Psalm 121 is one of the most famous psalms. It is a song from the Songs of Ascents. Songs of Ascent are songs that people sang while they climbed Mount Moriah to worship God. They would sing these songs (Psalms 120 to 134) during their journey.
Interestingly, this same path was once trodden by Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac. Imagine their journeys towards Mount Moriah. They travelled in silence, Abraham gathering his courage and wrestling with his own thoughts about the act he was about to do, while Isaac prepared himself. The silent journeys of both these fathers paved the way for a joyous path for future generations. God ensured that their descendants, when traveling through these paths, would have songs to sing. Today, let’s look at some of the things that Psalm 121 assures us of.
God our only helper.
I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1,2
As humans, we are dependent on others. We need help with various things, and God knew this when He created Adam. The Bible tells us that God saw it was not good for man to be alone and that a helper fit for him would be made (Genesis 2:18). All living creatures were brought before Adam but they were not suitable helpers for Him.
Imagine a dog approaching Adam and saying, ” I can help keep your garden safe by watching for intruders” Or a horse offering, “I’ll carry you around the garden with ease.” This type of assistance wasn’t what Adam needed. No animal possessed the qualities to be a true companion.
So, what kind of help did Adam require? He needed someone to interact with, someone to share his thoughts and ideas with, someone to assist him in making better decisions. He needed someone to confide in during times of difficulty.
That’s why God created Eve. However, instead of helping Adam, she participated in the act that led to their sin. In the story, Adam blames Eve, saying, “The woman you placed here with me gave me the fruit from the tree, and I ate it” (Genesis 3:12). Perhaps, as a helping hand for Adam, she could have developed the habit of picking good fruits and offering them to him. Unfortunately, this helper failed.
Therefore, God remained the ultimate source of help for humanity. When others sought high places for idol worship and sacrifice, believing that the closer they were to the heavens, the better the gods would respond, the Psalmist reminds us of a different truth. We worship the God who created these mountains, heavens, and the earth. Imagine the Israelites, perhaps panting along the way to Mount Moriah, but finding solace by singing under their breath, “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and Earth” (Psalm 121:1).
New Testament believers have an even greater source of joy, for God sent his Spirit to help us. He guides us in all truth, teaches us of all things, and reminds us of everything Jesus said.
God our only keeper.
The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. Psalm 121:5
The Bible tells us about Cain, one of the firstborn children. As the elder brother, he arguably had a role to play in Abel’s well-being. However, not only did he deny responsibility, claiming “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9), but he tragically murdered him. This story highlights the limitations of human trust and underscores the importance of relying on God. The Psalmist expresses this beautifully: “The Lord is my keeper; my shade at my right hand” (Psalm 121:5).
God the keeper who never sleeps or slumbers.
Behold He who keeps Israel; Shall neither slumber nor sleep Psalm 121:4
Sometimes, even responsible keepers succumb to sleep during certain periods of life. The Bible offers examples like Noah. After enduring the immense task of building the ark and saving humanity, Noah “became a man of the soil” and drank too much wine (Genesis 9:20). The same Noah who preached and watched over his family decided to sleep. But because he did that, his youngest son Ham got cursed. A keeper’s duty is to show the right path but when such keepers sleep, their flocks tend to scatter.
Another man named Lot, who ran with his family out of Sodom and Gomorrah decided to sleep. And that’s when His daughters decided to do something vile. This keeper failed to show his daughters that there’s life outside the cave. When keepers fail to show the flock the right direction and becomes totally ignorant of the needs of the flock, the flocks tend to go wild.
But even when worldly keepers fail, succumbing to sleep and slumber, our God, the ultimate keeper, claims He will neither sleep nor slumber. He keeps watch over our every coming and going (Psalm 121:3). He discerns our thoughts from afar (Psalm 139:2). His rod and staff, symbols of His guidance and protection, will be our comfort (Psalm 23:4).
Can we all recognize God as the helper and keeper of our lives? Let us stop worrying and, with faith, ask for the help and protection we all require. Those who depend on God are the ones who will become the sharpest arrows in QUIVER OF GOD.
May God bless you all…