Message

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MY HELP COMES FROM THE LORD

Psalm 121:1-8
Key Verse: 121:2 “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

 The year of 2008 has almost gone and leaves only one month away for new year. When I look back the year of 2008, I can not but give thanks to God, especially for his care and guidance for our families and ministry. He has watched over each of us as the apple of his eye and protected us from, temptations, persecutions, danger and so on. Especially during the preparation for the Purdue International Conference, five members got car accidents week after week in two months. Even though cars were damaged, no one was hurt or injured. I believe that God protected us and watched over us as an apple of his eyes even in the midst of car accidents. So I praise God and give thanks to Him who has been with us thus far faithfully. Amen.

 Today’s passage is one of songs of ascents. The word ‘ascent’ means ‘going up’.  Ascents were known as songs while priests used to sing while they were climbing up the temple of God.  Through today’s passage, we learn how to overcome troubles and trials and where our help come from. We praise and give thanks to God who has been faithful to watch over us and help us. Amen.

1.  Where does my help come from? (1-2)

Look at verses 1,2. “I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”  According to these verses, the Psalmist must have been in difficult situations which he could not handle. He needed help and his situation was desperate. He often lifted up his eyes to the hills expecting receiving help. He was waiting for someone who could rescue him and help him to get out from the troubles. 

Here “lift up his eyes to the hills” has ambivalent meaning. In the Old Testament, people often looked at the hills when they were in trouble. The Israelites often were invaded by many surrounding enemies. Their sufferings were more than one could say. They were powerless and helpless. So the kings of the Israelites frequently sent envoys to Egypt to send a troop to protect them from their enemies. They depended on the Egyptian army, especially the Egyptian horsemen and chariot.  They relied on the foreign armies in the time of troubles. 

But, it displeased the God of Israel. God wanted his people to rely on him and to seek his face in the time of trials. Isaiah 31:1 says, “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen…”  As children of God, we displease God, our Father by depending on people and things of the world when we are in need. Like the Israelites, we often fall into doubt, unbelief and despair. Frequently we wait for the Egyptian horsemen to rescue us from troubles and trials.

Then how did the Psalmist solve his problem? Where did he get help from? Look at verses 1,2 again. When he lifted up his eyes a little higher from horizon of the hill to heaven, he remembered God, who is the Maker of heaven and the earth. He saw God in heaven over the hills. The God in heaven is the Creator God who made the heavens and the earth. He is Almighty.  He made all things out of nothing. He made impossible possible. He opened the Red Sea for his people so that they could cross the Red Sea as on dry land. He made the wall of Jericho flat like pancake that the general Joshua and his people could march into the city and conquer the promised land. The God of Israel is true God and he is the real help.    Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 146:5 also says, “Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God.” 

We have studied how God helped Jacob when he was in trouble and in danger. Once, Jacob laid in a desperate situation between his wily uncle Laban behind and his murderous brother Esau front. He had no way out. He did not know what to do and where to escape. He was full of fear of death.  Even though he gained everything he wanted such as 4 wives, 12 children, and numerous cattle and sheep, they did not help him to get out of the situation. While Jacob was struggling by the Jabok River, God visited him. God humbled himself and wrestled with Jacob. As we know Jacob was a man of human struggle. He struggled with people to achieve his human ambition and his goal. But, God changed Jacob to Israel. God was very patient with Jacob until he was changed from a physical man to a spiritual man. When Jacob learned how to depend on God, how to struggle with God, he overcame fear of death. His heart was filled with peace, love and joy. His angry brother Esau looked like a friendly brother. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, the God of Israel, whose hope is in the Lord his God. We have the Genesis Bible school at Macomb this weekend. Let us pray that all attendants may meet the God of Jacob personally and newly and experience real help from him.

