Psalms of Ascent: Where Will My Help Come From?

Psalm 121 (HCSB)

I raise my eyes toward the mountains.

Where will my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to slip;

your Protector will not slumber.
Indeed, the Protector of Israel

does not slumber or sleep.
The LORD protects you;

the LORD is a shelter right by your side.
The sun will not strike you by day,

or the moon by night.
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.

I have always loved this Psalm but right now, with the few trials Josh and I are going through, it is a jewel in the ruff. A refuge of truth. I am sure it can encourage some of you too.

This Psalm paints a picture of a true journey. Unaware of your next step, yet He won't let your foot slip. I love to think that he is there to catch me if I loose my footing. I have often been hiking with Josh and I always feel safer going into unknown territory with him. Before we were married we went hiking along Paradise River in Cali. He wanted to show me his old stomping grounds. He used to play along the banks of the river and hiked through unmarked trails up in the hills behind his grandparent's house. As a little boy he would swing from the branches of trees along the river. Like a little monkey, he would swing high up into the sky and travel down stream for miles. We hiked up the rocky banks of the river, him lending a hand over the tough terrain. A couple of time my foot would slip or stumble and he would be right there to catch hold of my arm to steady my step. That is how I picture God is during the rough parts of my journey. Right there to keep me from falling over a cliff!

As verse 6 says, He is there during the heat of the day when I am fatigued and exhausted, to shield me from the blazing sun. My grandparents lived in the High desert of California. It is only when visiting a desert you can truly appreciate the forest. There is nothing like being stuck out under the blazing sun without a tree in sight nor a shady place to shield yourself under. God is there along the path to provide protection. What a refreshing thought!

Not only will He protect me from the sun by day but the moon by night! The Psalms of Ascent were sung as the Jews travels from all over in order to meet together in Jerusalem. They traveled far and mostly by foot. They didn't have a Best Western around every bend. Not even a Motel 6! I am sure they spent a lot of nights under the stars. Like my father-in-law, some like sleeping under the stars. Then there are those we know who have had a bad experience. It only took one night of being covered in fire ants to turn Josh off sleeping under the stars forever. What a thing to hold onto when I feel like I am in the dark, unaware of what may attack - that my God will protect me, day and night and from all evil.

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This week's Beth Moore video session opened up with looking to the bible to see that song and "singing is attributed to both God the Father and Christ the Son." Isn't it good to know that God is relational and sings over us with song! (Zeph 3:17) I love music. Who doesn't? Look at our world and how music greatly impacts culture. Songs can move us to tears, to laughter, we whistle when we are happy, sing off key in the shower, sing along together on long road trips, sing to our favorite song whenever it comes to mind. We even remember all of the lines to a song we heard on the radio years ago. I had one of those experiences today when on K-Love they played an old Rich Mullins song. Old because it was written by Rich but sung by Amy Grant during the golden years. I still knew the words to the praise song and the words still moved me. "Emotions and experiences can be expressed through song in ways spoken words can never satisfy (Beth Moore)." It is true that in my times of worship whether in my car or corporately with the church body on Sunday mornings, I sing some pretty bold words that I would normally not pray.

For instance, a verse in Matt Redman's song Blessed Be The Name of The Lord:

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

Wow! When I sing that line, do I really mean it? Sometimes... but many times while I am singing I am praying, "Lord! I truly want to praise you in the midst of every circumstance. Please help me. Give me the strength and may I have the faith to praise you in those times!"
Today at lunch I looked up Matt 26:30 and read about when Christ sang as he finished the Last Supper at Passover. I was curious. What words was Christ singing just before he left for the Mt of Olives? I remembered during last Passover, when Josh and I took a class from Paul, he said that every scripture written about the Last Supper is significant and relates hand in hand with the Passover Feast. So, I asked Paul today, "Will you remind me of what hymn or song Christ sang before he left for the Mt of Olives at the closing of Passover?"

Check out what Christ was singing just before he was taken to be crucified...

Psalm 118:13-29 (NKJ)

You pushed me violently, that I might fall,

But the LORD helped me.

The LORD is my strength and song,

And He has become my salvation.

The voice of rejoicing and salvation

Is in the tents of the righteous;

The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.

The right hand of the LORD is exalted;

The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.

I shall not die, but live,

And declare the works of the LORD.

The LORD has chastened me severely,

But He has not given me over to death.

Open to me the gates of righteousness;

I will go through them,

And I will praise the LORD.

This is the gate of the LORD,

Through which the righteous shall enter.

I will praise You,

For You have answered me,

And have become my salvation.

The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone.

This was the LORD’s doing;

It is marvelous in our eyes.

This is the day the LORD has made;

We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Save now, I pray, O LORD;O LORD,

I pray, send now prosperity.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!

We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.

God is the LORD,

And He has given us light;

Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.

You are my God, and I will praise You;

You are my God, I will exalt You.

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!

For His mercy endures forever.

Yet, this song was written by King David years before Christ came as our salvation. Christ didn't sing this song for his sake. It was the final reminder that he was fulfilling what God had promised. It was for our sake to remind us through a song. It was sung for generations and would still be sung for generations to come. Can you imagine when the disciples came together again, that first Passover after Christ's death and resurrection a year later and they sang together the closing psalm? How their eyes must have opened and how they must have praised God for his fulfillment of his promise! I am sure they too were moved to tears to Praise Him!