Today's Psalm proclaims "The Lord is your keeper!" But we endure, from which we would really like to be kept safe and unaffected. Why doesn't the Lord keep me from cancer, dementia, harsh relationships, hatred of others, temptations of my flesh, etc.... This list of things literally goes on forever. We pray the Lord protects us from harm, and we await His response, trusting His will is best for us. So, what is our Lord speaking about in this psalm?
Psalm 121
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
2 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.
5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life.
8 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.
First, the psalmist reminds us that all help comes from one place; the Lord, the all powerful owner of His created world. Why does this encourage us? Because He is the only true and loving Helper, who cares for us and always does what is best for us.
The Lord will not let your foot be moved, as you stand in faith and trust of Him. Picture in your mind those brave (...eccentric?) reporters who stand in the winds of a hurricane while talking to the camera. They stand firmly (most of the time), even though they are buffeted by the harsh weather. This is a picture of our lives; we are buffeted by the storms of sin and life, but our Lord keeps our feet grounded in His care. Unless you directly reject the forgiveness and faith God gives to you, no storm or trial will take away these from you! The Lord who keeps you and His church (Old Testament Israel and today, the new Israel) in relationship with Him, never takes His "eye off the ball", even for a short nap!
So the answer to our earlier question is now more clear, and is punctuated in verse seven. It is evil, from which your Lord keeps you. Evil reflects being separated from God by the devil, the world and our sinful nature. Your heavenly Father sent His Son, Jesus to live and die on Calvary's cross, to bridge this separation caused by sin. By the forgiveness of your sins, freely given to you following your confessions, you are no longer separated from the God who loves you! God the Holy Spirit keeps your life, walks with you every day, keeping you in saving forgiveness and faith through all the storms of your life! In baptism He named and claimed you as His beloved child and your Lord keeps you in that relationship no matter what!
Thanks be to our Lord, who keeps all His promises, and keeps you in His care from this time forth and forevermore!
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Mark
Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS Burton, Michigan
office: 810.744.1188 mobile: 248.881.7627
We are Pilgrims with a Purpose: Sharing God’s Love & Mercy with Each Other and the World.
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Soli Deo Gloria
"The LORD is a stronghold in times of trouble." Psalm 9:9
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