Help Is On The Way!

Psalm 121

Help is on the Way!

We live in a time of great uncertainty, of fear of what the future may hold. If you asked me a couple of months ago, I never would have predicted that the world would be caught up in a deadly new strand of coronavirus. We have had great scares before: the Spanish flu, the H1N1 virus, Ebola. And all of these were contained, after some scare and some death. And here we are again. It’s an uncertain time. How many will be infected? How many will die? Even though every year the regular flu takes tens of thousands of lives in America and more worldwide, somehow this COVID-19 is scarier, because of the unknown element, because we don’t fully understand it and we don’t yet have a vaccine against it.

When you feel unsettled, unsafe, you need help. Psalm 121 is a great reminder of our only and ultimate security. Three times a year, faithful Israelite families would march from the small towns of their nation to the proud city of Jerusalem, home of Solomon’s Temple. The capital sat on a hilltop, so no matter what direction you came from, you could truthfully say you were “going UP to Jerusalem.” And as these pilgrims walked, they would often sing together, to pass the time. (This was before cell phones, you see.) Psalm 121 is one of a number of “Ascent psalms,” sung on the way up to Jerusalem. Look at the opening two verses:

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?

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

Lots of things promise help today: the latest pharmaceutical on TV will take away your pain, or help you forget you ever had it. It will cure your depression, and give you zest for life once again. Alcohol will numb your fears. Drugs claim to bring life more vividly. Hobbies keep your mind busy. Close friends bring fulfillment. But ultimately, our help comes only from the Lord, the one true God, Maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 121 reminds us of three great ways God helps us. Consider them with me on your outline.

How does God help?

1. God watches over you always (vv. 3-4)

Verses 3 and 4 give the image of one who stands guard over us 24/7:

3 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.

A big no-no in the military is falling asleep while on guard duty. When it comes to the military’s mortal sins, falling asleep on guard duty is right up there with losing your weapon. It’s a huge deal; it could be the difference between life and death! And here we see that God never slumbers; he never sleeps. Why? Because he is on guard duty. He’s watching over you 24/7. The Hebrew word for “watch over” or “keep” appears six times in this short poem, the same amount of times as the word “Yahweh,” or “Jehovah,” interpreted here as “The LORD.”

Our God, Yahweh, has our back. He watches over our lives, day in and day out. Sometimes you pray and you see nothing happen, and you wonder if God is asleep at the wheel. No, he’s not. Just because he hasn’t answered your prayer the way YOU thought was best doesn’t mean he hasn’t answered your prayer. God is always at work in and around you. He always has your best interests at heart. He is infinitely in love with you, and will stand for nothing less than your very best.

Know that you are guarded, 24/7. God has angels watching over you. And God himself is on guard duty. And secondly, know that...

2. God protects you always (vv. 5-7a)

When we moved here from Washington state ten years ago, we noticed a new use for umbrellas. In Washington, they’re used to protect against the rain. In Texas, yes occasionally for rain, but more often for protection from the sun. Shade is a big deal here, and likewise in the Middle East. Listen to the psalmist, in verses 5-7a:

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.

7 The Lord will keep you from all harm...

Remember, this was one of the songs sung by pilgrims walking up to Jerusalem. Can you imagine the hot dry sun beating down on you in the desert? A rare shade tree became a refreshing oasis. On the other hand, the moon reminds us of the dangers of the night: robbers and wild animals. Day or night, God will “keep you from all harm.” He gives round-the-clock protection.