. The idea is repeated in Psalm 121:4 for emphasis. God’s watchful eye is always open, looking with love and care upon His people.

i. In his confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, Elijah mocked the idol prophets when Baal did not respond, saying of Baal perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened (1 Kings 18:27). We have the great comfort in knowing that He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

ii. This promise was especially meaningful for the pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. “Their daily march and their nightly encampment will then be placed under the care of Jehovah, who will hold up their feet unwearied on the road and watch unslumbering over their repose.” (Maclaren).

iii. “A poor woman, as the Eastern story has it, came to the Sultan one day, and asked compensation for the loss of some property. ‘How did you lose it?’ said the monarch. ‘I fell asleep,’ was the reply, ‘and a robber entered my dwelling.’ ‘Why did you fall asleep?’…. ‘I fell asleep because I believed that you were awake.’ The Sultan was so much delighted with the answer of the woman, that he ordered her loss to be made up.” (McMichael, cited in Spurgeon).

B. The care of the LORD for His people.

1. (5-6) The LORD brings relief from the sun.

The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night.

a. The LORD is your shade at your right hand: The brutal rays of the sun in the world of the Middle East could assault the traveler, such as the pilgrim on the way to one of Israel’s feasts in Jerusalem. God promised care for the traveler, with a reference that goes back to the cloud by day that followed Israel in the wilderness from Egypt and shielded them from the sun.

i. Similar promises are made in other verses such as Isaiah 4:6 and 25:4. Psalm 91:1 is especially precious, with shade being the same word as “shadow”: He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

ii. Your shade: “…both to refresh thee and keep thee from the burning heat of the sun, as it is expressed in the next verse, and to protect thee by his power from all thine enemies; for which reason God is oft called a shadow in Scripture.” (Poole).

b. Nor the moon by night: Any superstitious fears they may have had from the light of the moon were of no concern to those whom God protected. He would keep and preserve His people day and night.

i. “What the psalmist really means, though in figurative language, is that nothing either of the day or 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.” (Boice).

ii. “God has not made a new sun or a fresh moon for his chosen, they exist under the same outward circumstances as others, but the power to smite is in their case removed from temporal agencies; saints are enriched, and not injured, by the powers which govern the earth’s condition.” (Spurgeon).

iii. “But let the pope be the sun and the emperor the moon (as the canonists called them), yet the sun shall not smite the Church by day nor the moon by night. Luther was at the same time excommunicated by the pope and proscribed by the emperor; yet died he in his bed.” (Trapp).

2. (7-8) God preserves His people.

The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.

a. The LORD shall preserve you from all evil: The singer had great confidence in God’s protecting power. Evil men may come and afflict the child of God, but the LORD shall preserve your soul.

i. “‘All evil’ will be averted from him who has Jehovah for his keeper; therefore, if any so called Evil comes, he may be sure that it is Good with a veil on.” (Maclaren).

ii. “In the light of other scriptures, to be kept from all evil does not imply a cushioned life, but a well-armed one.” (Kidner).

iii. He shall preserve your soul: “Our soul is kept from the dominion of sin, the infection of error, the crush of despondency, the puffing up of pride; kept from the world, the flesh and the devil; kept for holier and greater things; kept in the love of God; kept unto the eternal kingdom and glory.” (Spurgeon).

iv. The LORD shall preserve…He shall preserve…. The LORD shall preserve: “Three times have we the phrase, ‘Jehovah shall keep,’ as if the sacred Trinity thus sealed the word to make it sure: ought not all our fears to be slain by such a threefold flight of arrows? What anxiety can survive this triple promise?” (Spurgeon).

b. The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in: The promise is comprehensive. God’s people may trust in His preserving power for all of one’s activity (going out and coming in) and at all times (from this time forth, and even forevermore).

i. “When we go out in youth to begin life, and come in at the end to die, we shall experience the same keeping. Our exits and our entrances are under one protection.” (Spurgeon).

ii. “Your going out and your coming in is not only a way of saying ‘everything’…in closer detail it draws attention to one’s ventures and enterprises (cf. Ps. 126:6), and to the home which remains one’s base; again, to pilgrimage and return.” (Kidner).

iii. “He has not led me so tenderly thus far to forsake me at the very gate of heaven.” (Adoniram Judson, cited in Spurgeon).

