PSALMS 121 - KEEPER OF MY SOUL
The citizens of Feldkirch Austria, didn’t know what to do. Napoleon’s massive army was preparing to attack. Soldiers had been spotted on the heights above the little town. A council of citizens was hastily summoned to decide whether they should try to defend themselves or display the white flag of surrender. It happened to be Easter Sunday, and the people had gathered in the local church. The pastor rose and said, "Friends, we have been counting on our own strength, and apparently that has failed. As this is the day of our Lord’s resurrection, let us just ring the bells, have our services as usual, and leave the matter in His hands. We know only our own weakness, let us trust in the power of God to defend us." The council accepted his plan and the church bells rang to begin the service. The enemy, hearing the bells, concluded that the Austrian army had arrived during the night to defend the town. Before the service ended, the enemy broke camp and left.
Are you trusting in God? We need God’s help on a daily basis. I once read an article that was "A Morning Prayer for Help." It said this, "Dear God, so far today I’ve done alright, I have not gossiped, I have not lost my temper, I have not been nasty or selfish or judgemental or over indulgent. But in a few minutes God, I’m going to get out of bed. From then on, I’m going to need all the help I can get."
Today we are continuing in our series looking at the psalms. Today I want us to look at Psalm 121. This Psalm is called a Song of Ascent. There are 15 of them – Psalm 120 to Psalm 134. Many scholars believe these psalms were sung by the worshippers as they walked the road to Jerusalem to attend the festivals. They were also songs used by the priests as they ascended the fifteen steps to minister at the Temple in Jerusalem. They are characterized by brevity – only Psalm 132 has more than ten verses. As with many songs, often there is repetition. On a whole they are cheerful, and hopeful.
Psalms 121:1 I lift up my eyes to the hills -- where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. 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. 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 -- he will watch over your life; 8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
This psalm reminds us 3 things about God this morning;
1. God is our Support (1-2)
In the 80s there was a song that asked “If there’s something strange in your neighbourhood, who you gonna call?” Now before you shout the answer back let me tell you, the answer is not Ghostbusters. Who do you call on for help? You call on the one who is able to help you. You call on God.
God supports us. He is our helper. I saw a quote on Facebook that said, “Be strong enough to stand alone, smart enough to know when you need help, and brave enough to ask for it.” Do you find it easy to ask for help or is it difficult for you? Many people have a hard time asking for help. They do not ask for help because they feel it makes them look weak or they are too proud to admit they do not have the answer. Sometimes it is because they do not want to be a burden on others, or they are just too shy. Sometimes it is because they feel they can do it themselves faster or it is just easier to figure it out on their own. How about you? What do you do when you are in need of help?
Psalms 121:1 I lift up my eyes to the hills -- where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
You do not look around you or within you, you look up. You lift your eyes upwards and ask God first, not last.
There is the story of a church elders meeting. One particularly difficult situation was raised and the board was having trouble reaching consensus one what should be done about it. One of the elders said “perhaps we should just pray about this situation.” Another board member said, “pray about it, has it come to that already!”
Isaac Bashevis Singer once confessed, “I only pray when I’m in trouble…but I’m in trouble all the time, and so I pray all the time.”
If you have ever been in the USA, you know that on their money it says In God We Trust. You may wonder where that phrase came from. Back in November of 1861 a letter was written to the Secretary of the Treasury by a pastor from Pennsylvania. The pastor’s letter included theses comments “One fact touching our currency that has been seriously overlooked… is the recognition of Almighty God in some form on our coins.” As a result of that letter, Secretary Chase wrote a letter to the Director of the Mint at Philadelphia, to prepare a motto for US coins. Chase’s letter to the director of the mint, dated November 20, 1861: included these words “Dear Sir: No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His defense. The trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins.” The rest is history.
It is easy to stamp that on a coin, is that also stamped on your heart, “In God I trust.” Do you turn to Him first when you are in trouble? Is God your support?
2. God is our Safeguard (3-6)
God is not only our support; He is also our safeguard. He protects us along the way.
Psalm 121:3 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. 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.
As people travelled in ancient times there were 3 dangers that were always present;
a. God is our stabilizer – He will not let our foot slip.
One of the concerns that people who travelled to Jerusalem often had was the terrain. The Old City of Jerusalem is about 3800 feet above sea level. The Jordan river is about 1400 feet below sea level, the lowest land point on earth. Israel is a very mountainous area. Getting to Jerusalem involved hiking up and down some very dangerous terrain. Remember that they did not have hiking boots back in these days. Try hiking up a mountain in open toed sandals and you know what I am talking about. One of the concerns was falling and hurting yourself along the way.
In the Hebrew in says that God will not allow our feet to be shaken. The word is MOTE and means to waver or fall. The word literally means a staff or pole. It is like those things hikers use when they walk to support themselves and give them stability. The good news is that in the winters of life God is our all-season radial tires. He keeps us from slipping. He gives us traction.
Psalms 18:32-33 It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. 33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights.
You really do not know what this scripture is saying until you have seen a mountain goat going up a sheer cliff. On our honeymoon Naomi and I went to Lake Louise and Banff. We saw these goats on the side of the road. Then they just bounced up a 40 ft wall of rock and disappeared. It is God who stabilizes our step, who strengthens us with His strength, who gives us deer feet so that we can do what we would otherwise not be able to do.
b. God is our shepherd – He stays up when we cannot.
Often the walk to Jerusalem took several days. Most people would simply camp overnight as they travelled. As they slept, they were a target to thieves. When you are sleeping, you are vulnerable.
