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Climbing
Psalm 121
A song of ascents.
1
I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
2
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3
He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5
The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7
The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8
the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and for evermore.
Most readers of this psalm will think that the author is wondering if his help
comes from the hills.
3
He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5
The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7
The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8
the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and for evermore.
This voice speaks about feet slipping (3) the hot sun and the moonlight
night – “all harm” (7) and the difficult pilgrimage of “coming and going” (8)
This morning I have a very simple thought for you : We may feel that we
do not have the strength for what lies before us – but our Lord provides an
inner strength that will make it possible for us to cope with the hills of
life.
In order to expand this thought I want to remind you of three people who
climbed up in the strength of God:
48
On that same day the LORD told Moses, 49 “Go up into the Abarim Range to Mount Nebo in Moab, across
from Jericho, and view Canaan, the land I am giving the Israelites as their own possession. 50 There on the
mountain that you have climbed you will die and be gathered to your people, just as your brother Aaron died
on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people. 51 This is because both of you broke faith with me in the
presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and because you did not uphold
my holiness among the Israelites. 52 Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance; you will not enter
the land I am giving to the people of Israel.”
….
27
The eternal God is your refuge,
and underneath are the everlasting arms.
From there he will view the land – but never enter it.
And yet – whilst still looking away to that mountain and knowing all he
does about what it means for him – he is able to leave behind a series of
blessings in Chapter 33, including those beautiful lines in the promise to
Jeshurun:-
27
The eternal God is your refuge,
and underneath are the everlasting arms.
Moses does not harbour resentment in his heart as he approaches his final
climb. He has taken time to prepare Joshua his successor. Moses has a
relationship with God that transcends this final disappointment. He
understands the reasons. But still he has to make this final ascent – to
climb for the last time. How must he have felt?
I will lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my strength come from?
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7
“Do all that you have in mind,” his armour-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.”
8
Jonathan said, “Come, then; we will cross over towards the men and let them see us. 9 If they say to us,
‘Wait there until we come to you,’ we will stay where we are and not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come
up to us,’ we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the LORD has given them into our hands.”
11
So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. “Look!” said the Philistines. “The Hebrews
are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in.” 12 The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his
armour-bearer, “Come up to us and we’ll teach you a lesson.”
So Jonathan said to his armour-bearer, “Climb up after me; the LORD has given them into the hand of Israel.”
13
Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armour-bearer right behind him. The Philistines
fell before Jonathan, and his armour-bearer followed and killed behind him. 14 In that first attack Jonathan and
his armour-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre.
Throughout history there have been conspicuous acts of bravery. I’m sure
it happens in Afghanistan as I speak. Jonathan and his armour-bearer
make their assault up a steep ravine in the sure knowledge that the enemy
is waiting for them at the top.
“Climb up after me; the LORD has given them into the hand of
Israel.”
17 Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain,
and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he
prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
Elijah has had a mountain top experience on Carmel – but it was not at the
summit.
That stretched before him still.
God had answered with fire – Elijah’s prayer then had been answered – but
there was another prayer still needed – and this demanded an effort like
that of Jonathan – an ongoing plea with God for the promised rain as the
hard blue sky stretches every which way across the Mediterranean.
Seven times he sends his servant to see if there is any sign of a coming
storm.
Until finally a tiny cloud the size of a man’s hand appears – and Elijah
realises the prayer is ended – the rain is coming!
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Elijah already stands on the high ground – but not quite at the summit.
There is another climb to be made – another effort required.
I will lift up my eyes to the hills – from where does my help come?
How often life seems like that – a climb that seems to offer on its horizon
the summit of achievement – only to realise that another rise is to be
climbed!
Where does the strength come from that enables that further resolve –
that further effort to claim what God has promised?
God gives the strength – in the same way that he gave Elijah the strength
to outrun Ahab’s chariot to Jezreel. . .
I do not know what challenge greets you in your life this morning.
I do not know what effort is being demanded of you to scale a new height
or achieve a new goal.
But I do know that the only source of strength to climb is in God Himself.
The mountain challenge rises before me – but God made it all especially
that which is over and above these mountains – and He always helps me!
2
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
Above the hill – the mountain – the obstacle is what God has made, and
over which He has power and control.
2
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
Keep climbing – for He who made the hills and mountains made the
heaven and the earth!
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MY HELP COMES FROM THE LORD WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH!