from whence cometh my help
TRANSCRIPT
From Whence Cometh My
Help?
Psalm 121
Psalm 121
Part of the “Songs of Ascent.”
Psalm 121
Part of the “Songs of Ascent.”
• “Songs of Ascent” were sang as the Israelites journeyed to
Jerusalem.
Psalm 121
Part of the “Songs of Ascent.”
• “Songs of Ascent” were sang as the Israelites journeyed to
Jerusalem.
• The Israelites‟ singing this psalm as they went to Jerusalem
plays an important role in the interpretation of the psalm.
Psalm 121 (ESV)
“I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
“He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
Psalm 121 (ESV)
“The LORD is your keeper;
the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
“The LORD will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
The LORD will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.”
From Whence Cometh My Help?
AN ASSURANCE OF HELP.
AN ASSURANCE OF WAKEFULNESS.
AN ASSURANCE OF PROTECTION.
An Assurance of Help
“I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth” (vv 1-2, ESV).
I Will Lift up my Eyes to the Hills
The psalmist lifted up his eyes to the hills.
I Will Lift up my Eyes to the Hills
The psalmist lifted up his eyes to the hills.
• Travelers in the hills needed protection. Robbers and wild
beasts were a serious threat.
I Will Lift up my Eyes to the Hills
The psalmist lifted up his eyes to the hills.
• Travelers in the hills needed protection. Robbers and wild
beasts were a serious threat.
• Jerusalem was built on a hill.
I Will Lift up my Eyes to the Hills
The psalmist lifted up his eyes to the hills.
• Travelers in the hills needed protection. Robbers and wild
beasts were a serious threat.
• Jerusalem was built on a hill. Thus, the travelers would
start on their journey, looking to the hills and wondering
from whence they would find protection.
I Will Lift up my Eyes to the Hills
The psalmist lifted up his eyes to the hills.
• Travelers in the hills needed protection. Robbers and wild
beasts were a serious threat.
• Jerusalem was built on a hill. Thus, the travelers would
start on their journey, looking to the hills and wondering
from whence they would find protection.
The question is rhetorical—the psalmist knows his
help comes from God.
The Lord is a Helper
He is often referred to as Israel‟s helper.
The Lord is a Helper
He is often referred to as Israel‟s helper:
• “May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you
support from Zion!” (Ps 20:2, ESV).
The Lord is a Helper
He is often referred to as Israel‟s helper:
• “May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you
support from Zion!” (Ps 20:2, ESV).
• “O Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their
shield” (Ps 115:9, ESV).
The Lord is a Helper
He is often referred to as Israel‟s helper:
• “May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you
support from Zion!” (Ps 20:2, ESV).
• “O Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their
shield” (Ps 115:9, ESV).
He is our help, too!
The Lord is a Helper
He is often referred to as Israel‟s helper:
• “May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you
support from Zion!” (Ps 20:2, ESV).
• “O Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their
shield” (Ps 115:9, ESV).
He is our help, too!
• “We can confidently say, „The Lord is my helper; I will not
fear; what can man do to me?‟” (Heb 13:6, ESV).
The Lord is a Helper
He is often referred to as Israel‟s helper:
• “May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you
support from Zion!” (Ps 20:2, ESV).
• “O Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their
shield” (Ps 115:9, ESV).
He is our help, too!
• “We can confidently say, „The Lord is my helper; I will not
fear; what can man do to me?‟” (Heb 13:6, ESV).
• We do not go through life alone!
Our Helper is the Creator
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the
earth” (Gn 1:1, ESV).
Our Helper is the Creator
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the
earth” (Gn 1:1, ESV).
Universe shows God‟s power.
Our Helper is the Creator
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the
earth” (Gn 1:1, ESV).
Universe shows God‟s power.
• Milky Way:
100 to 200 billion stars.
Our Helper is the Creator
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the
earth” (Gn 1:1, ESV).
Universe shows God‟s power.
• Milky Way:
100 to 200 billion stars.
Roughly 100,000 light-years from end to end.
Our Helper is the Creator
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the
earth” (Gn 1:1, ESV).
Universe shows God‟s power.
• Milky Way:
100 to 200 billion stars.
Roughly 100,000 light-years from end to end.
We are about 2/3 from the center.
Our Helper is the Creator
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the
earth” (Gn 1:1, ESV).
Universe shows God‟s power.
• Milky Way.
• Andromeda (nearest large galaxy to us).
Our Helper is the Creator
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the
earth” (Gn 1:1, ESV).
Universe shows God‟s power.
• Milky Way.
• Andromeda (nearest large galaxy to us).
200 to 300 billion stars.
Our Helper is the Creator
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the
earth” (Gn 1:1, ESV).
Universe shows God‟s power.
• Milky Way.
• Andromeda (nearest large galaxy to us).
200 to 300 billion stars.
2 million light years away (what astronomers see is light sent from
Andromeda 2 million years ago).
THAT’S THE POWER WE HAVE
TO HELP US!
An Assurance of
Wakefulness
“He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep” (v 3, ESV).
Relevant for these Jews
God would not allow their feet to be moved.
Relevant for these Jews
God would not allow their feet to be moved.
They would be traveling to Jerusalem over the course of many
days.
Relevant for these Jews
God would not allow their feet to be moved.
They would be traveling to Jerusalem over the course of many
days.
God wouldn‟t allow their feet to be moved on the difficult
terrain.
God Doesn‟t Slumber or
Sleep
For the Mesopotamians, a sleeping god was one who was
unresponsive to the needs of his people.
God Doesn‟t Slumber or
Sleep
For the Mesopotamians, a sleeping god was one who was
unresponsive to the needs of his people.
