I will lift my eyes up to the mountains; From where shall my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade on your right hand. The sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The LORD will guard your going and your coming from this time forth and forever.     Psalm 121 HCSB

This psalm is included in a group of Psalms called A Song of Ascents which formed a hymn book used by pilgrims going up to Jerusalem for the annual feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and Booths. This particular hymn affirms that all true help comes from the LORD, who is the keeper of Israel. In verse 1 it is unclear whether the Psalmist is looking to the mountains as a potential refuge or as a possible hiding place for robbers, but he affirms that his trust is in the Creator of not only the hills, but of the universe.

None of us would want to have a medical emergency at 3:00 am and find that emergency services are only available from 9 am-5pm right? When we need help we need help. But praise God we serve a God who never slumbers nor does He sleep.

I love verse 5 which says the LORD is the shade on your right hand. This coincides with my favorite Psalm, which is 91, verse 1 which says whoever chooses to dwell in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. Isn’t it comforting to envision ourselves living in the shadow of the Almighty God.  Residing in His shadow is another way of saying that we are under his constant protection from any and all adversaries both day and night.

In verse 7 of our Scripture passage it says, He will keep your soul. I am so grateful that this is the case. Our souls are precious to Him and should be to us. They are what will be present with the Lord when we leave this earth if we have chosen to accept His salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. When God keeps our soul, they are stored in a safe place. With God as our protector, we are protected against our enemies and protected against the temptations of evil.

In verse 8 it says that the LORD will guard your going out and your coming in. This is a figure of speech for “everything you do.”  When we accept Christ as our Savior and become believers in Christ, God watches over us at all times in all circumstances forever.

I spent many years thinking that my help could come from an external source. I thought that people could help me. I thought that money could help me or the right job could help me, but I was wrong. My help comes from the LORD, the Creator of heaven and earth. It has taken me many years to understand that all I need to do is focus on Him and He will take care of everything I need (Matthew 6:33).

If you feel vulnerable and tossed about like a ship on the sea, know that there is protection there is help for those of us who feel as though we are drowning.
We can receive help from the Almighty God who controls the universe. He wants to be our shelter. He wants to protect us and keep us safe from harm. But we must accept the Salvation He freely offers through grace.

I’ve felt as though I was fighting a huge army all alone and I have also been happy to have God fight my battles. I have finally realized that the battle is not mine, but the LORDS (2 Chronicles 20:16). I have decided to live in His shelter, so that I can reside in His shadow where I am safe and secure. I am happy to say that I finally know where my help comes from.

My friend if you are trusting in anyone or anything to help you, you run the risk of being let down. Trust in the supernatural power of God Almighty. Trust in the one true God. He loves you more than you can imagine and wants to walk with you through whatever you are facing. Won’t you let him? Trust in God today, He wants to take good care of you if you will only let Him.

Have a great day!