From Whence Cometh Our Help

Psalm 121:1-8

[1] I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. [2] My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. [3] He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. [4] Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. [5] The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. [6] The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. [7] The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. [8] The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. 

1. The PERSON who is our help – We are to look not to the creation (the hills) but to the maker of the hills, the Creator of all things. His power and love are seen in the creation around us. By the Scriptures we learn that He is also our:
   1. PROPITIATION – propitiation is defined by Webster as “the atonement or atoning sacrifice offered to God to assuage His wrath and render Him propitious to sinners.”  Christ by offering His body and blood on the cross made Himself the propitiation for our sin. There is nothing that we could ever give that would be sufficient as an offering.  Everything that we have is something that God has made and already owns. Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.”  Even our very life comes from God and it is already His. The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is the most precious thing that has ever existed in this world. Only that precious blood and perfect life given in vicarious sacrifice was sufficient to propitiate the anger of God against sinners. 
   2. PRIEST – Hebrews 3:1 “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;”. The role of the priest is to go to God on behalf of the sinner. Christ is our ‘mediator’ 1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”. Neither you nor I have any merit to approach God to seek His favor. Jesus, by His sinless, perfect life given in sacrifice has the merit and the will to use it on our behalf. He is our priest and mediator. \
   3. PLEADER – 1 John 2:1-2 “[1] My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: [2] And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”  An advocate as defined by Webster is “One who pleads the cause of another”.  Christ is our advocate He is sitting at the right hand of God the Father making intercession for the saved. Romans 8:34 “[34] Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”  He is the only capable advocate that we can have. 
2. The POWER that is our help. Matthew 28:18 “[18] And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” The word ‘power’ in this verse has manifold meanings. It means ability, authority or right,  Consider the power of God It is:
   1. Shown in His CREATION – Whatever level of the creation that we consider the wondrous power of God is evident. As we think about the microscopic world God’s ability to make such tiny and elegant things that we can observe under a microscope or whether we look to the stars and the great galaxies that were flung into place by His hand we see His ability and might. He has not only the ability to do His will but the moral right to do so.  He has this right by the fact that all is His creation.
   2. CONSTANT – Our passage tells us that He “will not slumber”.  My attention will waver and I must sleep. If we set a guard there must be a schedule of relief or the watch will fail. Our protector and help doesn’t sleep nor does He need relief. 
3. The PROTECTION by His Power – “The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil”. His protection and help is:
   1. COMPLETE – There is nothing that can touch a believer that God does not either send or allow. Many times we are confused and mistaken about the things that occur in our lives.  One of the men I really admired, Dr. James W. Crumpton, often said “the greatest blessings of my life came disguised as heartache, trial and tribulation”.  The Scriptures promise that Romans 8:28 “[28] And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”  
   2. COMFORTING – In the passage it speaks of ‘shade’. For those who have labored long days in the hot summer sun, the picture of a cool shade gives a beautiful picture of the comfort that God’s help gives to those who are suffering whatever trial.  Reading God’s word, talking to Him in prayer and experiencing His grace and help is a great comfort to all who seek Him. 
4. The PRODUCT of His help is:
   1. PLENARY – The provision is for all of God’s people. It matters not whether we are rich or poor, famous or unknown, young or old, God’s grace and help is available to us all. 
   2. PERSONAL – It speaks of ‘thy soul’. The soul is the very essence of who we are.  It is more us than our physical bodies are. Our body is ’our earthly house’ 2 Corinthians 5:1 “[1] For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” God is concerned about you!  He is not someone who is just watching disinterestedly. Hebrews 4:15 “[15] For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”  Christ understands our feelings and problems. He is able and willing to help us in the time of trouble.