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PROTECTION
Psalm 121 Introduction The preceding Psalm 120 speaks of God’s deliverance. Psalm 121 goes one step farther, it speaks of His protection. Deliverance provides a remedy for unfortunate things which have already occurred. Protection keeps something harmful from happening in the future, which is far better. The difference between deliverance and protection hinges on something we know as “time”. Time is that phenomenon within the universe which separates one event from another; it keeps everything from happening at once. However God is eternal, to Him everything is in the “present”. He knows the “end from the beginning.” Not only is God eternal and “all knowing”, He is also “all powerful”. Consequently, He is able to provide us with the protection we desperately need. Psalm 121 speaks of God’s ability and His promise to provide this protection. The “Source” of Protection Psalm 121 begins with the following thought, “I look up toward the hills. From where does my help come? (Psalm 121:1) Reading further into this Psalm, we see that the “help” envisioned here by the writer refers to protection from harmful things that would cause him difficulty in the future. It is quite interesting that the writer referred to the “hills” in conjunction with the protection he was seeking. Some Bible commentators speculate that the imagery expressed in these words came to mind as the pilgrims, on their way to worshipping in Jerusalem, ascended up through the high country on which the city is situated. A casual reading of these verses might also lead one to believe that the writer was looking to that hilly terrain through which he was traveling as the source of the help he required. However, that is not what he meant. He immediately recognizes that assistance comes from a Divine source, not an earthly one. “My help comes from the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth!” Many people look to earthly things for their protection. In the past people built walls around their cities. Even today, we lock our doors and place bars over our windows. In addition to physical barriers, people also look to other human devised objects to provide security and protection. Many people consider wealth as the ultimate protection against hardship and difficult situations. However, all of these things can at best provide only limited security. To receive ultimate protection we must, as the Psalmist did, look to the Lord. Only He, the Creator of heaven and earth, can give real protection, even though He does at times provide it using the material things we have at our disposal. The Psalmist also recognizes that we are more vulnerable to problems caused through our own neglect and willful disobedience than we are to attacks mounted by external sources. The Psalmist recognized this type of danger, “May he not allow your foot to slip!” (Psalm 121:3a) It is wonderful that God not only protects us from outside dangers, but that He also protects us from “self-inflicted” wounds. The “Pervasiveness” of God’s Protection We are most vulnerable when we are surprised by dangerous situations, which we did not anticipate or for which we have not had enough time to prepare. Once again the Psalmist recognized that God is always “alert” and fully cognizant of the potential dangers surrounding us. “May your protector not sleep! Look! Israel’s protector does not sleep or slumber!” (Psalm 121:3b -4) None of us will ever know of the countless times He has protected us from dangers we never imagined were lurking about. God protects in every situation in which we find ourselves. “The Lord is your protector; the Lord is the shade at your right hand. The sun will not harm you by day, or the moon by night.” (Psalm 121:5 – 6) Another Psalm informs us of God’s omnipresence – meaning that God is everywhere. “Where can I go to escape your spirit? Where can I flee to escape your presence? If I were to ascend to heaven, you would be there. If I were to sprawl out in Sheol, there you would be. If I were to fly away on the wings of the dawn, and settle down on the other side of the sea, even there your hand would guide me, your right hand would grab hold of me. If I were to say, “Certainly the darkness will cover me, and the light will turn to night all around me,” even the darkness is not too dark for you to see, and the night is as bright as day; darkness and light are the same to you.” (Psalm 139:7 – 12) Since God is everywhere, He is always present to protect us. He has promised, “I will never leave you and I will never abandon you.” (Hebrews 13:5) With this promise in mind, the writer of Hebrews assures us, “So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6) God does protect us “24/7”! The “Persistence” of God’s Protection Psalm 121 closes by telling us that God’s protection extends throughout our entire life. “The Lord will protect you from all harm; he will protect your life. The Lord will protect you in all you do, now and forevermore.” (Psalm 121:7 - 8) God’s protection is forever! We will continue to enjoy His provision for us throughout eternity in Heaven. The most often quoted Psalm in the Bible closes with the following words, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” (Psalm 23:6 KJV) Eternal Protection We automatically think of protection in terms of material things. However, our eternal soul is most valuable thing we possess. Jesus said, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul” (Mark 8:36 NIV)) However, God made provision for the preservation of our souls, when He sent His Son to this earth to die for our sins. Jesus also said, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; no one will snatch them from my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them from my Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” (John 10:28 – 30 Conclusion God provides complete protection for all of His children. He watches over us as we perform the daily mundane activities of our lives, and this same care will continue throughout eternity. Because of this, we can experience the state of wellbeing that the ancient Israelite prophet Isaiah did when he wrote the following words. “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you”. (Isaiah 26:3 NIV) Perfect peace comes from knowing that God keeps from harm those who maintain their complete trust in Him. |
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