In this article we will reflect on the explanation of psalm 121, the praise of security. Because in times of tribulation, there is nothing like reciting, meditating and trusting in the psalmist's verse that says Where will my help come from?
Explanation of psalm 121
The psalms are praises, hymns, songs or poems dedicated to God. There were several men in the old testament touched or anointed by God who wrote the psalms of the Bible, among them we can mention: Moses, Solomon and King David.
David wrote 73 psalms according to the Hebrew version, while the Greek says that there were 82 psalms. The truth is that among those written by David is the hymn or song of trust, which is Psalm 121.
When David wrote the psalms he received divine inspiration, because God wanted his people to feel his presence in their lives when they sing them and therefore be confident. By reading Psalm 121 we can notice the presence of God near us and feel confident.
God tells us in this praise that He frees us from all evil, rescues us from sin and its effects; be it illness, suffering, stalking and even death. So God is our protector par excellence and the only thing he demands of us is that we have faith and trust in Him.
Psalms 121 (NKJV 2015):
1 I will raise my eyes to the mountains; Where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip, nor will he who guards you slumber.
4 Behold, he who guards Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD is your protector; the LORD is your shadow at your right hand.
6 The sun will not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will protect you from all evil; he will save your life.
8 The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in now and forever.
Verses 1 and 2: Look up to the mountain
In verses 1 and 2 the psalmist David in his song asks himself a question and immediately answers it. As we too must respond today, our help comes from the Lord.
But in the explanation of Psalm 121 in these two verses, it is important to note the phrase "I lift up my eyes to the mountains." This phrase has an implicit action of the psalmist and it is activating the power of prayer. David makes a cry fixing his faith, his gaze to the mountains, seeking the presence of God.
The use of the term "Mountains" has a meaning for the psalmist, because the presence of God was revealed to his ancestors the patriarchs and prophets on the mountains. Even the commandments of God are delivered to Moses on Mount Sinai, also called Mount Horeb during the exodus through the desert.
Another example of the instructions given to men of God on mountains is the case of the patriarch Abraham and Mount Moriah or the prophet Elijah on Mount Carmel.
Verse 3: The Lord will not let your foot slip
The psalmist, as we have already seen, begins the praise with a cry, trusting that, if he is in the presence of God, he will obtain his help, his help. But, in addition, his presence guarantees him firmness, God will not allow him to fall or slip, because the one who guards him does not sleep.
Let us then have the certainty that, if we remain firm dwelling in the shelter of God, the Lord will not let us fall. We will have security and stability in our lives when God is with us, that is if we have accepted him from the heart and always seek to please him in everything.
Verses 4 and 5: The Lord is your guardian
God in these verses tells us that He will not sleep because he is the guardian and protector of his people, of his church. God is not like the man who needs hours of sleep to replenish his strength, the Lord watches over our path at all times, day or night.
In verse 5, the Lord tells us that he is our shadow at the right hand, meaning that God will never turn from us. In the same way that our own shadow never leaves our side.
Verse 6: The Lord is faithful protector at all times
The Lord is our faithful protector at all times, day and night says verse 6 of this psalm 121. Let us always try to live under the care of the Lord during the day and be under the protection of our almighty God at night.
Psalms 91:1-2 (BLPH): 91 You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, you who live in the shelter of the Almighty, 2 say to the Lord: “You are my refuge, my stronghold, my God in whom I trust.
We encourage you to enter the article, god protection: Do you know how to get it? and know with us what the Lord says to reach the protection of him. Because the Lord promises us her protection in many of the biblical verses, but we must know how to achieve it.
That promise is valid and is fulfilled in us, when God with our repentance, rescues us from the slavery of sin through Jesus Christ our Savior. The Lord fulfills and will continue to fulfill his protection for us, his promises are the Yes and the Amen.
Verse 7: The Lord keeps you from evil
In verse 7, the explanation of Psalm 121 is nothing more than the confidence of knowing that God our Lord keeps us from all evil, protecting our lives from the snares of the devil. The adversary the devil, as long as we remain under the shadow of the omnipotent, will not be able to harm us.
God will not allow evil to touch our soul, from the day we accept Jesus Christ in our hearts and confess him with our mouths for salvation.
In the book of Job we find a passage where God puts a limit on the devil with everyone who is faithful to him, as Job was with the Lord:
Job 1:12 (NKJV): Then the lord answered satan: -There's Job. Do what you want with all your riches. But I forbid you to hurt him-. And having said this, Satan left the presence of the Lord.
Explanation of psalm 121, Verso 8
In verse 8, the Lord encourages us saying that he will always be with us. He will remain from the beginning to the end, guarding our way out and our way in forever and everywhere.
After meditating on Psalm 121 of the psalmist David and the praise of the pilgrims in the caravans who traveled to Jerusalem to be in the presence of God. We can see how great and beautiful our God is towards his children and the church of Jesus Christ, who cares for us and protects us everywhere and from beginning to end.
When we look around us and see the afflictions of the world, if we have faith we can confidently say to the Lord:
Psalms 91:2 (ESV): -You you are my refugemy castlemy God, in whom I trust! -
Psalm 121 Explained: The Assurance of God's Protection
By reciting and meditating on Psalm 121 we can feel the security that God's presence represents in our lives. His presence close to us at all times gives us security to face the vicissitudes that we have to live.
If we remain in common union with the Lord, always seeking him, there will be no Goliath that we cannot face. Because every problem, stalking, anguish, fear becomes small if we compare it with our almighty, loving, God and Heavenly Father.
We must then place our total trust in the Lord, having the security of being protected in the security of the good and pleasing will of God. He will always take care of us, if we become a temple and abode of the Lord forever:
Psalm 23:6 (NLT): Certainly your kindness and your unfailing love will follow me all the days of my life, and in the house of the Lord I will live forever.
We invite you to read the article: David and Goliat, a biblical duel that made history. God in this story teaches us that in a world full of Goliath we must be a David.
The Lord encourages us that no matter the circumstance, the giant, even if it is the largest we can imagine, because He is sufficiently larger and more powerful than any giant. Let us therefore maintain our intimacy with the Lord, and he will always go ahead in all our battles. In this sense, we suggest you read about the Intimacy with God: How to develop it?