Psalm 121

Psalm 121

“Where Are You Looking?”

I.                    True security in life is only found by looking to God, so we must look above life’s circumstances to the One who is powerful over all things (Vv. 1-2)

a.       The Psalmist is on his pilgrimage to Jerusalem, looking at the hills that surround him and lay in front of him, and is moved to ask a question, “From where shall my help come?” The Psalmist’s question and answer could either represent an antiphonal psalm in which a leader and the group of pilgrims sang out questions and the group answered in response, or it could be an internal dialogue which the Psalmist had with himself as he journeyed. Although the psalm was certainly shared by the pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem, it’s very likely that the psalm was initially the product of an internal dialogue. The Psalmist, weary from the trip, looked to the hills, recognize the dangers which existed all around him, and reasoned with himself about where he might find security, safety, and hope. As he considers the nature of his trip and his destination, his mind is moved to look past the hills of danger, and even past the hills on which the city of Jerusalem sat, and consider the only One who is powerful over all things, spoke all things into existence out of nothing, and sits enthroned as Creator. Help from any other source will always fall short. No amount of foresight of our own can identify all the dangers and challenges which populate our path, but the One who Created all things, knows all things, and is sovereign over all things, can provide true security, but we must look to Him alone. Where do you look when life’s challenges, difficulties, and dangers press in on you? Where does your help come from? Where do you find security? If we’re honest with ourselves, we most often look to our own strength and abilities, or the strength and abilities of others, instead of looking up past the hills of difficulties, we cast our eyes to the right, left, and down. We never truly find security in any of those places, people, or things, only disappointment, discouragement, confusion, and fear. True security in life is only found by looking to God. (Vv. 1-2; Ps. 46:1-3; 89:11-13; 96:4-5; 104:2-9; 115:15; 124:8; 134:3; 136:4-9; Jer. 3:22-23; Hos. 4:11-13; Rom. 11:36; Eph. 3:20)

II.                 True security in life is only found by looking to God; so we must truth faithfully in what only He can do (Vv. 3-8)

a.   After discussing with himself what he needs and where he must look to find it, the Psalmist now reassures himself of how God alone provides security for him on his pilgrimage. The dominant idea is the protection of God under His watchful eye, which is translated variously as “keep”, “protect”, “guard”, “preserve”, and “watches over”. When we look to our own strength and abilities or the strength and abilities of others for security, we’ll always find that human strength, understanding, and ability fades and wanes, but the Psalmist reassures himself that God’s protection never fades, never wanes, never sleeps, is always effectual for keeping us from sliding or staggering, and always effective to set us back upright when we turn to Him and lean on Him. He also reassures himself that God alone is not only able to provide for the security of all who look to Him, but that it’s the Lord Himself who must be our protection. He alone is able to watch over and protect all who look to Him from the dangers of the day which are seen, and the dangers of the night which are unseen. He alone is the only One who is all-powerful to protect us from all evil and its harm. God alone is sovereign and able to guide and protect our whole lives and existence. And He alone can protect us from all these things and in all these ways all the time, every day, and forever when we belong to Him. This is a straightforward psalm, with a straightforward message of the absolute and complete hope and security for which all humanity feels the need, and the reality of the all powerful Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, and Judge who alone can keep us on our journey through life. We’re all on a journey and pilgrimage through life, but only when our destination is eternal life with God through the reconciliation only possible in Christ, will we be able to journey confidently, purposefully, peacefully, and securely no matter the dangers and circumstances we face. The Psalmist’s revelation of God’s sole ability to protect and secure us from all these dangers speaks to the reality that we’ll certainly face them, and that the path of our journey in this broken world won’t be smooth. But God calls us to lift our eyes up beyond the troublesome hills of our journey and look to His perfect and constant protection. True security in life is only found by looking to God. (Vv. 3-8; Gen. 50:20; Ps. 18:1-3; 31:1-8; 32:8; 34:15-18; 40:1-3; 56:13; 66:8-12; 73:23-28; 91:1-13; 139:1-16; Prov. 2:7-8; 3:13-26; Isa. 25:4;  Lam. 3:20-25; Matt. 28:18-20; John 16:33; Rom. 5:1-5; 8:28-39; 2 Cor. 4:6-10; Col. 3:1-4; Heb. 13:5b-8; 1 Pet. 2:9-12; 3:12; 5:6-11; Jude 24-25)