To the Mountains
Psalm 121
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
Have you lifted your eyes up the mountains?
Have you looked with wonder to the peaks and high places of this earth? Gazing up we may be struck with wonder – a snow-lined, jagged peak, awesome for its beauty; awe-inspiring because it may seem unattainable, out of reach.
But in looking up we may recognize our own reality. We are down low. Sometimes on even, flat ground. At other times we may be in the valley. When we are the lowest, the mountains may seem even farther away.
But up we look, and with hope.
While we may be held low by brokenness, sin, and the despair of this world, we know another who has climbed the mountain for us. Raised high upon the cross, on Calvary for all to see, our savior gave himself that we might find protection.
Six times in this Psalm we are reminded of his “watching over us,” as one can only do from above.
His protection is complete, sufficient, and thorough because he neither slumbers, nor sleeps.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.