22/02/2017: Psalm 121 | “The Lord is your Shelter” | Colleen Stringer
Psalm 121(NLT)
1 I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!
3 He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.
5 The Lord himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
6 The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night.
7 The Lord keeps you from all harm
and watches over your life.
8 The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.
The biblical interpretations for “shelter” are covering, refuge; fortress, wings, and shade…cover of his presence…
- Human help: These pilgrims were not always travelling alone. Other Jews from the Diaspora (the dispersion of the Jews beyond Israel; Jews living outside Israel; the dispersion or spread of any people from their original homeland.) accompanied them, ate with them, bunked down with them, and sang the psalms with them. Scripture certainly supports the offer of human help. I firmly believe that when we are at our lowest spiritually it is the very time that we need to be with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Another thing that brings about a changed prospective when we go to the house of God is the reading and exposition of the scriptures. It is important to read the Scriptures at home, but there is something special about hearing the Word of God unpacked and explained in church. Luke 24: 32
- Divine Help: Human help is wonderful, but it is always human. If those pilgrims were all attacked by an army, or the weather turned totally against them they are literally all in the same boat!!! Our help came from the Lord. Don’t put a human in a divine place!
- Slip and Slide: God knows how easy it is for us to slip into sin, fall into temptation and into discouragement. Yet, let’s remember that He is ever with us and has promised to sustain us with His presence and His power. Jude 24. Holy Spirit: Comforter, Counsellor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby.
- He’s got us Covered 24\7: There are times we grow weary, let down our guard and get caught napping. Not so with the Lord! He is ever awake and active on our behalf and constantly on the job. Lam3: Great is thy faithfulness.
- Protection from Our Enemies: What was true of them in their physical pilgrimage is true of us in our spiritual journey. God always protects his children, often from the physical threats of the world around us, but always in the unseen realm where demons hiss and the gates of hell quake. This is the world…the spiritual world…We get attacked…Amour of God…Eph 6… Matthew 10: 28
- A protective Shade: In v6 are two possible sources of harm for a pilgrim, sun and moon! Moonstroke, unlike sunstroke, did not affect the body, but the mind. The whole idea is that God guards us from attacks on the inside and outside. Whether the attack is open or secret, whether it comes by day or in the darkness of night be sure that God is aware of what is happening and He will always be there to protect, guard and shelter you and give you resources that you need to stand in the day of battle. V8 This finishing scripture cements everything that we have mention in the 2 sessions on Psalm 121. We should rejoice that this is not going to change and that He will continue this ministry throughout eternity. Ours is a priceless, endless guarantee. This is simply a reminder of the wonderful doctrine of the security of the believer. In Jesus we are preserved forever. Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever…
My duty is to trust him, and His duty is to take care of me. He is always performing His duty! Am I performing mine?