Each of us needs a certain help in each own situation. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord who is the Maker of heaven and earth. God will help us when we are in troubles. God will open the door for us to enter the promised land, to cross the Red Sea, to conquer the world. The God of Jacob, the God of Israel is the Almighty God. He is faithful God. He never leaves us alone. He showed his absolute love by sending his One and Only Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins. The one who did not spare his One and Only Son Jesus Christ for us will protect us, provide for us and keep us from all danger and harm. Let us praise Jesus and his holy name. Let us lift up our eyes and pray. Our help will come from the Lord. Amen.

2.  He who watches over us (3-8)

There are a father and a son who are about to cross a small river. There laid a stone bridge for them to step and cross the water The father holds his son’s hand tightly and his eyes glued his each step so that the son may not let his foot slip and fall into the water. When the son finishes crossing the river safely, the father hugs him and says, “Well don, my son. You had a good job”. This is a picture of how God the Father watches over his children. God watches over his children so that we may not fall into temptation. His eyes glue on each of our step so that we may not go astray. He will hold our hands tightly and his eyes will chase our footstep until we finish crossing the kingdom of God safe and sound.

The Psalmist found rest and security in God’s supervision and his protection. Look at verses 3,4. “He will let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” Generally children eat well, play well and sleep well. They don’t care much about what their parents struggle with and need for. They sleep well because they feel safe and secure under their parents’ care. They trust in their parents who will protect them and provide for them.

Our father in heaven, who gave us life and made us his children, watches over us day and night. In Him we trust and in him we have rest and strength. In him we sleep well and eat well like children. He who watches over us throughout our life time does not sleep or slumber. Even though our human father and mother sleep or slumber, he does not. The Psalmist says, “…he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” 

One of my happiest moment as a father of two children is to see my children sleeping in a bed. All the time they look so lovely. When they were uncovered in a bed, I picked up blankets and covered them to keep themselves warm. I also turned off the light so that they could sleep well. I believe that it is not only my joy, but your joy, too. God watches over each of us as parents watch over their lovely children.

  Look at verses 5,6. “The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. This is God’s promise of protection for his children who live in this troubled world. The Lord is our shade at our right hand. Shade symbolizes protection. Shade provides for farmers protection from scorching heat. Shade also provides rest for travelers. We are in God’s shade. We are under his protection. Especially, he is our shade at our right hand. The right hand is basically working hand. God will protect us in our working place. God will protect us from all danger, harm and serious accidents. Amen.

Look at verses 7,8. “The Lord will keep you from all harm-he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” Our children want to do something without noticing their parents. My son Sammy wants to hide something personal from me, especially Pokemon cards. But I know what he is going to do and what he is doing. I know why he frequently visits Titus’s house. Even though I pretend to know nothing about him, I know what he is thinking, what he is doing because I watch over him day and night. I will watch over him even when he becomes a grown-up. In the same way, God knows everything about us and he watch over us day and night. He knows our coming and going. He knows everything about us because he is our heavenly Father and he is our Maker. Ps 139:1-3 says, “O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.” 

Sometimes we suffer much because our problems seem too big to be solved. Without telling anyone, we struggle with the problems with many tears. But, our father in heaven knows me. He knows why we have to shed tears and why we suffer and what we really need. Because he is our heavenly Father and we are his children. So Jesus said to his disciples who worried about their future security, “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat? or ‘What shall we drink? or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Mt 6:31-33)
God knows what missionary James Lee’s family need. God knows what Ryan Song wants. God knows what Degi asks for. He will watch over us and provide for us what we need. It is because he is our faithful and powerful God in heaven. 

In today’s passage, we learned that our help comes from the Lord, who is all-powerful. We must lift up our eyes to see Jesus and ask for help. The Lord will watch over us and take care of us more than our father and mother do for us. His love for us endures forever and his faithfulness will lead us to heaven safe and sound. Let us pray that God may bless America. Let us pray that God may bless each family and each one of us. He will hear us when we seek his face and pray. Amen.

 

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Attachment

• psalm121-message-2008.doc