For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Psa 121

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 for evermore.

A. Find Out

1. What does the psalmist do & ask & what answer does he give? v.1,2
2. What will the Lord do and not do? v.3,4
3. What also does the Lord do, and what is He? v.5
4. With what effect? v.6
5. What further will He do? v.7
6. For how long? v.8

B. Think:

1. What is the psalmist’s initial concern?
2. What conclusion does he reach?
3. What, on reflection, does he then realise?

C. Comment:

                This psalm appears to be a reflection that the psalmist has as he ponders on where help in life comes from. When he looks to the hills it may be that he anticipates an enemy coming over the hills at him, or it may be that he knows that the ‘high places’ favoured by some who worship idols, are in the hills (v.1) So, whether it be help against an enemy or just generally the source of his help, he concludes he will choose the Lord as his help (v.2)

                He sees life as sometimes a place of uncertainty, but he knows the Lord will not let him slip or fall (v.3a) and, indeed, as he ponders on it some more, he realises that the Lord watched over him and would never ‘drop off’ in light sleep (v.3b) or, for that matter a deeper sleep (v.4). He restates that the Lord watches over us (v.5a) but, even more, He acts as shade to protect us (v.5b)

                Thus, he reasons, neither the heat of the sun in the day nor the light of the moon at night (that may allow miscreants to come and bring harm) will be allowed to harm us (v.6).

                But there is more: not only will the Lord protect us in these ways, He will keep us from ALL harm as He watches over our life (v.7) both day and night AND for the rest of our lives (v.8). This is thus a psalm of great reassurance.

D. Application:

1. Will I let these truths bring ME great reassurance?
2. Can I have this confidence of the Lord utterly protecting me?