Categories: Old Testament Psalms.

Enduring Word.

HOW TO USE PSALM 121 TO PRAY FOR YOUR FAMILY.

september 25, 2020.

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Psalm 121 is a powerful Psalm that you can use to pray for your family each day. We as Proverbs 31 women are called to pray for our families on a regular basis. Whether your children are still small, or you have children who have flown the nest, we as women of God will never cease to pray for our loved ones!

Here are 3 ways you can use Psalm 121 to pray for your family.

How to Pray Psalm 121 Over your Family.

Psalm 121 is one of my favorite psalms, because it focuses on the power and omnipresence of our wonderful God. God is all-powerful, and is in all places at the same time (omnipresent). So even when we are not physically with those we love most, we can trust that God is with them and is watching over them.

Let’s take a closer look at this powerful Psalm:.

Psalm 121.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—.

Praying Psalm 121.

where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord,.

the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—.

he who watches over you will not slumber;.

indeed, he who watches over Israel.

will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you—.

the Lord is your shade at your right hand;.

the sun will not harm you by day,.

nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm—.

he will watch over your life;.

the Lord will watch over your coming and going.

both now and forevermore.

This is a beautiful psalm on how the Lord lovingly watches over us. It is so comforting to know that no matter what struggles and difficulties we may come across, the Lord will watch over us and be our shade at our right hand.

Praise the Lord!

Here are ways we can apply this psalm as we pray for your families:.

1. Use Psalm 121 to pray for help from the Lord.

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.

Use Psalm 121 to pray for God’s help as you pray for your family. Oftentimes, we may feel helpless when we watch our beloved family members make decisions that are contrary to God’s Word. We are not able to control the actions of our family members, but we CAN pray for the Lord to help them. When we seek the Lord for help and strength for our families, he will be attentive to our prayers (Psalm 6:9).

Prayer: Lord I thank you that my help comes from you. You are the Maker of heaven and earth, and you are the designer of my family. Please help my family honor and glorify you in everything we do. Help us to live lives that are pleasing to you each day.

2. Use Psalm 121 to pray for your family in the evening.

He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

Isn’t it comforting to know that God never sleeps? How many nights have you been up at night worrying about a child or other family member? We can sleep peacefully knowing that God NEVER sleeps, and is watching over our loved ones while we sleep. We don’t have to be gripped with fear or worry–God can handle it!

Use Psalm 121 to pray for your family before you go to bed, then trust that God will be with them–and you can have a good night’s sleep knowing that our great God cares for us!

Prayer: Lord thank you that you will never let my foot slip. You watch over me and my family, and you will not slumber. Thank you Lord, that you will not slumber or sleep! Help me to remember that you will watch over my family even while I sleep. Amen.

3. Use Psalm 121 to pray for your family as a prayer of protection.

The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

We can also pray this powerful psalm as a prayer of protection. During these times of great difficulty in our world, we can take great comfort and strength in the fact that God watches over our coming and going. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight (Hebrews 4:13). Nothing takes God by surprise, or slips through his watchful eye. He knows everything, and he certainly knows that the devil prowls around like a lion looking to steal, kill and destroy God’s people (1 Peter 5:8, John 10:10).

God knows our family needs protection from the enemy’s snares, and his Word says that he will watch over lives. Does this mean that our loved ones will never experience a trip to the emergency room? No.

But we DO know that God will NEVER abandon his people, and that nothing in all of creation can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:39).

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-19.

This is the promise we can cling to, and stand upon each day as we pray for our families.

Praise be to God!

Prayer: Lord thank you so much that you promise to keep me from harm. I ask that you will surround my family with your shield of favor and protection, and watch over them each day. Thank you that you watch over our going out and our coming in. I trust you to lead and guide my family today. Amen.

