I lift up my eyes to the hills –
where does my help
come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of
heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip –
he who watches
over you will
not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither
slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you –
he is your shade
at your
right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
not the moon by
night.
The Lord will keep you from
all harm –
he will watch over
your life;
the Lord will watch over your
coming and going
both now and
forevermore.
- Psalm 121
He manages perfectly,
day and night,
year in and year out,
the movements of the stars,
the wheeling of the planets,
the staggering coordination
year in and year out,
the movements of the stars,
the wheeling of the planets,
the staggering coordination
of events.
There is no
doubt that He can
manage the timing
of my days
and weeks.
– Elisabeth Elliot
MY HELP COMES FROM THE LORD
Pastor
Jerry Henry
(Capital letters indicate preaching volume!)
Psalm 121 is a song of ascents, and Jerusalem
was surrounded by hills, from whence often came trouble. The dash referred to above is in “I lift up
my eyes to the hills –“ Some versions
translate this verse to mean that the help comes from the hills, which Pastor
Henry felt was incorrect, and felt was translated correctly in the NIV as
lifting up the eyes to look on the hills of trouble.
Job was right when he said man is of but a few days and those days are full of trouble. The Lord was right when He said we wrestle with troubles and trial and tribulation. When trouble comes in and snatches my joy, God helps me.
Jesus was correct when He said, "In the world you will have
trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world." Our forefathers had it right when they said, "There is trouble in the air."
All of us live in Jerusalem, surrounded by hills of trouble and trial and tribulation. And when we take a survey of our lives, if all we look at is the hills, we too will put a dash. There are trials, troubles and tribulations, and we have no answer. That will dog us all the days of our lives.
As this psalmist, as these pilgrims looked to the hills, they cried out in desperation, "Where does my help come from?" They did not get lost in looking for help. Many of us look at our troubles, many of us gaze at our troubles, and we get lost. We get lost looking for help. "Where does our help come from?"
For every question in life there are two answers. There is the HUMAN VIEWPOINT; there is GOD’S VIEWPOINT. God says in Isaiah 55 there are two viewpoints in the world: "MY THOUGHTS are not your thoughts. My ways are not your ways." For every problem and every question in our lives there are two answers. There is OUR WAY, OUR SOLUTION, and there is God’s solution. And I declare, God’s solution is better than ours. God says, "If there is any question about whose thinking is superior, AS HIGH as the heaven is above the earth, that’s how much better my thoughts are than your thoughts. That’s how much better MY WAYS are than your ways."
MY WAY seems right to me, but MY WAY creates MORE problems than I had to start with. Human viewpoint will never answer the questions that plague the human heart. There are some questions that we have no answers for. When you stand by the bedside of a loved one who is struggling and suffering with disease and sickness, we have no answer. We do the very best that we can in life and nothing comes back to us – THERE ARE no human answers. Death comes into our midst and snatches at the prime of life of one of our loved ones – THERE ARE no human answers.
This psalmist teetered on the very brink of desperation before the hills of Israel. Looking at the mountains, acknowledging that there is trouble everywhere, and that I HAVE NO ANSWER, he said, "Who is my God? My God is my helper." And the answer that comes is, "The Lord, who made heaven and earth." Aren’t you glad about that?
When the HILLS OF TROUBLE press down on us, when THE HILLS OF TROUBLE sap our joy from us, when THE HILLS OF TROUBLE take sleep from us, when THE HILLS OF TROUBLE cause us to doubt, we have a help that’s bigger than us, we have a help that’s greater than us. THE LORD is our help.
In case there’s anybody wondering how the Lord would help us, and why the Lord can be our help, the psalmist gives us GOD’S RESUME. Do you know who the Lord is? He is the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He’s got on His resume He’s an able God. That’s what that means, HE’S ABLE. He made the heavens and THE EARTH. This is the God who looked down on nothing and spoke and WORLDS came into being, SUNS started shining, MOONS started reflecting, STARS started twinkling. He is able.
If He is able to make the universe, if He is able to keep the sun and moon in their orbits, if He’s able to keep galaxies from running into one another, if He’s able to keep green grass growing and clear water running and trees growing, CAN HE HANDLE my little affairs?
There are sometimes when my little affairs overwhelm me. Sometimes I look at the trouble and trial that I face, and it’s bigger than me, but I’VE GOT A GOD bigger than it! He is able.
You know, there are some able powers in this world, but they’re not available. They are not attentive to me. But this is an attentive God. It says right here on His resume, He will not let your foot hit the ground. This God that made heaven and earth, yes, He made heaven and earth, HE set the mountains in majestic order, HE scooped out the valleys, HE filled up the oceans, but HE is concerned with our footing.
