Will He Keep Me?: Psalm 121

Will He Keep Me?

Psalm 121

His protection is “as refreshing as it is complete. It avails against the known and the unknown; perils of day and night; the most overpowering of forces and the most insidious.”
Derek Kidner

Have you ever wondered if you will fail the test of faith? Ever wondered if the wilderness road will prove too dry, too harsh, too difficult? If the intense suffering will prove that your faith was no faith at all? That maybe you don’t have what it takes to persevere, to endure with joy, to set your hope in eternal glory? The beginning stanzas of “He Will Hold Me Fast” have been very comforting to me when these kinds of questions arise in my own mind:

When I fear my faith will fail
Christ will hold me fast
When the tempter would prevail
He will hold me fast 

I could never keep my hold
Through life’s fearful pass
For my love is often cold
He must hold me fast.

It is Christ’s grip on me that will keep me. Psalm 121 offers us the same hope. 

The psalmist says, “I lift up my eyes to the hills…” Lifting his eyes to the hills could be both an anxious look because the hills could hide robbers and bandits who harassed travelers on the road, or it could be a look of anticipation since Jerusalem, where they were headed, was hidden among the hills (VanGemeren). It is a good illustration of the Christian life. We are on our way to our heavenly home, and we are pilgrims on the road, which is often fraught with a mixture of anxiousness and anticipation. We have both the hardships of the road and the hope of heaven. There are real dangers, sufferings, and afflictions, yet the destination is the glorious city of God. We know that “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). As strangers and exiles, we desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one (Hebrews 11:16). The psalmist looked to the hills, and though he knew the danger, he also knew the great city awaited him on the other side of those hills. 

The psalmist, facing the dangers of the journey, purposefully asks himself, “From where does my help come?” He immediately answers, “My help comes from the Lord.” On his way to the great city of Jerusalem, the road will be arduous and perhaps even dangerous. Who will help him? Who will guard him through those hills and bring him successfully to his destination? It’s a good question to ask ourselves often, “From where does my help come?” And to answer it honestly. When we face the hardships of this life, the things that really discourage us,  who or what are we looking to for help, or placing our confidence in? “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” As Creator, the Lord has unlimited power (VanGemeren). He is exceedingly capable of supplying any help that I need. As Creator, He is sovereign over my life. From where does my help come in the pressures of life? The Lord. From where does my help come to fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith? The Lord. Who will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom? The Shepherd of my soul.

The psalmist continues to speak God’s promises to himself. Six times in the remainder of the psalm, he speaks about the Lord as his keeper. “He who keeps you will not slumber” (121:3); “Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber not sleep” (121:4); “The Lord is your keeper” (121:5); “The Lord will keep you from all evil” (121:7); “he will keep your life” (121:7); “The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore” (121:8). Perhaps he was inwardly still wondering if he was really going to make it. During the difficult stages of the journey, could he keep going? When the nights were cold or lonely, when the days were long, when the path through the hills was steep and rocky, would he make it through? And so he kept repeating to himself, “The Lord is my keeper, and He will keep me. He will keep me from all evil. He will keep my life.” Whatever known or unknown perils awaited him, day or night, the most overpowering or insidious, his God would protect him (VanGemeren).

Are you on a difficult stretch of your journey to our heavenly home? Are you wondering right now if you will make it? Hear the comfort of psalm 121. He keeps you. Even now. The Lord will keep you. He will keep your life. He will keep you completely from the beginning to the end. Through this moment and this day. Through the green pastures and the dark valleys. To the other side of your suffering and into His heavenly kingdom. He will keep you. He has promised.  

The hardships of the road work in us a longing for our true home. And the hope of heaven helps us persevere, knowing the glory that is ours there far outweighs the present suffering. While we are journeying through life, we have a great Savior, who protects us by His power (1 Peter 1:5), is able to keep us from stumbling (Jude 24), guards our hearts and minds with His peace (Philippians 4:7), and will strengthen and protect us from the evil one (2 Thessalonians 3:3). Our Lord walks with us. His ever present help will keep us “from this time forth and forevermore.”

Songs:

Let’s pray Psalm 121.

121:1-2 I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 
Heavenly Father, I pray:
▫️I lift my eyes to You. I’ve already dwelt long enough on my troubles. It is so easy to keep looking at the sufferings and hardships and to grow impatient. I’m crying to You for help and deliverance. What situation is tempting you to grow anxious? Is there a specific aspect of the situation that is making it more difficult to keep your eyes on the Lord and His promises? 
▫️My help comes from You, and You have unlimited power. You also have unlimited wisdom. You know the best help to give me, the best time to give it, and You are never late. At times I feel You are slow or delayed, so help me to trust You for Your perfect help in Your perfect time.
▫️I need Your help in ________, and I need Your grace to respond with ________ so that I will honor You.

121:3-4 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 
Heavenly Father, I pray:
▫️You have said that You will not let my foot be moved. When You are at my right hand, I shall not be shaken (Psalm 16:8). Through Your steadfast love, I shall not be moved (Psalm 21:7). I feel so weak right now. I feel shaken. Help me to both acknowledge the adversity that has hurt me but also cling to the truth that You will never let me go. You are the One who holds my hand (Psalm 37:24) and holds me in Your hand (John 10:28).
▫️It is a great comfort to know that You never sleep. You are never unaware of Your children. You are never unobservant. You are always watching, caring, listening, and working each and every situation for the eternal good of Your children. Nothing escape Your notice. Nothing is outside of Your predetermined purposes. I cast _______ on You, and You will sustain me through this; You will never permit the righteous to be moved (Psalm 55:22). 

121:5-6 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. 
Heavenly Father, I pray:
▫️Help me to truly trust and experience You as my keeper, the One who upholds and sustains me. Throughout this day as I feel overwhelmed with emotions like ________, remind me also that You are keeping me. Despite my feelings, circumstances, past, and future, You are my keeper. You will hold me fast through all of life’s difficulties.
▫️Not only are You my shade on my right hand, You are my rock, my salvation, my fortress. My soul waits for You (Psalm 62:2). You are able to keep me from stumbling and to make me stand in the presence of Your glory blameless with great joy (Jude 24). I am anticipating that day so much. May these trials work in me a greater longing for You and my eternal home with You, and may the hope of heaven give me a strength to endure these hard days.

121:7-8 The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and you’re coming in from this time forth and forevermore.
‭‭Heavenly Father, I pray:
▫️Please, Lord, keep me from all evil. Not only guard and protect me from the evil one, but keep me from walking down an evil path. Hardships can be times when it is so tempting to respond in sinful ways, become consumed with myself and my own suffering, or doubt You. Keep me from the evil that would come against me, but also keep me from participating in evil thoughts, words, and deeds.
▫️Thank You that You keep my life, my soul. You are protecting me by Your power. You will bring me safely to Your heavenly kingdom. Help me to glorify You in all things.
▫️Your keeping power is from beginning to end. You will not fail. If my faith depended on me, I would be lost. But You are keeping me. You are holding on to me. You will not let me go. 

May the Lord do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, for His glory and our good. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All right reserved.

Photo credit to aleskrivec

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