Babylonian prayer: How long is my god going to sleep?
God Doesn‟t Slumber or
Sleep
For the Mesopotamians, a sleeping god was one who was
unresponsive to the needs of his people.
Babylonian prayer: How long is my god going to sleep?
Our God isn‟t like those gods—he never sleeps.
God Always Hears Us
“Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint
and moan, and he hears my voice” (Ps 55:17, ESV).
God Always Hears Us
“Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint
and moan, and he hears my voice” (Ps 55:17, ESV).
“Rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark,
he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he
prayed” (Mk 1:35, ESV).
God Always Hears Us
“Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint
and moan, and he hears my voice” (Ps 55:17, ESV).
“Rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark,
he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he
prayed” (Mk 1:35, ESV).
“In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and
all night he continued in prayer to God” (Lk 6:12, ESV).
An Assurance of Protection
“The LORD is your keeper; the
LORD is your shade on your right
hand” (v 5, ESV).
An Assurance of Protection
“The LORD is your keeper; the
LORD is your shade on your right
hand” (v 5, ESV).
Heb word for “keeper” comes from
the verb which means “to hedge
about,” “to guard,” or “to protect.”
An Assurance of Protection
“The LORD is your keeper; the
LORD is your shade on your right
hand” (v 5, ESV).
Heb word for “keeper” comes from
the verb which means “to hedge
about,” “to guard,” or “to protect.”
The Lord was a shade—protection
from the sun was quite important in
the Ancient Near East.
An Assurance of Protection
“The LORD is your keeper; the
LORD is your shade on your right
hand” (v 5, ESV).
Heb word for “keeper” comes from
the verb which means “to hedge
about,” “to guard,” or “to protect.”
The Lord was a shade—protection
from the sun was quite important in
the Ancient Near East.
The Lord was their right hand.
On the Right Hand
The Lord‟s being on someone‟s
right hand was a sign of
protection.
On the Right Hand
The Lord‟s being on someone‟s
right hand was a sign of
protection.
“I have set the LORD always before
me; because he is at my right hand, I
shall not be shaken” (Ps 16:8, ESV).
On the Right Hand
The Lord‟s being on someone‟s
right hand was a sign of
protection.
“I have set the LORD always before
me; because he is at my right hand, I
shall not be shaken” (Ps 16:8, ESV).
“The Lord is at your right hand; he
will shatter kings on the day of his
wrath” (Ps 110:5, ESV).
Neither Sun nor Moon
Many of the roads to Jerusalem
upon which the pilgrims would be
traveling were exposed to
excessive heat.
Neither Sun nor Moon
Many of the roads to Jerusalem
upon which the pilgrims would be
traveling were exposed to
excessive heat.
Protection from the moon:
People believed too much exposure to
the moon was dangerous.
Neither Sun nor Moon
Many of the roads to Jerusalem
upon which the pilgrims would be
traveling were exposed to
excessive heat.
Protection from the moon:
People believed too much exposure to
the moon was dangerous.
Babylonian and Mesopotamian
medical texts refer to illness as the
work of Sin, the moon god—
especially epilepsy.
Neither Sun nor Moon
Many of the roads to Jerusalem
upon which the pilgrims would be
traveling were exposed to
excessive heat.
Protection from the moon:
People believed too much exposure to
the moon was dangerous.
Babylonian and Mesopotamian
medical texts refer to illness as the
work of Sin, the moon god—
especially epilepsy.
“Lunatic” and “Moonstruck.”
Keep Us from Evil & Keep
Our Life
“Evil” should likely be understood
as sorrow & distress, particularly
death.
Keep Us from Evil & Keep
Our Life
“Evil” should likely be understood
as sorrow & distress, particularly
death.
Synonymous parallelism.
Keep Us from Evil & Keep
Our Life
“Evil” should likely be understood
as sorrow & distress, particularly
death.
Synonymous parallelism.
The Lord‟s keeping one from evil
appears to be the same as keeping his
life.
Hebrews Lacked Info on
Afterlife
“If a man dies, shall he live
again?” (Job 14:14, ESV).
Hebrews Lacked Info on
Afterlife
“If a man dies, shall he live
again?” (Job 14:14, ESV).
The Hebrews seem to have had the
idea of annihilation after death.
Hebrews Lacked Info on
Afterlife
“If a man dies, shall he live
again?” (Job 14:14, ESV).
The Hebrews seem to have had the
idea of annihilation after death;
this may be a way of saying that
God will provide eternity for his
people.
Hebrews Lacked Info on
Afterlife
“If a man dies, shall he live
again?” (Job 14:14, ESV).
The Hebrews seem to have had the
idea of annihilation after death.
“I am the resurrection and the life.
Whoever believes in me, though
he die, yet shall he live, and
everyone who lives and believes in
me shall never die” (Jn 11:25-26,
ESV).
Keep Your Going Out &
Your Coming In
“Your going out and your coming
in” was military language (going
to battle & coming back home)
and language for one‟s coming
and going throughout the course
of the day.
Keep Your Going Out &
Your Coming In
“Your going out and your coming
in” was military language (going
to battle & coming back home)
and language for one‟s coming
and going throughout the course
of the day.
Phraseology likely has special
significance concerning the trip to
and from Jerusalem.
Keep Your Going Out &
Your Coming In
“Your going out and your coming
in” was military language (going
to battle & coming back home)
and language for one‟s coming
and going throughout the course
of the day.
Phraseology likely has special
significance concerning the trip to
and from Jerusalem.
“From this time forth and
forevermore”=“duration of life.”
Do you have God‟s protection?