Psalm 121 – Where Does Your Help Come From?

by | Jul 13, 2020

READ PSALM 121

I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? (Psalms 121:1)

The author of this Psalm is traveling to Jerusalem, which would be a dangerous journey through uncertain territory. He’s alone and afraid, so he decides to look to the mountains for help. In those days there were shrines to pagan gods that were still around in Israel, and most of them were on the tops of hills and mountains. If you went there to worship one of those gods, you might find help. If the harsh desert sun was killing you, then you could go up to the shrine and pay the priest to offer up a prayer for protection against the sun god. If you were worried about robbers, you could go up and have an enchantment put over you. There were many different places to lift your eyes for help.

Today we’re on a dangerous journey through uncertain territory. To where do you lift your eyes up for help with your anxiety, depression, or loneliness? A government stimulus check? Escape through substances? Recreation and relaxation? A certain relationship? There are many different mountains where you can go to find help. But there’s a problem: the help they give just doesn’t last. After a while, you’re anxious again, or depressed again, or lonely again. Because, as Jeremiah said, “Truly, the hills are a delusion!” And by the end of this Psalm, the author finally came to realize that: “The Lord will protect your coming and going both now and forever” (121:8). Lift your eyes up to Jesus, and be satisfied for now and forever.

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