Sermon: Safe in the Arms of God
Ps 121:1 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. 3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. 4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. 6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. 8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. (KJV)
Introduction: Psalms 120-134 are called Pilgrim Songs or Songs of Degrees or steps. They were sung by those who journeyed to the temple of God to celebrate each one of their four annual feast. Psalms 121 expresses the idea that there is blessed security in God. One can imagine, with the windows opened towards Jerusalem, you could this song of celebration. The journey might have been long, dangerous enemies all around, some seen and unseen, yet God’s children are secure. They secure because of the hills we look to; the help we look for; and the eyes we look with. God himself is our hill of protection, God himself is the help we look for and the eyes of faith are the eyes with look with.
The psalm asks a grave question: Whence cometh my help? We all need help greatly, at one time or another, in one way or another, constantly, and now and then. There are many directions we can look to for help, but men are feeble, changing, and sometimes hostile. Life is filled with transitions and none on earth unmoved can stand. Our surest help is found in God, we must look above to the Providence, Grace, and power of God. All of Israel believed that God’s presence and protection was abiding in the Land of Israel. They believed the Holy City, Jerusalem was the apple of God’s eye and always under Hid protection. Even when they were away from Jerusalem, they prayed towards that city. Remember what king David said in Psalms 122, “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD. 2 Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.”
David knew that there was safety, joy and blessings in Jerusalem. Psalms 121 begins with, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.” It has been said that when there was an imminent attack, the people would flee to the hills and hide in caves for protection. Maybe with windows of the palace open, King David penned this psalm while gazing upon the mountains, not because he desired flee but to admire the handiwork of God. David understood that the strongest mountain was weaker than God, the highest peaks were lower than God and a poor protector without God. How we need to hear this Psalm again. There is so much uncertainty around us and people are looking everywhere for help. My son, who lives in Colorado experienced 100mph winds yesterday, he is trying to repair the damage today. In the Midwest 8 to 10 states have been ravished by severe storms and tornadoes. Where will our help come from? People are looking to politicians, to the government, to our military might, to their money, stocks, and bonds, to education, to friends and the list goes on and on. Not to mention what they are turning to, drugs, alcohol, and even suicide! We need to use common sense and make the best decision possible. All the good things we can do are okay in their place.
Dealing this virus with all its variants, we should be fully vaccinated. We should elect the best politicians, men, and woman of great moral courage. We should support our government, pay our taxes, and obey the laws of the land. We save and invest our resources and try to secure our future as best we can. Yet we must always remember all those efforts and things are temporal. All are created things with a short-lived life span. Only the creator God, our covenant God is eternal. You can almost hear the call and response of the text. The king would sing the first two verses, and the priesthood was response with the reason why they are safe in God’s Arms. They all can feel secure because of the hills they look to; the help they look for; and the eyes of faith they look with. God himself is our hill of protection, God himself is the help we look for and the eyes of faith are the eyes with look with.
1.God is the Hill We look to. “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.” Looking to God for help is the mark that distinguishes true believers from our men. The earth is filled with high hills, men of great statue, wealth, and influence. The world has its high walls of protection, insurance, alarm systems, security cameras and guards. God is the hill believers look to. Our God made the hills, all the hills that exist. He alone is the creator God. The help of men is limited; the help of wealth is limited, even the help of medical science is limited. We look to God for He has the help we need. He is a very present help in a time of need. God’s help is constant, unwavering, and adaptable. We need all the help this world can give and God. The best worldly help without God is insufficient. When we lift our eyes to Our God, we find grace and favor. He is not a stranger; he is a friend. The scope of this psalm reveals that God alone is our refuge and strength. While some are content to look to earthly sources for comfort and support, I will lift my eyes to God. God is the hill we look to and God is the help with look for.
2.God is the help we Look for. 3 “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. 4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. 6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.” The priest envisioned God’s presence during the wilderness journey. God was a pillow of cloud by day and a pillow of fire by night. God keeps us from stumbling and falling. God is awake while we are asleep. They are kept by the Lord. All my help comes from the Lord. My rest and sleep, my daily bread, and even my every breathe. He is my constant companion, my friend and protector. We look for help because we cannot make it by ourselves. What great mercies we have in God. Our hope is in Him. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Psalm 46:2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.”
Ps 124:8 “Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”
Ps 62:5 “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. 6 He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. 7 In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.”
Notice how David brands very verse in his relationship with God. Look at all the personal pronouns, my expectations, my rock, my salvation, my glory, and so on. He uses seven “my’s” in two verses, and there can never be too many when to have relationship with God. Faith which makes personal appropriation of divine blessings, is all we need. God is the hill we look to; God is the help we look for and the eyes of faith are the eyes with look with.
3.The Eyes of Faith We look With. 7 “The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. 8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” (KJV)
The people of God through the eyes of faith always see God as a keeper and preserver. Believers live with the realization that life’s pilgrim journey will be filled with adversity, troubles, and trials. Life’s pilgrim journey is filled with ins and outs, ups and down, our God has proven himself to be our preserver. He has been our present help in trouble, a tower of support in temptation, a hiding place from the stormy blast, a guiding light in perplexity, and a forceful defend against every foe. The eye of faith allows us to live trustingly and cheerfully in spite of difficulties. There are several reasons given for such great confidence.
First, God is omnipotent and sufficient. The Lord made the heavens and the earth. He alone is author and dispenser of all spiritual and temporal blessings. Secondly, God is good and full of grace. He will not suffer our foot to be moved. He provides stability and assistance. Thirdly, God’s has a watchful eye on us. He never slumber nor sleep. God is more than a casual observer; He watches as the keeper of Israel. He guards the believer, with a wall of fire round about them. He shades them with comfort, so that neither the day of prosperity nor the night of adversity shall hurt them. Finally, He shall preserve us from all evil. Neither the heat of persecution nor the coldness of friends and relatives can hurt us. All these things will work for our good.
He preserves us from everything or in everything that might hurt our souls or cause undue worry or anxiety. He shall preserve thy soul. We need to be preserved from physical harm and mental distress. The psalmist gives us encouraging assurance. “The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” On life’s journey, we are always in transition. We are beginning something or ending something; going abroad or returning home; yet God promises his protective care. Now and always! We can trust Him to be our continual portion and defense in all places, in all times and in all our right actions. In life, In prosperity, in adversity, in life, in death, in time and in eternity, he is our Help! The people of God are safe in his arms. Why? Because believers can feel secure because God is the hills they look to; God is the help they look for; and their eyes of faith the vision they look with. God himself is our hill of protection, God himself is the help we look for and the eyes of faith are the eyes with look with. In the Name of the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
