Whenever my wife and I go on vacation, I often wonder where we might get help, if something should happen to the car. Whether I’m driving on the back roads of Pennsylvania or the winding mountain roads of North Carolina or even the long stretches of highway to the coast, I often wonder where assistance would come from if we needed it. Maybe that’s why I have AAA. The pilgrim in Psalm 121 wondered the same thing. As he looked to the hills on his way to Jerusalem, he wondered “Where does my help come from?” (1). Where indeed?! He answered himself by faith in verse 2, for he looked beyond the hills to their Maker. “My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” His faith continued to speak (or perhaps a faithful companion traveling with him) throughout the rest of the song (3-8).
When my eyes of faith shift from looking at earthly things to heaven and beyond to Yahweh himself, then I can have the same confidence, comfort, courage and certainty this pilgrim had. God is my helper, keeper, protector and preserver. He never naps or sleeps but is always watching over me (3-4). He is a shady oasis along the way, keeping me sheltered from the sun’s scorching heat by day and the cycles of the moon by night (5-6). (There is such a thing as being “moon struck” that affects some people’s mind.) Yahweh will protect me today from ultimate evil (disaster) and spiritual harm (7), the greatest evil being the loss of faith. God knows what lies ahead of me in my 24-hour day and my forever future, and he’s there to preserve me through all time and eternity (8). My eternal security does not rest on my efforts to keep myself but on God’s preserving power and constant care. Here’s one of my favorite songs based on Psalm 121 sung by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k47xB8eoT5g.
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