Apr 20 (Daily reading: Psalms 121, 123-125, 128-130) The question: “I will raise my eyes to the mountains; from where will my help come?” The answer: “My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth” (121:1-2). The answer again: “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds His people from this time and forever” (125:2). Here, the psalmist indicates that the mountains represent the LORD who “surrounds His people…forever!” He also wrote, “Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth” (124:8). We can say with him, “So our eyes look to the LORD our God” (123:2).
“He will not allow your foot to slip” (121:3) reminds me of Psalm 37:24, “Though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand” (NIV). The Lord is always able to hold us up because “He who watches over you…will neither slumber nor sleep.” Therefore, “The LORD is your protector” (121:3-5). The totality of God’s care is seen in the words: “The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore” (121:8, NIV). He has more than our backs; He watches over us “coming and going!”
We read these psalms while also reading about David’s struggles. Before that, we read about Gideon, and Joshua, and Moses… One of the all-encompassing themes of the Bible is the all-powerful nature of our ever-present God! Why do we sometimes forget that? At the end of our reading today we saw a reminder to Israel, and we also hear it for ourselves: “Put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption” (130:7, NIV).
– Al Gary
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