I remember going through an airport during a connection on a long trip. The next flight was delayed, and I did not have the money to go find a hotel so I just decided to try and sleep in the airport. I found a quiet space and lay down, but I had a hard time sleeping because I had my carry on with me that was filled with valuables. I figured that as soon as I fell asleep someone would steal my bag.
The good news is that God is our shepherd. He stays up when we cannot. He is our lookout.
The American Indians had a unique practice of training young braves. On the night of a boy’s thirteenth birthday, after learning hunting, scouting, fishing, and various other skills, he was put to one final test. He was placed in a dense forest to spend the entire night alone. Until then, he had never been away from the security of the family and the tribe. But on this night, he was blindfolded and taken several miles away. When he took off the blindfold, he was in the middle of a thick woods and he was terrified! Every time a twig snapped; he visualized a wild animal ready to pounce. After what seemed like an eternity, dawn broke and the first rays of sunlight entered the interior of the forest. Looking around, the boy saw flowers, trees, and the outline of the path. Then, surprised, he saw a man standing just a few feet away, armed with a bow and arrow. It was his father. He had been there all night long. Just like our heavenly Father.
c. God is our shelter – He protects us from the heat of the day and the cool of the night
The third concern when travelling to Jerusalem was the weather. There are extreme highs and lows. I remember one trip to Israel years ago. I left Jerusalem in the morning wearing a jacket and able to see my own breath. A few hours later I was swimming in the dead sea in the intense heat of the day.
Do you know what it is like to go on a camping trip and face bad weather and you have very little to shelter you? When you travel, the elements are a real concern. The nights days can be very hot and the nights can be very cold, not to mention rain or high wind.
Living in Kuwait we understand the dangers of living in a hot climate. If you stay out in the sun and do not drink a lot of water you can get heatstroke very quickly. According to the United Nations human rights, people cannot be made to work outside in temperatures higher than 50 C. However, Kuwait was usually higher than that. Looking at the weather reports from May to October was always a joke. The forecast was always sunny and either 48 C or 49 C. That was like a secret code. When it said 48 it meant that it was really low 50s and when it said 49 it meant that it was really high 50s or 60s. It was hot! You had to be careful going outside. It was always good to get out of the sun and into shade and air conditioning.
Israel was also very mountainous, meaning the nights could get very cold. The Jordan river flows along the bottom of a huge valley, and extreme storms were very common. The wind was often very strong. The good new is that God is our shelter. He protects us. He covers us from things around us that could hurt us.
During World War II, a passenger ship set sail from Great Britain headed for port in New York City. The captain of the ship being afraid of enemy vessels, sought the advice and guidance of the British Admiral. The Admiral calmly assured the captain that no matter what happens, he should be sure to sail his ship straight ahead. "Do not take any detours -- sail the ship straight ahead -- continue on-ward, heading straight towards the intended mark;" he said. After several days of sailing across the Atlantic Ocean which was undeniably filled with submarines and enemy vessels of all kinds, the captain spotted an enemy destroyer off his forward bow. Nervously he grasped the handset and called for assistance. The calm voice replied, "Keep on straight, do not detour, just sail the ship straight ahead. Everything will be just fine. Just keep on going - straight ahead."
After a couple more days the ship pulled safely into the great harbor of New York city. Shortly after docking the great British battleship "Man-of-War" pulled into port behind the passenger vessel. The captain realized that while he did not see the British Battleship, she was there, standing bye. Standing ready to come to his defense should it prove necessary. God is our support and safeguard.
3. God is our Saviour (7-8)
Ultimately God is not only our provider and protector, he is our saviour. Some day this life will be over. The good news is that God not only helps us in this life but also in the life to come.
Psalm 121:7 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.
God watches over us both now and FOREVER. Life does not end in death; we know that after we die life continues. The good news is that God not only helps us in this life but also in the next.
2 Corinthians 5:1 Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.
The pastor was talking to a group of young children about believing in Jesus and going to heaven. At the end of his talk, he asked, "Where do you want to go?" "Heaven!" they all piped up. "And what do you have to be to get there?" He was looking for the answer ‘Christian’ but one boy yelled "Dead!" Yes, to get to heaven you have to first pass-through death.
Back in 1993 Naomi and I joined the ship in Cape Town South Africa. Our first time out to sea was leaving Cape Town. It was a nice day and the seas were calm so we were up on the bow of the ship with some others. Suddenly the captain came on to the loudspeaker saying “get off the bow!” We were wondering why. A few minutes later the ship came around the Horn of Africa where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet, and the waves were crashing over the front of the ship. For centuries sailors knew about the southernmost tip of Africa which was known for its tremendous storms. No one from Europe even knew what lay beyond that cape, for no ship that attempted to round that point had ever returned to tell the tale. It was known as the "Cape of Storms," and for good reason. But then in 1497 a Portuguese explorer named Vasco De Gama, successfully sailed around the wild tip of Africa and found beyond it a great calm sea. Beyond that sea he found the shores of India.
I remember when the Doulos crossed the Indian ocean. It was so calm it was like glass. After Vasco De Gama had successfully navigated around the tip of Africa, the name of that cape was changed from the Cape of Storms to the Cape of Good Hope.
Until Jesus Christ rose from the dead, death was like the Cape of Storms. The great storm from which no one had ever returned. It was the point of no return, the place on which all hopes of life beyond had been wrecked. On Easter morning, Jesus rose from the dead, showing that death was not the end. The Cape of Storms was changed to the Cape of Good Hope. There was hope. There was something beyond, and that something was beautiful and precious. The hope of heaven, eternal life with our saviour. Eternal life with the one who loves us.
God is our support, safeguard and saviour. So where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will watch over your life … your coming and going both now and forevermore.
