“I lift up
my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the
Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2
This
Psalm bears the title Song of Ascents.1 Jerusalem
was set atop four mountains (Moriah, Zion, Acra & Bezetha) so the people of
Israel would need to climb upward to get to the city from their homes to
celebrate their 3 main festivals or feasts.2 It is supposed by many scholars that this
is when the people would sing these Psalms to the Lord.
We
can find comfort in the above words for life can be cruel and our difficulties
great. The one true and constant help we
can find at any time is our God. He never
fails and is always mindful of our comings and goings. Nothing escapes His gaze. Even if we were cloaked in total darkness,
God still sees. This is a comfort to
those who seek the righteous path, yet is reason to fear for those whose deeds
are evil.
There is nothing God cannot
and will not do for us as a means of helping us along on our journey; however,
we need to devote ourselves to following the standards He has laid out in
scripture. We cannot go through this
life successfully without divine assistance.
Correction: We can, but
our greatest efforts shall fail because what we do is based on flawed
intellect. We cannot reason out many
things for they make no sense to the finite mind. We handle circumstances with limited
resources rather than utilizing the infinite resources God has at His disposal.
Far too many believers live self-absorbed lives, giving very little time or
attention to their relationship with the saver of their soul. Submission is not defeat. Voluntary
allegiance brings total and complete victory. Your only true and lasting help will always
come from the Lord. Stop looking
elsewhere. Until next time, walk with
the King and be a blessing!
1 Song of Ascents (also, Song
of Degrees or Song of Steps) The title
given to each of these fifteen psalms, 120-134 inclusive. The probable origin
of this name is the circumstance that these psalms came to be sung by the
people on the ascents or goings up to Jerusalem to attend the three great
festivals ( Deuteronomy
16:16 ). They were well fitted for being sung by the way from their
peculiar form, and from the sentiments they express. "They are
characterized by brevity, by a key-word, by repetition ... More than half of
them are cheerful, and all of them hopeful." They are sometimes called
"Pilgrim Songs." Four of them were written by David, one (127) by
Solomon, and the rest are anonymous. [M.G. Easton
M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy
freely.]
