I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth (vv. 1-2, NASB1995).
My son-in-law has what they now call “long-haul COVID” – or persistent symptoms that linger long after the initial infection.
In his case, he’s had a headache almost constantly for nine months after a mild case.
Recently, I heard him say that Psalm 121 has been his “go-to” Psalm during his experience with illness.
I once heard a theologian say that Psalm 121 is the “anti-Oops” chapter in the Bible. Have you had an “Oops”? With me, it is not a question of having had an “Oops” but how many – in fact, how many just yesterday?
He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber (v. 3).
Too often we slip.
From walking a slippery path and falling physically, to not intending to but stumbling in a temptation. Recently, I was walking down a muddy path and slipped, but fortunately, someone was standing next to me. I didn’t fall and I didn’t knock him over.
I was glad that he was there.
He thwarted my slip and we continued walking, almost like it never happened. I love that God walks with us. The world is treacherous but God catches us and sometimes we don’t even notice – we just continue our day.
I have great thoughts at night, sometimes anxiety too. I love to wake up my wife to discuss these matters, but she doesn’t respond with joy! I tease her the next day explaining, “Hey, I thought you want to talk; you want to discuss things about our lives.”
Evidently, 3 a.m. isn’t the best time.
Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep (v. 4).
Yep, God is awake, and He doesn’t mind me talking to Him in the middle of the night. In fact, I have learned that talking to Him instead of letting my mind get carried away on the treadmill of anxious thoughts, allows me to go back to sleep.
There are two types of attacks by the evil one. Those that come in the day and those that come at night. One is more frontal and can be seen, while the other hides in shadows and gains ground by confusion.
The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun will not smite you by day, Nor the moon by night (vv. 5-6).
God is your shade in the sun (day) and the moon (night)!
Read the verses below several times out loud. Hopefully, you are at Starbucks© right now and onlookers will be amused!!! Or having a quiet devotion at the breakfast table with your spouse across the table but…
Go ahead and read these verses out loud.
The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in From this time forth and forever (vv. 7-8).
I appreciate my son-in-law abiding in Psalm 121 through his headaches. I’m sure that the “protection” and “guarding” of the Lord seem distant at times. And that his headaches mock that the Lord seemingly isn’t helping.
Psalm 121 ends with the word “forever.”
That’s the right perspective during immediate need. God has forever to work all things for the good.
Ultimately, there isn’t an “Oops” with God.