Related: You can also read this post on how to pray Psalm 91 as a prayer of protection over your family!

4 Powerful Truths from Praying Psalm 121 for your Family.

Here are four important truths we can take away from this powerful psalm.

1. God will help us.

Never doubt this powerful truth, remember that God will help us! God is our refuge and strength, and an ever-present help in trouble. He loves us and will come to our aid when we see his face and call on his name for help. This means that we can also pray that God will help our family members.

2. God never sleeps on the job!

What a comfort and blessing it is to know that God never sleeps! He never gets tired, and he never needs someone to take over his night shift! When we feel depleted of strength and need to rest our eyes, we can trust that God will never leave our side. He watches over in our families as we sleep so we can gather the strength we need to conquer the next day.

___.

Psalm 121 is a powerful reminder that God will never leave our side!

3. God will protect us.

God is our Mighty Fortress, and will protect us from the snares of the evil one. We as parents love our children so much that we will do anything to protect and keep them safe. How much more will God protect us and watch over us, his beloved children!

4. God Deeply cares for us.

Psalm 121 is also a great reminder of how much God cares for us. God promises in this psalm to help us, and to not let our feet slip. Cares so much about us that he never fails to watch over us. He loved us so much that he paid the ultimate sacrifice by sending Jesus to die on the cross for our sins so that we can have eternal security with him forever!

Free Psalm 121 Printable.

Feel free to download a FREE printable of Psalm 121 by clicking on the link below!

Download the Psalm 121 Printable HERE.

In Conclusion.

As you pray for your family each day, pray the powerful words of Psalm 121, and trust that the Lord will watch over your loved ones!

The Lord will keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

— Psalm 121:7-8.

Thoughts on Today’s Verse…

Our lives are not lived out on our own, alone. The Lord is with us personally. He holds our future and our safety in his hands. Our deliverance is assured, either deliverance from death which means service to him, or deliverance to him through death which means freedom from the constraints of mortality and the battle with sin. The Lord will keep us from all harm!

My Prayer…

Mighty Protector, Rock of my salvation, thank you that I cannot go where you are not. Thank you that my future is secure with you. Make this assurance the convicting power in my life to turn over my future and my life to you. By the power of Jesus I believe this, and in his name I ask it. Amen.

“Trusting in God’s Providential Care” (Psalm 121).

“My help comes from the LORD.” (Psalm 121:2).

INTRODUCTION: Our message series is called “Stepping Stones to God’s Heart,” and between New Years and Easter we are looking at the fifteen psalms (120-134) known as the Psalms of Ascent. We learned last week that these psalms were sung by those traveling to Jerusalem for the three great feasts. And so these are travel songs, songs for the road, songs for the journey of life. They are called Psalms of Ascent not only because the people were going up to Jerusalem, but because the psalms themselves lead us upwards to God in our own personal walk with the Lord. And it is in this sense that they are stepping stones to God’s heart for our journey and for our life. (Read Psalm 121:1-8 and pray.).

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We all need help at times in life. The Beatles used to sing: “I get by with a little help from my friends.” The commercial for the Lifeline product carries the tagline: “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” Where do you go when you need help? Do you call on family? Friends? Dial 911?

It’s good to have a support system in place, but we need to look further than that. Because history and experience teach us that no safety plan, no insurance policy, no security system can keep you absolutely safe in this life. You can follow all the safety rules, take every precaution, exercise and eat well, and things can still go wrong.

And that’s why we need to look to God for our help. It was Ben Franklin who said, “God helps those who help themselves,” but the Scriptures teach us that God helps those who seek his help. None of us are safe until we take refuge in God. (Samuel Cox).

Psalm 121 is a psalm about trusting in God’s providential care. It is a travel Psalm. In fact many families read this Psalm out loud together before going on a trip. Devout Jews recite portions of this Psalm when they leave or enter their homes. They attach a small cylinder called a Mezuzah with some Scriptures in it (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 11:13-21) to their right door frame. And whenever they leave or enter their home they touch the Mezuzah and recite Psalm 121 verses 5 and 8.

