Psalm 121 is the perfect Psalm for times of trouble and anxiety. The times we now live in.
I lift my eyes toward the mountains.
Where will my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not allow your foot to slip;
your Protector will not slumber.
4 Indeed, the Protector of Israel
does not slumber or sleep.
5 The Lord protects you;
the Lord is a shelter right by your side.[a]
6 The sun will not strike you by day
or the moon by night.
7 The Lord will protect you from all harm;
He will protect your life.
8 The Lord will protect your coming and going
both now and forever.
This Psalm of protection, hope and help called the nation of Israel, the ancient Jews, to look to God as their ultimate protector. They had military outposts, fortified towns, soldiers and guards. This was wise and good and yet their ultimate and true protection was God himself.
This reality that God was their protection is true in two ways. First, the strength and strategy of the soldier, the power of their hand on the day of battle, or even the day of guarding, was dependent on the Creator who gave them life and strength. Without his work in his people, they had no strength, no strategy and so no protection. Second, the Psalm, assumes the world and life to come beyond this life. This is the greater truth. God was their protection for the giver of life was the one who could protect his people not just from death but through death. This Psalm promises that those who truly hoped in God would be protected from even the harm of death itself. 'The Lord will protect you from all harm; He will protect your life.'
This incredible promise, that the one who trusts the LORD, would not meet any harm is now fully revealed and fulfilled by Jesus. He said these stunning words.
“I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.
“I assure you: An hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For just as the Father has life in Himself, so also He has granted to the Son to have life in Himself. And He has granted Him the right to pass judgment, because He is the Son of Man. (John 5: 24-27).
This is how God, would protect his people from all harm. By sending Jesus. Jesus makes the promise that all who listen to him, that is, accept and respond to his claims about himself, have eternal life. Not will have, in the future, but have it right now. Life in the world to come is theirs. Now.
Nor will not come under the judgement of God, since they have already, through their trust in Jesus, passed from death to life. The tense of the word passed is important. It is past tense. Those who believe Jesus, trusting and relying on him will escape judgment for they have already passed through death, where judgement happens, to the new life.
Jesus could promise this because he was the one who would enter into our world, as God in the flesh, and come to harm on the Cross. On the Cross, Jesus would face the judgement of God, so that those who trust in him would be safe from all harm.
This great truth has profound implications for us now. Not only is the future a place of certainty for those who have trusted Jesus but we see the very character of God. God cares about humanity. He cares about the difficulties we face. He must, for in the person of Jesus he came in the flesh to face harm for us. This means we can trust him now in times of trouble.
In these times of trouble, look to Jesus, trust in Jesus, the one who has life in himself and can give you life, true life, eternal life; a life that is safe from every harm.
The Lord will protect you from all harm;
He will protect your life.
The Lord will protect your coming and going
both now and forever.