“My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep”. Psalm 121 v 2-4
When my son was studying for his exams I found he would often come to me for help in most of his subjects apart from when it came to maths. This was due to his past experience of realising that his Mum’s knowledge of maths was pretty rusty and rather than sit through an hour of YouTube videos while she tried to work out the answer it was better to wait for Dad who could normally figure it out pretty quickly. Many people in life can offer us help but if they are not qualified for the task it does not bring us much comfort when we are in desperate need. That is why we see the psalmist today reminding himself of who he is coming to. Our help is from God Almighty. Our help comes from the one who created the entire universe. The one who spoke the world into being, the one who gives us our very breath. When we approach him we can have confidence that He will be more than able to come to our aid.
Not only is the Lord qualified to meet our needs and has all the resources of heaven at his fingertips, He is willing! You see we learn from this psalm that Yahweh was not like the other deities that were worshipped in ancient eastern cultures. In those times many Gods were often depicted as sleeping, they were seen as having need for rest just like us mere mortals. But our God is set apart. He keeps us, or watches us. The word in Hebrew that is used here is the word ‘Shamar’. This word does not describe a passive action but rather a God who seeks to guard and protect us. We see this same theme echoed in Psalm 91:4, “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge”. There is a tender care as a mother bird shields her young so shall the Lord shield you from all danger and harm.
What is more the Lord will ensure that you are firmly established. Whatever ground you have taken He will not allow it be stolen from you. Your feet are anchored on solid ground as He holds you in his love. You do not need to fear, no matter what threats may rise up against you, nothing will be able to creep past the watchful eye of your loving Heavenly Father. He will intervene in your life, He will take care of you, He will preserve you in times of trouble, He will deliver you from evil. He will be your shield, your protector and shelter.
Whatever you are going through today, have confidence that God is by your side, every minute of the day. 24/7 his watchful eye is concerned with every detail of your life. He doesn’t stand back from a distance and watch you struggle and stumble your way through life. He is carefully guarding you. He is attentive to your needs, He is all powerful and desires to intervene and will ensure that whatever lies ahead your foot will not slip.
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Unshakeable Hope Series – Exchange Church Belfast 2021