Do you need help this morning? Then this psalm is for you. This is a good one to memorize and have handy for the journey of life. Psalm 121 teaches us three big truths about God’s help and care for you. 1) The Creator is your helper. 2) The God of Israel is your protector. And then finally, 3) the LORD will keep you from all harm. Let’s look at all three of these as we learn to put our trust in God’s providence and care for our lives.

I. The Creator is your helper (1-2).

First of all, the Creator is your helper. Look at verses 1-2: “I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2) These are beautiful verses of Scripture that have brought much comfort to God’s people over the years. I know many of you have quoted these verses in times of need. And they tell us several things about God and the help that he provides.

A. Look beyond the mountains to the God who created them  – Psalm 46:1, 90:2.

First of all, they encourage us to look beyond the mountains to the God who created them. The hills in verse one are part of the argument here. Mountains are symbols of strength and stability. They are great in size, long-lasting and unchanging. The creation reflects the Creator. And so the God who made the mountains is even greater in power and strength.

The hills are also upward in direction. We tend to look down when we’re in trouble. Right? Our faces are downcast. Our focus is on our troubles and all our problems down here, and they just tend to drag us down further. But don’t look down. That’s the wrong direction! The hills are a reminder that we are to look up. You must lift your eyes to look at a mountain. But don’t stop there. Are you looking high enough? You must look beyond the mountains to the God who created them because God is higher than all.

Remember these psalms were sung by travelers on their way to Jerusalem, and it is possible they may have sung this Psalm as they were nearing the hills that surrounded Jerusalem. In that case they were not only looking up at the mountains, but they would also have been looking up towards Jerusalem and the temple, the dwelling place of God.

Psalm 46:1 tells us: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1) We read in Psalm 90:2: “Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” (Psalm 90:2) God is bigger than the mountains and God is before the mountains. We don’t look to the mountains for our strength, but the mountains get our eyes off of our problems and lift our eyes up towards God who can help us in our time of need.

So don’t just look to the hills but look to the one who made the hills. Look past the creation to the creator. As Pastor Josh Moody writes: “Nature is not the solution … it points to the solution.” Look beyond the mountains to the God who created them.

B. Your help comes from the Maker of heaven and earth  – Genesis 1:1; Jeremiah 10:12.

In verse one the psalmist asks “Where does my help come from?” And in verse two we get the answer: “My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:2) Where does your help come from? Your help comes from the Maker of heaven and earth. God not only made the mountains. He made everything!

This description of God as the Maker of heaven and earth appears three times in the Psalms of Ascent: here near the beginning (Psalm 121:2), once in the middle (Psalm 124:8) and then again at the end (Psalm 134:4). Here in Psalm 121 and in 124 it designates the source of your help, and in Psalm 134 it designates the source of your blessing.

We read in Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) Jeremiah 10:12 says: “God made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.” (Jeremiah 10:12) In other words the Maker of heaven and the earth has unlimited power, wisdom and understanding. He has all the resources and more to meet your every need. He’s got the whole world in his hands. And he is your helper.

God is not only the Creator, but he is involved in his creation. The Scriptures teach us that God is involved in every aspect of his creation and that includes you. We call God’s power over all creation his providence. The Westminster Confession of Faith gives us a beautiful description of God’s providence: “God, the great Creator of all things, doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by his most wise and holy providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will, to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.” (Westminster Confession, V, 1).

What a difference it makes to know that the Creator of the universe is your helper and your friend! How big is your problem today? Now compare it to the Maker of heaven and earth. I think it’s safe to say, “God’s got this.” Gerald Williamson writes: “Because God controls the universe, chance is ruled out, and because it is God who controls the universe, fate is ruled out also.” We live in a world neither of chance nor fate. This is God’s world, and God’s providence means that nothing can happen to you outside of God’s will and providential care.

A husband was leaving on a trip and prayed with his wife before he left: “Dear Lord, please protect my wife and children while I’m gone.” When he finished praying his wife said, “Who do you think protects us when you’re here?” Good question!

