Beyond the Mountains
Psalm 121
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains”
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip”
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord watches over you”
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm”
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore. NIV
Looking to the mountains we contemplate their beauty, majesty and splendor. But for the psalmist and his contemporaries, the mountains also represent eminent danger on the journey from one place to another. Bandits, thieves or invading armies may lurk out of sight. The beaming sun and desert climate can sap our strength on the walk.
As the psalmist looks up at the mountains, he senses the uncertainty of what is to come and the possibility of harm or destruction nearby.
In our current world of social and political conflict and the ongoing pandemic, we may wonder about the implications of it all for our lives. Are the mountains hiding our enemies? Could sickness, a lay-off, or a broken relationship be around the corner? Perhaps.
We don’t want to live with a pessimistic or fatalistic outlook. Yet, life does tend to deal us good, bad and ugly hands with no respect of person.
The main message of Psalm 121 is to look past the mountains. The psalmist glances beyond the mountains of uncertainty, and calls us to do the same.
Where does our help come from? From money, or job security or health? Or perhaps from politicians? No. It comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and Earth!
This is the message the writer of Psalm 121 wants us to hear. He wants us to learn how to look past circumstance, people and things, to the ONE who offers true lasting safety and life.
It’s easy to become overwhelmed with all that’s happening in our world today. This is especially true when you feel the impact firsthand.
My prayer for you and me is that we continue to look beyond the mountains, and beyond the eminent challenges of life, to Jesus. The one who watches over us and does not slumber or sleep!
To find out how to get involved as a prayer and financial partner for Concentric, email me at [email protected]. You can also visit: https://concentricglobal.org/partner/circle/.
MIKE HARDER, CONCENTRIC PRESIDENT
