Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” (Psalm 16:8) God told Jacob in Genesis 28:15: “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.” (Genesis 28:15). Guardian will never doze or sleep. But our God is always awake. In Psalm 121:3b-4 we are told, “[God] who keeps you will not slumber. Like all NIV Application Commentaries, this commentary on the Psalms includes a "Bridging the Contexts" section to build a bridge between the world of the Bible and the world of today by focusing on both the timely and timeless aspects of the text. The Hebrew language often uses pairs of opposite words to signify totality (called a “merism”). C. He watches over you both now and forevermore The claims made in verses 3–8 serve as a response to the confession made by the psalmist in the opening strophe. I. You can pray to him at any time and he always focuses on you and hears you. If you had to choose one or the other, which would you choose? Using both words heighten the indication “that the Guardian of Israel never ‘nods off’ or dozes, much less falls into a deep sleep, but rather remains attentive and keeps continual watch over his people so that not even a foot of theirs will slip from the path” (733). This title is further explored and even exploited by invoking the metaphorical image of the sleeping deity. Mentioning threats by both day and night indicates “God stands as the protective shade over all life” (734). We find a startling example of this in the gospel of Luke where Jesus tells his disciples: “You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. A: The right hand is always a biblical symbol of oneâs power and strength. Even the worst things that happen to you – whether illness, loss or even death – all these things take place under God’s providential care. This is why the most important protection He provides is for our faith and soul. Just as Josephâs dream identified his father as the sun, his mother as the moon, and his brothers as stars. (731–732). “While the two words may appear synonymous, the first Hebrew term, num, refers to drowsiness or light sleep, while the second term, yashan, may be understood as sleep in the more traditional sense” (733). Itâs not a matter of us catching Him at the right time, but that we are always obedient in order to receive Him according to HIS timing. He watches over every transition in your life Look at verses 3-6: “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. Psalm 100 Commentary: Seven Commands and Two Motivations of Our Praise, Psalm 139 Commentary: God’s Pervasive Presence, Intimate Knowledge, and Faithful Comfort, The Art and Force of Psalm 119:1-8: Part 1, The Art and Force of Psalm 119:1-8: Part 2, Jeremy Bouma (Th.M.) Application: God is working all the time, we are always standing in His shadow, and what is not in our control is under His. D. He protects you at all times It is a travel Psalm. Is there a persistent issue in your life that might be traced back to the fact that you think the influences are too big even for God to help? who made heaven, and earth, and mountains. Nothing can harm you under his protective care. 4 Not on your life! Understood in this way, “mountains” likely refers to the mountains of Zion, thereby creating an “emphatic confession of YHWH as the God present” on Zion, the mountain of God. Get updates from Zondervan Academic directly in your inbox. (B) 3 He will not let your foot slip—. And they tell us several things about God and the help that he provides. Leader: [ pdf | • | docx ] A husband was leaving on a trip and prayed with his wife before he left: “Dear Lord, please protect my wife and children while I’m gone.” When he finished praying his wife said, “Who do you think protects us when you’re here?” Good question! Do you realize that if youâre not fixatedâlooking exclusively to Himâthat youâre looking for the solution in someone/something else? The second truth is this: the God of Israel is your protector. (Read Psalm 121:1-8 and pray.). Enhance your school’s traditional and online education programs by easily integrating online courses developed from the scholars and textbooks you trust. As Jews made pilgrimages to Jerusalem, these are the songs sung while traveling the roads slowly leading up to Jerusalem, culminating in their arrival at the Temple. © Ray Fowler. 5 The Lord is your keeper;The Lord is your shade on your right hand. And he wants to help you through life’s most difficult circumstances. This is the second of the series of psalms which are titled A Song of Ascents. Application: The help we need above all else is in maintaining faithfulness. Psalm 121 is a psalm about trusting in God’s providential care. 121 1-2 I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains?No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains. 19 By standing firm you will gain life.” (Luke 21:16-19) In other words even in betrayal or death the believer still comes out on top. This is a good one to memorize and have handy for the journey of life. And that’s why we need to look to God for our help. 7-8 God guards you from every evil, he guards your very life.He guards you when you leave and when you return, he guards you now, he guards you always. This Psalms commentary from the NIV Application Commentary Series will help you learn how the message of the Psalms can speak as powerfully today as when they were first written.