By Pastor Dan Mercurio, GGCF Bacolod
Psalms 120-134 are “Songs of Ascents” or Songs of Degrees (Steps). Jewish pilgrims sang these on their way up to Jerusalem on three prescribed annual occasions. These feasts included the Feast of the Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, Pentecost (Harvest), and the Feast of Tabernacles (Tents or Booths).
About Psalm 121, according to Matthew Henry, “Some call this the soldier’s psalm, and think it was penned in the camp, when David was hazarding his life in the high places of the field, and thus trusted God to cover his head in the day of battle.”
As His children, as we continue on our journey for the year 2020, let us take upon us the promises of the mentioned Scripture.
There are four powerful thoughts about our All Powerful and Almighty God from Psalm 121.
I. HE IS OUR HELPER
“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2).
These verses assure us that GOD is our helper and His abiding presence is all throughout our travels. We need to lift our eyes unto God because the help is with Him who made heaven and earth.
Jerusalem is a city on seven hills. It was the place where the temple was built. For Jewish people, it was in the temple where God received and answered their prayers for His protection against their enemies.
Gen.18:14—“Is anything too hard for the Lord?”
Jeremiah 32:17—“‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.”
Jeremiah 32:27—“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?
Isaiah 59:1—“Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear.”
Problems or difficulties make us look down but we should look up to God. We should lift up our eyes to the creator of the hills, the heavens, and the earth.
According to William MacDonald, “The temple in Jerusalem (a city of seven hills) was the dwelling place of God on earth. The glory cloud in the Holy of Holies signifies the Lord’s presence among His people. The city of Jerusalem is situated on a mountain and is surrounded by mountains. So when a Jew in other parts of Israel needed divine help, he looked toward the hills. To him it was the same as looking to the Lord.”
Solomon prayed to the LORD God of Israel,
“Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O Lord my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You today: that Your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place. And may You hear the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive’” (1 Kings 8:28-30).
II. HE IS OUR KEEPER AND WE ARE ASSURED OF HIS PROVISION
“He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber” (Ps. 121:3). In this verse God assures us of God Our Keeper and His Provision.
Charles H. Spurgeon comments,
“Though the paths of life are dangerous and difficult—yet we shall stand fast, for Jehovah will not permit our feet to slide; and if He will not allow it—we shall not be moved! If our foot will is thus kept—we may be sure that our head and heart will be preserved also! Those who have God for their keeper—shall be safe from all the perils of the way.”
“Among the hills and ravines of Palestine, the literal keeping of the feet is a great mercy; but in the slippery paths of a tempted, tried and afflicted life, the blessing of upholding is of priceless value—for a single false step might cause us a fall fraught with awful danger! To stand ‘steadfast’ and pursue our holy way—is a blessing which only God can give. It is worthy of His divine hand, and worthy also of our perennial gratitude. Our feet shall move in heavenly progress—and we shall never be overthrown!”
“We could not stand a moment—if our Divine Keeper were to sleep! We need him by day and by night; not a single step can be safely taken—except under His guardian eye. This is a choice stanza in a pilgrim song. God is the convoy and body-guard of his people. When dangers are all around us—we are safe, for our Preserver is awake also, and will not permit us to be moved. No fatigue of exhaustion can cast our God into sleep—His watchful eyes are never closed!”
We read in Psalm 91:9-13, “Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.”
III. HE IS OUR KEEPER AND HIS PROMISES ARE TRUE
“Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep” (Ps. 121:4). God promises His watch and care.
Matthew Henry writes,
“To comfort ourselves in God when our difficulties and dangers are greatest. It is here promised that if we put our trust in God, and keep in the way of our duty, we shall be safe under his protection, so that no real evil, no mere evil, shall happen to us, nor any affliction but what God sees good for us and will do us good by.
“God himself has undertaken to be our protector: The Lord is thy keeper. Whatever charge he gives his angels to keep his people, he has not thereby discharged himself, so that, whether every particular saint has an angel for his guardian or no, we are sure he has God himself for his guardian. It is infinite wisdom that contrives, and infinite power that works, the safety of those that have put themselves under God’s protection. Those must needs be well kept that have the Lord for their keeper. If, by affliction, they be made his prisoners, yet still he is their keeper.
“The same that is the protector of the church in general is engaged for the preservation of every particular believer, the same wisdom, the same power, the same promises. He that keepeth Israel is thy keeper. The shepherd of the flock is the shepherd of every sheep, and will take care that not one, even of the little ones, shall perish.
“He is a wakeful watchful keeper: ‘He that keepeth Israel, that keepeth thee, O Israelite! shall neither slumber nor sleep; he never did, nor ever will, for he is never weary; he not only does not sleep, but he does not so much as slumber; he has not the least inclination to sleep.”
IV. HE IS OUR PROTECTOR
“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” (Ps. 121:5-6).
Theologian Matthew Poole (1624-1679) wrote,
“The sun shall not smite thee with excessive heat, nor the moon with that cold and moisture which comes into the air by it and with it. Intemperate heats and colds are the two springs of many diseases. He alludes both to the conditions of soldiers or travellers, who are exposed to the open air by day and by night, and also to the cloudy pillar which defended the Israelites both by day and by night. The sense is, He shall protect thee from all evils both by day and night.”
From the Pulpit Commentary we learn “‘Thy shade’ means ‘thy protection’ or ‘thy defense.’ Protection was especially needed on the right hand, as the side which no shield guarded.”
V. HE IS OUR PRESERVER
“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” (Ps. 121:7-8).
We read in Numbers 27:15-17, “Then Moses spoke to the Lord, saying: ‘Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be like sheep which have no shepherd.’” Also Moses writes in Deuteronomy 28:6, “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.”
“The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in.” From the Pulpit Commentary we read, “The phrase is an equivalent of ‘The Lord shall preserve thee in all thy ways’ (Psalm 91:11). From this time forth, and even forevermore; i.e. so long as thou hast ‘goings out’ and ‘comings in.’ But the phrase used rather implies that these will never cease.”
CONCLUSION
Obedient Christians walk each day with God. As we walk each day though sometimes we are bothered by uncertainties. Let’s take hold of another beautiful verse from Isaiah 41:10, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
The Glory of His Grace 