A Psalm of Rejoicing: Psalm 121

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A Psalm of RejoicingPsalm 121

• Forest Hills Bible Chapel
• 10 June 2007

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Some Background to Psalm 121

• Many psalms begin with the experience of the
  individual psalmist and are transferred to the
  community of Israel or Judah.
• This Psalm is significantly reminiscent of the
  experience of Hezekiah, king of Judah see 2
  Kings 1817-25, 31-35 2 Kings 1914-19.
• This Psalm is 4 stanzas, of 2 verses each.
• Notice that vv. 1-2 focus on I, my, and
  mine vv. 3-8 focus on He, and the LORD.

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Psalm 121

• 1 I lift up my eyes to the hills
• 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.

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Psalm 121

• 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.

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Some Thoughts on Psalm 121

• Stanza 1 vv. 1-2
• I lift up my eyes to the hills where does my
  help come from? 2 My help comes from the Lord,
  the Maker of heaven and earth.
• Issues with this verse include
• What is the best way to translate it?
• What does it mean?

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Some Thoughts on Psalm 121
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Some Thoughts on Psalm 121

• I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, From
  whence cometh my help v.1 KJV.
• I look to the mountains where will my help come
  from? GNT
• I look up to the mountains does my strength come
  from mountains? 2 No, my strength comes from God,
  who made heaven, and earth, and mountains. The
  Message
• I look up to the mountains does my help come
  from there? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who
  made heaven and earth! - NLT

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Some Thoughts on Psalm 121

• the hills this is the place where the enemy
  comes to attack Gods people.
• the hills These are the high places the
  place where the idol worship takes place.
• In this context, the hills stands for all of
  the threats to Gods people.
• However, our help comes from the LORD, the Maker
  of Heaven and Earth including the hills!

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Some Thoughts on Psalm 121

• 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.
• Sleep is necessary for creatures sleep
  demonstrates our dependency and our weakness
  sleep is evidence of our vulnerability.
  Interestingly, many gods of the pagans slept.

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Some Thoughts on Psalm 121
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Some Thoughts on Psalm 121

• 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.
• God protects His people from the heat of the sun
• God watches over His people night and day

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Some Thoughts on Psalm 121

• 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.
• The Lord will watch over all of life not
  guaranteeing the absence of any adversity, but
  with His help, allowing us to ultimately triumph
  over it.