What is the source of your help? Psalm 121 tells us it is the Maker of heaven and earth. That’s the first truth we learn from this psalm. The Creator is your helper.

II. The God of Israel is your protector (3-6).

The second truth is this: the God of Israel is your protector. Look at verses 3-6: “He will not let your foot slip – he who watches over you will not slumber; 4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The LORD watches over you – the LORD is your shade at your right hand; 6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.” (Psalm 121:3-6) These verses teach us that God is not only the creator of the world but the protector of Israel. And he is your protector as well!

It’s important to note the name for God that is used not only in this psalm but in all fifteen of the Psalms of Ascent. He is “the LORD.” And when you see “LORD” spelled out in all capital letters like that, the Hebrew word is “Yahweh,” which is God’s covenant name. It is a name that speaks of God’s covenant relationship with his people and his faithfulness to them.

The name Yahweh in the Old Testament pointed to God’s covenant relationship with Israel. As believers in Christ you are also in relationship with the LORD. You are part of God’s covenant people, and you can trust God’s faithfulness to you in Christ. When you read the Old Testament and see how God watched out for Israel and took care of them, you can rest assured that he will do the same for you.

The key word in these next verses is the word “watches.” It comes from the Hebrew word “shamar” which means “to watch over, to guard or to protect.” This word shows up six times in verses 3-8. (In the NIV it is translated as “watches over” five times and then also translated as “keep” in verse 7.) If you are in Christ, then he who watches over Israel watches over your life as well. The God of Israel is your protector. He is your body guard. And here in verses 3-6 the psalmist tells us some of the various ways that God watches over you.

A. He protects you from accidents  – Psalm 37:23-24.

First of all he protects you from accidents, or as verse 3 puts it: “He will not let your foot slip.” (Psalm 121:3) When you build your life on God and his word, you are on solid ground. You have a firm foundation for your feet and for your life. We read in Psalm 37: “The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.” (Psalm 37:23-24) There are no accidents for those who put their faith in Christ. Everything that happens in your life takes place under God’s providential care.

B. He never slumbers nor sleeps  – contrast 1 Kings 18:27.

Secondly, God never slumbers nor sleeps. Look at verses 3-4: “He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psalm 121:3-4).

This is in contrast to the pagan gods we meet in Scripture. For example in 1 Kings 18 we read about the prophets of Baal trying to reach their god. When Baal didn’t respond, Elijah teased them: “Shout louder! Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” (1 Kings 18:27) The implication here is if your god is sleeping when you need him, then you don’t have much of a god, do you?

But our God is always awake. He never falls asleep on the watch. I was a night watchman back in my seminary days, and there were times when I fell asleep on my watch, but not God. He never dozes or nods off. He never even gets distracted. You can pray to him at any time and he always focuses on you and hears you.

And because God never slumbers nor sleeps – that means that you can! Because God is awake, you can sleep. It’s like a child who can’t sleep until their parent promises to stay by their bedside. Then the child trustfully falls asleep knowing their parent is there to watch over them. It’s the same way with God. It doesn’t matter what problem you’re dealing with, you can leave it in God’s hands and go to sleep at night knowing that God never slumbers nor sleeps and he will take care of it. He will take care of you.

C. He is close beside you  – Genesis 28:15; Psalm 16:8.

God protects you from accidents. God never slumbers nor sleeps. And then thirdly, he is close beside you. Look at verse 5: “The LORD watches over you – the LORD is your shade at your right hand.” (Psalm 121:5).

The hills may be far away in the distance, but God is the shade at your right hand. He is close beside you. David wrote in Psalm 16:8: “I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” (Psalm 16:8) God told Jacob in Genesis 28:15: “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.” (Genesis 28:15).

The Lord is your shade at your right hand. That means God accompanies you every step of the way. He is close beside you.

D. He protects you at all times  – Psalm 91:5-6.

God protects you from accidents. He never slumbers nor sleeps. He is close beside you. And then fourthly, he protects you at all times. Look at verse 6: “The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.” (Psalm 121:6).

