A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
‘I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord , who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.’ Psalms 121:1-8(NLT)
“Where will I find help?” Maybe this is your question today. Perhaps you woke up feeling anxious, your heart is beating fast, and you have not moved your feet out of bed yet. It is discouraging and tiring to wake up like this, but when you are recovering from a stressful period it is likely to happen. Your body is reacting to a threat or danger, and the sense of alarm is still there, even if what caused stress took place a while ago.
“Where can I find help?” is the question the psalmist wrote thousands of years ago. He was looking all around him, trying to find somebody who could help him. He knew the answer, “It will come from the Lord, who created the heavens and the earth” (verse 2 CEV).
If today you woke up wondering who could help you, know that the creator of heaven and earth is the answer to your question. A mighty God who created all the beauty that surrounds you is your protector. In fact, the writer of this psalm repeats this idea of God being our protector or the one keeping us safe in almost every verse of the psalm.
Imagine listening to a song that repeats this message over and over, until you cannot think about anything else. That is the way we should start and finish our day. When we wake up feeling anxious and worried, we should repeat to ourselves, “The Lord is my protector, I will find help in him.” The understanding and appropriation of this truth will help us to look at our day in a totally different way. It allows you to acknowledge how you feel, and at the same time to remind yourself of the one who will be by your side helping you, as you face your day (or night.)
Our protector is right by our side day and night; he does not doze, or ever get drowsy. He will be there protecting us and keeping us safe from all dangers. The psalm beautifully finishes with a promise: “The Lord will protect you now and always wherever you go” (verse 8 CEV). Keep this promise in your heart and mind today. I pray that a song of worship will flow from your lips. Thank God for his protection and put your trust in him, day and night.
from [The Lord Keeps You Safe Series] God Hears Your Cries