Keeping Watch

DEVOTION

PSALMS

KEEPING WATCH

Ps 121

121:1 A song of ascents.

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. 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.

NIV

The second psalm of ascents on the second step of the temple. There is a repeated phrase within this psalm, “The Lord watches over you”. It is a good thing to lift our eyes to the hills, for that is where the Lord is. What good is there in looking to the ground, or in the sense of an analogy, the world? When we look down we see only humans, but when we lift our eyes to the hills, or heaven we see the Lord who is able to help us. He is the maker of heaven and earth, what is too difficult for him? If we are looking to the world surely our foot will slip, but keeping our focus on the Lord, our foot will not slip. When we lay our head on the pillow at night, he is they watching over our slumber, we can sleep in peace, free from any worry or anxiety about the morning. The Lord does not sleep, so he keeps watch over us all the time making sure we do not slip. Our standing firm is not even on our own strength for he keeps our feet firm. During the day, he is our shade, the sun will do us no harm. Well that goes against all the people who warn us about putting on sun screen to protect us from its harmful rays. The Lord has established heaven and earth and he has given us the sun and the moon, but for our benefit and he watches over us at day and at night. The Lord keeps us from all harm, period, that is final. He watches over our life, he knows our coming and going, all that we do in the now and in the forevermore. He will not abandon us, he will not forsake us, and he will always be there keeping watch. What peace that brings, and serenity floods our spirit. We can enjoy life because he is there watching over us. He is our shepherd, we will not want. He causes us to lay down in green pastures, we find rest by the still waters. All we ever need he has lead us to and keeps us safe from all harm. He restores our soul, simply by watching over us. What more could we ask for? We have the Lord watching over us. It is interesting the Hebrew word translated watching or watches means to hedge about (as with thorns) i.e.  guard, protect. We live under the protection, the guard, the watch of the Lord. He is keeping watch.