Safe In The Arms Of God

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.