The travelers to Jerusalem faced many dangers along the way. Sunstroke was a real danger during the day, and there were often extreme changes of temperature between day and night. The moon was associated with lunacy, also called “moonstroke.” And of course there was also the danger of bandits and wild animals at night. There were dangers both day and night on the road, but verse six assured the traveler: “The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.” We read something similar in Psalm 91: “You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.” (Psalm 91:5-6).

The Hebrew language often uses pairs of opposite words to signify totality (called a “merism”). In other words the phrase using the opposites includes both extremes and everything in between. So when we read that the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night, what this is really saying is that God protects you at all times – both day and night and everything in between. God is present to help you with every problem in your life. The God of Israel is your protector.

III. The LORD will keep you from all harm (7-8).

The Creator is your helper. The God of Israel is your protector. And then finally, the LORD will keep you from all harm. Look at verses 7-8: “The LORD will keep you from all harm – he will watch over your life; 8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” (Psalm 121:7-8).

Verses 1-6 were all in the present tense, describing what God does for you. Now in verses 7-8 we are given promises for the future, telling us what God will do for you. And in these verses the psalm moves from giving specific examples to one overriding general principle. The LORD will keep you from all harm. And there are several things we learn from these verses.

A. He watches over every aspect of your life  – Matthew 6:13; Luke 21:16-19; Romans 8:28,31,37-39.

First of all, God watches over every aspect of your life. That’s what verse 7 says: “The LORD will keep you from all harm – he will watch over your life.” (Psalm 121:7) The word “harm” here is a word that can mean “harm or evil.” Jesus taught us to pray something similar in the Lord’s Prayer where we ask our heavenly Father: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (Matthew 6:13).

One of the daily prayers I pray for my family is: “Lord, I pray that you will protect my family today from all evil, danger, sickness and harm.” Now that’s not the only thing I pray for them. I also pray for their spiritual growth, that God would grant them victory in their fight against sin, that they would know and follow God’s will for their lives. But this prayer for protection is one of the big ones I pray for them each day. And why do I pray this way? I am praying according to Christ’s model in the Lord’s Prayer and God’s promise here in Psalm 121.

God watches over every aspect of your life. God doesn’t say you will never have problems, but he promises to be with you in your problems, and to turn all your problems to good. We have a whole string of beautiful promises in Romans 8 that assure us God is directly involved in your life and that he is for you, not against you.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39).

Once again these verses do not teach us that you will never have problems or trouble in your life, but rather that evil will never win out, that nothing can thwart God’s purpose for your life, that nothing can separate you from God’s love for you in Christ.

We find a startling example of this in the gospel of Luke where Jesus tells his disciples: “You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 All men will hate you because of me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By standing firm you will gain life.” (Luke 21:16-19) In other words even in betrayal or death the believer still comes out on top.

God is for you, and therefore no evil, no permanent harm can befall the believer in Christ. You can trust God’s providential care, because God watches over every aspect of your life.

B. He watches over every transition in your life  – Deuteronomy 28:6; Psalm 139:2-3.

And then secondly in these verses, God watches over every transition in your life. Look at verse 8: “The LORD will watch over your coming and going.” (Psalm 121:8) This is one of the verses that devout Jews recite when they leave or enter their homes. “The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” (Psalm 121:8).

It’s usually the transitions in life that trip us up, isn’t it? Once we are safe in our routines things usually go pretty smoothly, but it’s the in-between times – the commute, the move, the change of jobs, the change of health, the change of relationships – it’s in the in-between times that we usually struggle.

Deuteronomy 28:6 says if you obey the Lord your God: “You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.” (Deuteronomy 28:6) David prayed to the Lord in Psalm 139: “You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.” (Psalm 139:2-3).

This is another example of the Hebrew language using a pair of opposites to express totality: your comings and goings and everything in between. So it’s not just the transitions in life, God watches over all the in-betweens as well. Whether at home or school or work or away, whatever you do, wherever you go, you are safe because God is with you.

