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. Psalm 121:1-2
Yesterday
in our study through the Psalms, we discussed Psalm 121, which is a Psalm of
Ascent and a Psalm of Confidence. Psalms
of Ascent were Psalms that were written and sung by Jewish travelers while
making their way from their homeland to Jerusalem for worship. At times, these types of trips were
burdensome and tiring—treacherous and dangerous and many travelers were often
in need of inner strength to make the journey.
Notice
the psalmist says here, “I lift my eyes to the hills (and I ask), ‘From where
does my help come?’” While on this
difficult journey, the psalmist asks the question, “Where am I supposed to
place my confidence? Who am I to place
my trust?” The psalmist is looking to
the tangible and is asking the rhetorical question of whether or not he can
ultimately place his confidence in the things of this world? He asks, “Does my help come from these
hills?” And of course the answer is,
“No.”
He
then answers his question in the first part of verse 2. He says, “My help—my confidence does not come
from these hills, but comes from the Lord.”
Why? Why could he look to God in
confidence and trust in Him for help? He
says, “My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”
