He Who Keeps You Will Not Slumber
A Meditation On Psalm 121:1-4
David S.
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
Circumstances drive us to question whether help is coming. Is God trustworthy? Does He care? Has He forgotten me?
If you feel the need for help, and wonder if it’s coming, you’re in good company.
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
Faith argues with sight. When the horizon of hope is a blank, faith wells up and trusts the Lord anyway.
Not for just any help, but “my help,” tailor-made by the One who created me.
He knows His sheep by name and knows what you need before you ask Him.
I’m thankful this psalm says the help comes, because it means there was a time when help had not yet arrived. There was a time of looking for it and seeing nothing.
Waiting comes first. So much of life is waiting for God to help. I’m thankful for this reminder that experiencing need without relief is normal. It’s part of “Jesus School.”
Normal Christian life is an ebb and flow of need and provision, hunger and fulfillment, fatigue and rest.
The waiting will sometimes become intense. At some point we will probably find ourselves questioning God’s faithfulness, His kind intentions, His promises. Maybe even His existence.
From where does my help come?
Maybe you are questioning right now. Maybe you can’t see any sign of His help on the horizon. Hold on, child of God, your help comes from the Lord.
He will not let your foot be moved;
Jesus said, “I shall lose none of all that the Father gives Me.”
He will not let your foot be moved. His plans to bring you safely to His eternal glory cannot fail.
Your seasons of doubt and questioning will not lead to unbelief. Your foot will not ultimately be moved from the path of life. He will not let it happen.
He guards the path of His faithful ones. “From everlasting to everlasting, the Lord’s love is with those who fear Him.” He loved you from eternity past, loves you now, and will love you for eternity future.
“Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus”.
How do you know your faith will not fail? How can you be sure you will make it safely to the Lord’s presence in glory? How can you be confident you will endure to the end?
This is how: The Lord is your keeper.
he who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
For our Father, every night is a sleepless night spent watching over His own.
This is not a burden to Him. “It is your Father’s pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
He surrounds you, encamped like a powerful army, protecting you. “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty warrior who will save.”
But like Elisha, we can’t see the army protecting us. Often we can’t feel the everlasting arms underneath, holding us up and holding us together. Faith and sight are at odds.
Fear comes in the middle of our sleepless nights. In the dark, doubt and unbelief whisper dreadful things. You may think, “Surely God is weary of putting up with me”.
No, He is not weary of us. He needs no slumber or sleep because He never tires. “His lovingkindness is everlasting.”
His compassion and affection toward you are infinite, omnipotent, everlasting. Wait for the Lord. Help will come as surely as the sun comes up in the morning.
The Lord your God is in your midst, a warrior who saves.
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will renew you in His love.
He will exult over you with loud singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17)
