Psalms of the Ascents: The Lord our Protector

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Psalm 121:1-2

I lift my eyes toward the mountains.
Where will my help come from?
² My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

(CSB)

We live in a dangerous world for even a casual look at the headlines in the news reveals the danger and violence present in our society and culture.  To keep themselves save, people buy weapons something the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution allows and protects.  In fact, statistics show an increase in gun purchases after a mass shooting, especially in the vicinity of the shooting showing the strong desire of people to live lives in safety and security.  (1)  

Even though I presently do not own a gun, I support the right of anyone wanting a gun to do so for everyone has the right to a secure life.  While a gun gives personal safety from someone threatening to kill or injure another, there are also dangers in our world for which a gun gives little or no protection.  For example, a gun does little to protect one from a nuclear attack from Iran or North Korea.  However, there is a level of protection protected by the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution, the right to trust the Lord our protector. 

The topic of the Psalm 121 is the Lord our protector.  In this psalm, the psalmist declares his protection comes from the Lord.  Like the psalmist, we too must seek our protection not only from weapons we may possess but also through trust in the Lord for the battle we face is not against flesh and blood, rendering conventional weapons useless, but against dark and anti-godly spiritual forces (Ephesians 6:12).  The psalmist finds his protection by,

1)      Looking up (Psalm 121:1) – When faced with drowning in the sea, Peter looked up and held his hand out to the Lord (Matthew 14:30).  However, prior to almost drowning in the sea, Peter had stepped out of the boat and walked on the water with the Lord.  It was not until he took his eyes off the Lord that he began to drown (Matthew 14:27-29).  The psalmist encourages us to look up when in danger for that is where our help comes from.  

2)      Looking to the maker of heaven and earth for protection (Psalm 121:2) – While a weapon provides some protection from harm, those that know Christ have the protection of the creator of heaven and earth.  As the creator, He has infinite power to protect us.  There is no greater protection available to humanity than that provided by the creator.

3)      Remembering our protector is trustworthy and never sleeps (Psalm 121:3-4) – Our protector is trustworthy promising that no weapon formed against His people shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17) and since God is not a man that He should lie (Numbers 23:19), we can trust His word to us.  God also has no need to sleep and is on duty 24/7. 

4)      Remembering the Lord is always with us (Psalm 121:5) – Not only does our God not slumber, he is with us wherever we go, even if we face death (Psalm 23:4). 

5)      Knowing absolutely nothing can harm him (Psalm 121:6-7) – Since no weapon formed against God’s people will be successful, what should we as God’s people fear.  This, however, does not mean God’s people should walk around oblivious to danger around them, only that the danger around us need not be the dominating thought of our minds, for our help comes from the Lord (Psalm 121:1).  Like Peter who began to drown after taking his eyes off the Lord, we can fall into despair and fear when we take our eyes off the Lord and focus on the danger surrounding us.  We therefore must do what ever is possible to protect ourselves like having a weapon but must also never take our eyes off the Lord, our source of infinite protection.

6)      Remembering the Lord’s protection is eternal (Psalm 121:8) – A gun only provides protection until it runs out of ammunition.  Even the best alarm system only works until the technology behind it fails.  God’s protection, however, is eternal and never ends. 

Dangerous times call for a dual level of protection.  Physical protection through offensive weapons and defensive alarm systems and spiritual supernatural protection provided by our creator God.  Interestingly in the United States, both the right to have a weapon and to practice our religion, including placing of our trust in God for protection have constitutional protection.  Let us pray these rights do not disappear but even if they do, God’s protection is powerful, eternal, and something in which we can trust. 

1. Nedelman, Michael. Why do people buy guns after a mass shooting? eee.CNN.com. [Online] CNN, May 1, 2017. [Cited: June 24, 2018.] https://www.cnn.com/2017/05/01/health/gun-sales-mass-shootings-study/index.html.