I lift my eyes to the mountains
Psalm 121
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121 is probably one of the best-known and loved of all the psalms, it certainly is one of mine. It's a hymn that declares the psalmist's trust in God as his personal protector and also the protector of the nation of Israel. The Psalmist uses the imagery of God as a watchman, a shade, and a protector to express his faith in God's constant care and provision.
"I lift up my eyes to the mountains where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." The Psalmist expresses his trust in God as the source of help and protection. He looks to the mountains, often used as a metaphor for God in the Psalms, as the place where his help will come from. He affirms that his help comes from the Lord, (not the mountains themselves), who created the heavens, the earth, and the mountains.
"He will not let your foot be moved; he who watches over you will not slumber." The Psalmist declares that God will not allow him to stumble or fall and will always be vigilant in watching over and protecting him. The imagery of God as a watchman or protector is common in the Psalms.
"indeed he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep." The Psalmist extends the imagery of God as a watchman to include the entire nation of Israel. He affirms that God will always be awake and attentive to the needs of his people.
"The Lord watches over you; the Lord is your shade at your right hand." Here the Psalmist repeats the idea that God is the one who watches over and protects him. He also uses the imagery of God as a shade, providing protection from the heat of the day and the dangers of the night.
"The sun shall not harm you by day, nor the moon by night." The Psalmist continues the imagery of God as a protective shade, declaring that God will protect him from the sun's harmful rays and the night's dangers.
"The Lord will keep you from all harm; he will watch over your life." The Psalmist affirms his trust in God to protect him from all harm and to preserve his life.
"The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." The Psalmist declares that God's protection is not limited to a specific time or place, but extends to all aspects of his life, both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121 professes beautifully yet simply, how placing our faith in God gives us the reassurance that God is the one who will always be there to watch over, guide, and protect us his people.
Wherever you are, have a wonderful and blessed day,
God bless,
Trev.
This song sums it up nicely.