This is God taking notice. Jesus said He doesn’t miss the health of even a little sparrow. He’s got the whole world in His hands. He said He’s got the little bitty babies in His hands. And THEN HE SAID He’s got you and me, brother, in His hands. Isn’t that good news?!
Sometimes we wrestle and struggle with our problems, and we think nobody cares. Our loved ones around us can’t reach us and help us, but WE’VE GOT A GOD who is concerned even about the stubbing of our toe.
I dare you to WAIT on Him.
All of us live in Jerusalem, surrounded by hills of trouble and trial and tribulation. And when we take a survey of our lives, if all we look at is the hills, we too will put a dash. There are trials, troubles and tribulations, and we have no answer. That will dog us all the days of our lives.
As this psalmist, as these pilgrims looked to the hills, they cried out in desperation, "Where does my help come from?" They did not get lost in looking for help. Many of us look at our troubles, many of us gaze at our troubles, and we get lost. We get lost looking for help. "Where does our help come from?"
For every question in life there are two answers. There is the HUMAN VIEWPOINT; there is GOD’S VIEWPOINT. God says in Isaiah 55 there are two viewpoints in the world: "MY THOUGHTS are not your thoughts. My ways are not your ways." For every problem and every question in our lives there are two answers. There is OUR WAY, OUR SOLUTION, and there is God’s solution. And I declare, God’s solution is better than ours. God says, "If there is any question about whose thinking is superior, AS HIGH as the heaven is above the earth, that’s how much better my thoughts are than your thoughts. That’s how much better MY WAYS are than your ways."
MY WAY seems right to me, but MY WAY creates MORE problems than I had to start with. Human viewpoint will never answer the questions that plague the human heart. There are some questions that we have no answers for. When you stand by the bedside of a loved one who is struggling and suffering with disease and sickness, we have no answer. We do the very best that we can in life and nothing comes back to us – THERE ARE no human answers. Death comes into our midst and snatches at the prime of life of one of our loved ones – THERE ARE no human answers.
This psalmist teetered on the very brink of desperation before the hills of Israel. Looking at the mountains, acknowledging that there is trouble everywhere, and that I HAVE NO ANSWER, he said, "Who is my God? My God is my helper." And the answer that comes is, "The Lord, who made heaven and earth." Aren’t you glad about that?
When the HILLS OF TROUBLE press down on us, when THE HILLS OF TROUBLE sap our joy from us, when THE HILLS OF TROUBLE take sleep from us, when THE HILLS OF TROUBLE cause us to doubt, we have a help that’s bigger than us, we have a help that’s greater than us. THE LORD is our help.
In case there’s anybody wondering how the Lord would help us, and why the Lord can be our help, the psalmist gives us GOD’S RESUME. Do you know who the Lord is? He is the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He’s got on His resume He’s an able God. That’s what that means, HE’S ABLE. He made the heavens and THE EARTH. This is the God who looked down on nothing and spoke and WORLDS came into being, SUNS started shining, MOONS started reflecting, STARS started twinkling. He is able.
If He is able to make the universe, if He is able to keep the sun and moon in their orbits, if He’s able to keep galaxies from running into one another, if He’s able to keep green grass growing and clear water running and trees growing, CAN HE HANDLE my little affairs?
There are sometimes when my little affairs overwhelm me. Sometimes I look at the trouble and trial that I face, and it’s bigger than me, but I’VE GOT A GOD bigger than it! He is able.
You know, there are some able powers in this world, but they’re not available. They are not attentive to me. But this is an attentive God. It says right here on His resume, He will not let your foot hit the ground. This God that made heaven and earth, yes, He made heaven and earth, HE set the mountains in majestic order, HE scooped out the valleys, HE filled up the oceans, but HE is concerned with our footing.
This is God taking notice. Jesus said He doesn’t miss the health of even a little sparrow. He’s got the whole world in His hands. He said He’s got the little bitty babies in His hands. And THEN HE SAID He’s got you and me, brother, in His hands. Isn’t that good news?!
Sometimes we wrestle and struggle with our problems, and we think nobody cares. Our loved ones around us can’t reach us and help us, but WE’VE GOT A GOD who is concerned even about the stubbing of our toe.
I dare you to WAIT on Him.
I dare you to TRUST Him.
I dare you to LEAN on Him.
I dare you to REST on Him.
He’s an attentive God. And not only is He an attentive God, He’s an available God. He’s a God who is AVAILABLE to us. It says right here in His resume, behold, He neither slumbers nor sleeps.
I’VE GOT A GOD that listens. I’VE GOT A GOD whose line is never busy. I’VE GOT A GOD whose line is never cut down. Without batting an eye and without moving a muscle I can send a message from the deep river of my troubled soul all the way through the galaxies up to heaven and the throne room of God. I STRETCH MY HAND TO THEE, NO OTHER HELP. He NEVER sleeps. He NEVER slumbers. Someone said to me, "Ever since I heard that I don’t stay up at night."
