Weekly Devotional 14th of February 2025
by Bruce Billington
We will continue with our series on hearing God through the Psalms. We will look at Psalm 121, which is assumed to be written by the prophet Ezra.
Psalm 121:2-3 – “2 My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber.”
We are assured that our God is a very present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1). When we need help, He is all-powerful, efficient, and constant. His help will not fail to reach us in His perfect time. Picking up the strength of this declaration, the POSB says,
By identifying the LORD as the Maker or Creator of heaven and earth, the people declared three vital truths:
- The LORD—not the idols or false gods worshipped by the heathen—is the one true God (Jeremiah 10:11).
- The LORD is supreme over all things; ultimately, He is in control of our lives and our future.
- The LORD is all-powerful; He who made all things is greater than all things.
As we journey through life, it is easy to get lost in its challenges, trials, and uncertainties. These can consume us and cause us to lose sight of who God is and how He operates and cares for those who love Him and have given their lives to Him. We need to regularly lift our hearts to Him and remember that He is always available to us every moment of the day.
His unlimited power lives within us through the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9), and He knows exactly what is troubling us and will either give us the power to defeat it or deal with it for us (1 Corinthians 10:13). This should fill us with tremendous hope and confidence.
Romans 8:37 does not tell us that we are conquerors of all things – it tells us that we are more than conquerors. This means that we must not allow the difficulties and uncertainties of life to defeat us. With the Lord’s help, we are more than sufficient for every challenge that comes our way.
Although the pathway through may be dangerous and difficult, He will empower us to stand fast and will not allow our feet to slip (verse 3). This was a significant comment at the time because Palestine was a hilly place that was also full of ravines. Keeping His people steady on their feet was a great mercy to those living at the time, as any false step could result in danger. God does not tire or need to sleep, so we are assured that His watchful eyes are never closed.
We often hear the argument that yes, He can do anything, but we never know if He is so inclined to do it in this particular circumstance that we are facing. Most believers will sympathise with this view, at least at some time in their journey. But this Psalm assures us that He cherishes each of us and places special care over us. The Hebrew word used here – mot – signifies a sliding, falling, trembling, or staggering. In such times, God sustains us with His power, enabling us to stand upright.
Let’s finish this Psalm with a quote and poem from Spurgeon’s Treasury of David.
When we go out in the morning to labour and come home at eventide to rest, Jehovah shall keep us. When we go out in youth to begin life and come in at the end to die, we shall experience the same keeping.
This keeping is eternal; continuing from this time forth, even for evermore. The whole church is thus assured of everlasting security: the final perseverance of the saints is thus ensured, and the glorious immortality of believers is guaranteed.
“God keep thee safe from harm and sin,
Thy Spirit keep; the Lord watch o’er
Thy going out, thy coming in,
From this time, evermore.”
(Keble).
God bless you.
Bruce Billington