Upwards

Where is the first place you look when you are in trouble or don’t know what to do? Do you look to friends, family, or the medical profession? There is nothing wrong in looking for help in all these directions. But the first place the psalmist looks is upwards.

Regret looks back. Fear looks around. Worry looks in. Faith looks up.

The psalmist looks up, ‘I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from?’ (v.1). Your help, strength, and protection come from the maker of the universe: ‘My strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains’ (v.2, MSG). ‘He will not let your foot slip – he who watches over you will not slumber’ (v.3).

This beautiful psalm speaks of the Lord’s love for you and his protection over your life.

‘God’s your Guardian,
|| right at your side to protect you...

God guards you against every evil,
|| he guards your very life. He guards you when you leave and when you return,
|| he guards you now, he guards you always’ (vv.5–8, MSG).

I have sometimes used this psalm as a prayer for our family or friends who are facing difficulties in their lives.

The promise of this Psalm is that the Lord will protect you from all ultimate harm. The psalmist could not have known that this is made possible through the ‘once for all’ sacrifice of Jesus, which means that one day he will come ‘to bring salvation for those who are waiting for him’ (Hebrews 9:28).