“I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.

Psalm 121:1-8

God is Your Helper

The singer of this psalm is thought to have been on an arduous journey to Jerusalem. He lifts his weary eyes to the distant hills of Jerusalem and knows in his heart that although he still has a long way to go, the Lord, the maker of the same hills, is present with him in the journey, as well as at the place of his destination.

We too are on a journey, a journey that can be hard, even arduous at times. But the Maker of heaven and earth is your help, he is with you every step of your journey, watching over you, keeping you, never sleeping. Never taking his eyes off you.

If you are in a particularly arduous part of your journey, I hope this Psalm will be an encouragement to you.

God Never Sleeps

God, your loving Father, never takes a break from caring for you, ensuring that you do not stumble. It isn’t that he’s a fretful, worrying parent, but he’s a loving one. He knows every hair on your head, every thought, every word you are about to speak, before even you do. And he loves you beyond measure. Psalm 103:11 says that his unfailing love toward you is as high as the heavens are above the earth!

Not only does God never fall asleep ‘on the job,’ but whilst your body is sleeping, your heart can still be awake to God, and he can speak to you in dreams, instruct you, and fill you with peace:

“I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety.”

Psalm 16:7-9

(Also see Job 33:14-18)

He Watches Over You

Verse eight says that He “keeps watch over you.” Even the most vigilant parent cannot watch their child every second of every day. We can be distracted momentarily by ordinary, everyday things. And typically, it’s in those few seconds of distraction that your child falls and hurts herself.

But God your Father never takes his eye off you, not even for a split second. He watches over you day and night, never deterred, never distracted in his purpose of caring for you.

He Keeps You

In English, to keep means: * To retain possession of, or to take into one’s charge. * To provide all necessities for – to raise and feed and care for. * To protect and preserve .

The word keep used here means all this and more. It’s actually a military term, meaning: * to establish a military outpost; a fortress [around]. * To guard, enclose or “hem in”, and protect with a garrison.

You, God’s child are kept in this way by the Lord of Heaven’s armies. He is fully informed of any plan or scheme that Satan might devise against you, he is never taken by surprise or caught off guard. No weapon formed against you will prosper! (Isaiah 54:17) Your Father keeps you; fiercely and jealously guards you as his precious inheritance; the apple of his eye.

This is the God you can lift your eyes to, and rely upon to help you, keep you, care for you and sustain you forever.

Jill 💜