“MY HELP COMES FROM THE LORD” (Outline)
January 1, 2023 – Name of Jesus – PSALM 121
INTRO: We are standing on the verge of the start of an exciting new year. We forward to days and years ahead because of the promises of our loving, heavenly Father. Now the world is quite different. There are already predictions will be worse than 2022, a very bad year. Was it really that bad? Will the next year be worse? As children of the Lord God, we listen to him. “So then we say with confidence: The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?” (HEBREWS 13:6). “MY HELP COMES FROM THE LORD.” I. The Lord is always awake. II. The Lord is always watching.
I. THE LORD IS ALWAYS AWAKE AND ALERT
A. Psalm 121 is a song of ascents. Ascent = go up. Pilgrim worshippers ascended steps to Jerusalem.
1. Verse 1. “I lift up my eyes to the mountains.” Temples of false gods were in the high places.
2. Mountains also contained dangers. Hiding place for robbers. Wild animals.
3. Scanned the area asking a question. “Where does my help come from?”
B. Verse 2. Answer known: “My help comes from the Lord.” The Lord = “Maker of heaven and earth.”
C. Verse 3. The Lord guided the footsteps of his children always. The Lord “will not slumber.”
1. Verse 4. So important repeats. Yes, the Lord “will not slumber. He will not sleep.”
2. The Lord God of Armies is always awake. Always alert. Never slumbers or sleeps.
3. The Lord does not need sleep. People are made to work. Get tired. Sleep.
D. Biblical authors, inspired by God, always clearly defined who really was the Lord. In this Psalm today the writer calls the Lord “the Maker of heaven and earth.” It is important for us also to help others discover the real identity about our loving, heavenly Father. Creator of all things. As creator the Lord is alert to the needs of his creation. God’s alertness reminds us to be alert to the dangers in our lives. Alert to the temptations from our enemy. “Have sound judgment. Be alert because your enemy, the Devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 PETER 5:8). It is Satan who manipulates the evil in this world to serve him. He makes use of wicked people to carry out his devilish desires. “Have sound judgment. Be alert…” Attractions of this world can be distractions.
E. it is not always easy to be alert. Not slumber. In our Christian walk we want to be awake. To be awake we need to know what’s God’s will is for us. For our lives. For our eternal welfare. We learn of God’s purpose for us in his word. When we look to the Lord, his Word, our spiritual wisdom increases. Is on high alert. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (PROVERBS 3:5, 6). The Lord provides straight path in our lives. His truth is the straight and narrow path that leads us to eternity. Our perfect, eternal life is freely provided for us by Jesus’ precious blood. Our Savior. World’s Savior.
F. The Lord, Creator of heaven and earth is always awake. Our loving, heavenly Father is always alert to all of our needs. We are blessed in America. Over-blessed. We are free to worship when we want. Where we want. We can freely read our Bibles. But this is not the case in many other countries. There are believers throughout the world persecuted for following Jesus. Their lives are in danger. Still, they remain faithful. Even unto death. “At every opportunity, pray in the Spirit with every kind of prayer and petition. Stay alert for the same reason, always persevering in your intercession for all the saints”. We can start a new, good habit of praying for persecuted believers. Pray for strength. Deliverance. Protection.
“MY HELP COMES FROM THE LORD.” The Lord is always awake. Always alert.
II. THE LORD IS ALWAYS WATCHING, WATCHFUL
A. Verses 3b, 4a. The Lord who does not slumber “watches over you…watches over Israel”.
1. Verse 5. “The Lord watches over you.” Repeated again. Emphasized God’s great love.
2. The Lord is awake, alert, and attentive to all his creation. Shades from harm and danger.
B. Verse 6. The Lord provides protection from the sun. Shade. Wisdom to find cover from sun’s rays.
1. Think of Jonah. Lord provided plant as shade. Plant destroyed by a worm. Shade gone.
2. Jonah was angry. The Lord taught him peoples’ souls far more important than plant/shade.
C. Verse 7. “The Lord will watch…will watch over you.” This watching goes beyond just the physical.
1. Verse 8. “The Lord will watch over you…from now to eternity.” God’s watchful care is eternal.
2. The never sleeping Lord and ever watchful Lord is where the Help comes from for believers.
D. There are many examples of the Lord’s careful watching over the footsteps of his children. Esau and Jacob were twin brothers. Esau was very angry with Jacob. Esau felt Jacob had cheated him out of his birthright. He vowed to kill Jacob once their father died. Jacob fled for his life. Left his family. Now alone. Afraid. Unsure of his future. The Lord was watching. “Now, I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back again into this land. Indeed, I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised to you” (GENESIS 28:15). This same promise is made for us. The Lord watches over us wherever we go. He brings us to the Promised Land. Heaven. Just as God promised.
E. Saul thought the Lord called him to track down the “followers of the Way”. These Christ-followers were not following the teachings of the synagogue rulers. The Lord changed Saul’s heart. Life. And purpose. After the Lord’s conversion of Saul he became the Apostle Paul. His life was now fully given to proclaiming the gospel of Jesus the Christ. A blessed calling. Purpose. Not an easy life. In his first missionary journey each city kicked Paul out. At one town he was dragged outside the city limits. They stoned Paul. Left him for dead. His life: shipwrecked, imprisoned, beaten, rejected. Paul probably had memorized Psalm 121. “Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker…” The confession of Paul near the end of his life is also our confession. “The Lord will rescue me from every evil work and will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (2 TIMOTHY 2:18). The infinite care of the Lord God Creator brings us safely into eternal life. Heaven.
F. Then there is faithful Job. Job lost everything. Flocks. Herds. Sons. Daughters. Their spouses. All was gone. Friends came to comfort Job. Their words did not bring much comfort. When they first came to see Job they were silent They sat silently for a week. That was their best time of comfort. At times just being with someone is the exact comfort they need. In all of this Job did not curse God. In spite of the fact that even his wife wanted him to curse God. He did not. “You clothed me with skin and flesh. You wove me together with bones and tendons. You provided me with life and mercy, and your watchful care has guarded my spirit” (JOB 10:11, 12). Job’s confession is our confession. The Lord created us. The Lord watches over us. The Lord guards our soul. From now right into eternity.
CONC.: Here we stand on the edge of a new year. Our world wants us to think it is a cliff. We are only going to plunge into ruin. Destruction. Hopelessness. “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker…” The Lord gave Isaiah his promises for God’s people. “Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be overwhelmed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (ISAIAH 41:10). The Lord’s strength grips us safely with his righteous right hand. “MY HELP COMES FROM THE LORD!” Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
NEW YEAR’S DAY rdgs.: NUMBERS 6:22-27; PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11; LUKE 2:15-21; PSALM 8
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