The Pilgrim’s Promise (Psalm 121)
Psalm 121 contains “the pilgrim’s promise” for us today as we journey through life toward heaven. The promise is this—the Lord is our help and keeper, whatever life brings our way.
Like its companions in Psalms 120–134, Psalm 121 is “A Song of Ascents,” a song sung while ascending to Jerusalem for one of the annual feasts. These psalms begin from a distance (Ps 120:5–6), go to Jerusalem (Ps 122:1–2), and end in worship at the house of the Lord (Ps 134). Though Psalm 121 would be sung on the way to Jerusalem, its truths are necessary to know before the journey begins.
My help comes from the Lord (Psalm 121:1–2).
The psalmist begins by looking to the mountains and seeking to identify his help for his journey. The Lord, of course, is his help, the one who made heaven and earth. Certainly the Creator can guide a pilgrim on a path within His created realm.
In the next six verses, the psalmist no longer speaks to himself in the first person but writes as if someone were responding to him, perhaps to prepare the pilgrim for his journey. The focus is on the Lord and what he does—he keeps, a verb used six times in these six verses (Psalm 121:3, 4, 5, 7 [2x], 8). These “keeping” truths could be stated in three ways.
The Lord will never not keep you (Psalm 121:3–4).
Two negatives in the English language cancel each other out to emphasize what is true. This concept is similar to the Hebrew negatives in Psalm 121:3–4. The Hebrew word behind “not” and “neither… nor” is typically used in prayer. The idea, then, is that if the psalmist had any doubt about the safety of his feet on the journey or about the Lord’s attentiveness to dangers along the way, the Lord would certainly not sleep while watching him or all of Israel.
The Lord will keep you, day and night (Psalm 121:5–6).
Located centrally in this psalm is the promise, “the Lord is your keeper,” pictured as “shade on your right hand,” a comfort immediately nearby for someone traveling the hot roads to the temple in Jerusalem. And, whether the sun by day or the moon by night, whatever the danger may be from each luminary or during their time in the sky, the Lord would keep and protect the pilgrim through it all.
The Lord will keep you, in every way and for all time (Psalm 121:7–8).
These closing verses are much like a benediction. The language is exclusive (all evil), personal (your life), extensive (going out and coming in), temporal (this time forth), and eternal (and forevermore)—all aspects of the Lord’s protecting ministry of keeping his pilgrim safe. What began as help for the hills now brings the pilgrim home again, and not only that, but for any going or coming, for this time and forever. Our Lord will bring us home.
Where is life taking you today? Can you trust the Lord to keep you at this time? The Father sent His Son to die for us, live again, and watch over us from heaven until He comes again. Not only does the Lord watch over us right now, but He will send His Son one day to bring us to heaven where He will keep us forever.
David Huffstutler is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Rockford, IL. He blogs here, where this article first appeared. It is republished here by permission.