C. He watches over you both now and forevermore   – Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:8.

And then we have the wonderful promise at the end of verse 8: “The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” (Psalm 121:8) God is watching over you now, and he will continue to watch over you forever. Both of those promises are encouraging! If you had to choose one or the other, which would you choose? Now? Or forevermore? It’s a tough choice. But praise God you don’t have to choose. They are both true for the believer in Christ!

Jesus said in Matthew 28:20: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) Hebrews 13:8 says that: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) And so God’s promise to watch over you in Christ is true today; it is true tomorrow; it is true forevermore.

The Creator is your helper. The God of Israel is your protector. The LORD will keep you from all harm. And so we move from God as Creator of heaven and earth, to God as protector of Israel, to God as your personal Lord and Savior who projects you from all evil and harm.

CONCLUSION: We are on a journey to God, and Psalm 121 is a wonderful song for the journey. The Maker of heaven and earth watches over every aspect of your life. He protects you from all harm. There are no accidents for those who belong to God.

And that means you do not need to worry or to be afraid of anything. Nothing can happen to you without God’s knowledge. Nothing can harm you under his protective care. Even the worst things that happen to you – whether illness, loss or even death – all these things take place under God’s providential care. God is for you, not against you. He is committed to your good, and you can trust him in all things.

So take comfort in this. Learn to trust God in all things and to look for the good in all the details of life. God cares for you. He will provide for you. He is there to help you. “I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2).

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Please include the following statement on any distributed copies: By Ray Fowler. © Ray Fowler. Website: http://www. rayfowler. org.

What does Psalm 121:7 mean?

This verse acknowledges the Lord’s marvelous care of His people. This continues the encouraging response (Psalm 121:3–6) to the psalm’s initial questions (Psalm 121:1–2). In this context, the term “evil” is a reference to things like accidents, illness, physical harm, misfortune, or violence. A “keeper” is someone who guards, watches, protects, or guides someone. God’s provision (Psalm 97:10) includes these ideas of a watchful guardian.

Scripture does not shy away from the fact that every person encounters trials (John 16:33; Psalm 22:12–18). But trials cannot destroy the believer. Even death comes as a blessing for those who are saved because it escorts us into the Lord’s presence (1 Corinthians 15:50–58). The apostle Paul told the Corinthian believers that to be away from the body is to be at home with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). Also, he did not fear the possibility of execution. He informed the Philippian believers that “to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). It is the Lord who preserves our earthly lives and Him who one day calls us home.

When Satan asked for permission to afflict Job, the Lord granted it, knowing those difficulties would prove the genuineness of Job’s faith. However, He told Satan: “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand” (Job 1:12). None of us knows what tomorrow may bring (Proverbs 27:1; James 4:13–15), but we do know God holds tomorrow. We also know He will take care of us until He calls us home to heaven.

Context Summary.

Psalm 121:3–8 continues the theme of God’s protection of His people. It portrays Him as the guardian of Israel who never rests from His care of His people. He would watch over the travelers to Jerusalem both day and night. He would protect them from the blazing heat of the sun and from the cold nighttime temperatures. He would also watch over His people throughout the course of their daily activities.

Chapter Summary.

Songs of ascent were probably used to pass the time as pilgrims traveled to Jerusalem for one of the required feasts. In this example, someone comments about the hills, possibly worried about the presence of robbers. They express faith in God’s protection. This is echoed, perhaps by others in the traveling party. They point out that God is never caught unaware, and that His loving guidance of His people will never end.

What does Psalm 121:8 mean?

“Going out and coming in” translates a Hebrew expression referring to daily work and daily activities. Going out referred to a man’s leaving home in the morning to labor and coming in referred to his returning home after work. Throughout all the activities of the day, the believer could be confident of the Lord’s presence and protection.

Psalm 104:23 says, “Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening.” Perhaps, an awareness of the Lord’s watchful care throughout each workday would revolutionize the way we perform our duties on the job. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul exhorted servants to work in everything with sincerity of heart, reverencing the Lord. Further, he exhorted them to work heartily, knowing the Lord rewards faithful service (see Colossians 3:22–24). The promise that the Lord watches over His people extends from every day to eternity (Psalm 121:8). The Lord’s promise to be with us forever keeps us from covetousness and fear (Hebrews 13:5–6).

Context Summary.

Chapter Summary.

What Does Psalm 121:2 Mean? ►.

My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 121:2(HCSB).

Verse Thoughts.

Three times a year the men of Israel would set out for Jerusalem to celebrate the feasts of the Lord and to worship their God at the Holy Temple – which stood majestically at the top of Mount Zion. As they travelled along they set their faces towards the Jerusalem hills, and as they advanced they sang together the many Songs of Ascent – I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth….

As they ascended the hilly slopes of Jerusalem their faces were steadfastly set towards the place that represented the Presence of the Lord – the Ark of the Covenant in the most holy place in the Temple of God – and the Mercy Seat whereby their sins could be covered until the promised.

Messiah of Israel came as the prefect Sacrifice – indeed, He would not only pay the price for the sins of Israel, but for the sin of the whole world.

It was the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth and not the hills to whom they looked for help. They knew their strength and their help; their provision and protection came only from the Lord.

This same God is the One from Whom our help comes. We are not required to ascend the mountainous track to Jerusalem, thrice yearly to plead for forgiveness and mercy – for we have the Spirit of God residing forever in our hearts – and by the sacrifice of Christ’s blood we have access into the holy throne-room of God every moment of the day. Praise God that our strength and help; provision and protection comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth, and He will never leave us nor forsake us but will be our ever-present help.

My Prayer.

Thank You Father God that You are my ever-present help in troubled times and that by the blood of Christ I now have access to Your throne of grace, for mercy – to find help in time on need, in Jesus name I pray, AMEN.

Source: https://dailyverse. knowing-jesus. com/psalm-121-1.

Psalm 121:1-8 Jesus Is The Hill From Whence Our Help Comes October 3, 2017 Palm 127:1-8 I will lift up my eyes to the hills, from where does my help come. 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, He who guards Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord is your guardian; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. 6 The sun shall not harm you during the day, nor the moon during the night. 7 The Lord shall protect you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. 8 The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from now and for evermore. Help=sunantilambanomai in the greek and is defined as to take hold with at the side, hence to take a share in, generally to help. Supplying help that exactly corresponds to the need. Looking to the hills of Jerusalem, the Psalmist remembered that not only was the temple there but the presence of God rested there in that most holy place called the “Temple” of Jerusalem. My God, My Lord and Savior, My Jesus is the Hill of help and hope. Therefore, I will look unto the the hills from whence cometh my help knowing that my help cometh from the Lord. David reminds us on today of the safety and security that we have in the Lord our God. Where does my help come from? The Psalmist expresses with emphasis and clarity that His help comes from the Lord His God who made heaven and earth. This Psalm is one of hope, comfort, confidence and assurance of God’s help and His ever presence with His people. Indeed, this Psalm is a testament of God’s Sovereign Power and provision. People of God, the Lord our God promises to never let our foot slip for He never sleeps and is always watching over us to guide our every step, leading us along the way by His Holy Spirit. The Lord our God also promises to protect us from hurt, harm, evil and danger. When the ocean rises and thunder rolls in our lives, the Lord our God will be there with us to carry us through. He is our help! God alone is the preserver of our souls now and forever. He is our “kEEPER”! Trust Him on today for whatever you need is. Scripture declares in Hebrews 13:8-Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. The call on today people of God is to look up to the Lord in prayer. Look up and see what He has already done and know that He is the same God from your past who is still able to do the same for us today. Look unto the Lord our God people of God because He did not bring you this far to leave you. He love us and wants to be responsible for us if we would only obey and let Him. People of God, we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus. NOTHING shall separate us from His love. In need of hope on today? Look unto the hills from whence your help comes from. Jesus is the Hill from whence our help comes. He is our helper, our shelter, our all sufficient God. Run to Him people of God!! Where does my help come from? Our help comes from the Lord our God who made heaven and earth. God bless! Debra

Author: J. Palmer

Living under the wings of God and the angels around me keeping me going and safe. Sharing the love of Christ. View all posts by J. Palmer

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