I’VE GOT A GOD who works through the night. No need for both of us to be up. I can go on to sleep, leaning and depending on Him. I just go on to sleep, leaving it in His hands. "The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."
He’s the Alpha. He’s the Omega. It’s right in His resume. He is the beginning. He’s the end. Going out is birth, coming in is death. HE’S A GOD who has us in the cradle of His love. From the moment we’re born until we die, and then beyond the grave, from this time forth, and even forevermore. It’s on His resume.
HE’S A GOD who counts our footsteps. HE’S A GOD who orders our thoughts. HE’S A GOD who provides all we need. HE’S A GOD that throws loving arms of protection around us. HE’S A GOD that walks with us, that talks with us, that tells us we are His own.
I’M SO GLAD that I’ve got a God like this. When the darkness moves in and I can hardly see my way, if I would but hold on to Him. I don’t know which way He’s taking me. I don’t know how He’s going to bring me out. I don’t know what the answer will be. But I know one thing –
I’VE GOT A GOD
He’s an attentive God. And not only is He an attentive God, He’s an available God. He’s a God who is AVAILABLE to us. It says right here in His resume, behold, He neither slumbers nor sleeps.
I’VE GOT A GOD that listens. I’VE GOT A GOD whose line is never busy. I’VE GOT A GOD whose line is never cut down. Without batting an eye and without moving a muscle I can send a message from the deep river of my troubled soul all the way through the galaxies up to heaven and the throne room of God. I STRETCH MY HAND TO THEE, NO OTHER HELP. He NEVER sleeps. He NEVER slumbers. Someone said to me, "Ever since I heard that I don’t stay up at night."
I’VE GOT A GOD who works through the night. No need for both of us to be up. I can go on to sleep, leaning and depending on Him. I just go on to sleep, leaving it in His hands. "The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."
He’s the Alpha. He’s the Omega. It’s right in His resume. He is the beginning. He’s the end. Going out is birth, coming in is death. HE’S A GOD who has us in the cradle of His love. From the moment we’re born until we die, and then beyond the grave, from this time forth, and even forevermore. It’s on His resume.
HE’S A GOD who counts our footsteps. HE’S A GOD who orders our thoughts. HE’S A GOD who provides all we need. HE’S A GOD that throws loving arms of protection around us. HE’S A GOD that walks with us, that talks with us, that tells us we are His own.
I’M SO GLAD that I’ve got a God like this. When the darkness moves in and I can hardly see my way, if I would but hold on to Him. I don’t know which way He’s taking me. I don’t know how He’s going to bring me out. I don’t know what the answer will be. But I know one thing –
I’VE GOT A GOD
who cares about me.
I’VE GOT A GOD
who forgives my sin.
I’VE GOT A GOD
who hears my problems.
I’VE GOT A GOD who will fix it.
YES, the hills are full of trouble.
YES, the hills are full of trouble.
YES, sometimes they overwhelm me.
YES, I don’t know sometimes which way to go.
YES, darkness is all around me.
YES, I seem about to faint.
YES, I’ve got a God who will
make a way.
The Lord that I serve,
The Lord that I serve,
He will make a way out somehow.
He’ll make a way out.
He already KNOWS
He already KNOWS
the way out of it.
He already HAS the right road map.
He already HAS GIVEN
the strength for today.
I’VE GOT A GOD!
I dare you to trust Him.
I’VE GOT A GOD!
I dare you to trust Him.
Trust Him and never doubt;
He will surely bring you
out.
Don’t worry about how.
WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT He would come and part the Red Sea? Don’t worry about how.
WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT He would have brought the mighty walls of Jericho tumbling down? Don’t worry about how.
WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT that He could install air conditioning in a fiery furnace? Don’t worry about how.
WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT He could snatch the appetite from hungry lions? Don’t worry about how.
WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT He could take the shame and scandal of Calvary and make it the instrument of our salvation?
WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT – don’t worry about how.
He will bring you out.
To any who are already in Christ – you believed a long time ago, you are in the family, you are one of the children, but you’ve lost your freedom. You’ve allowed trouble and trial and tribulation to almost beat you down.
The word for you is Trust Him.
Jesus said to the Jews who believed in Him, "If you continue in my Word you’ll know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
The truth will make you free. The truth will give you the power to live in spite of what’s going on.
Trust Him.
WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT He would come and part the Red Sea? Don’t worry about how.
WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT He would have brought the mighty walls of Jericho tumbling down? Don’t worry about how.
WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT that He could install air conditioning in a fiery furnace? Don’t worry about how.
WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT He could snatch the appetite from hungry lions? Don’t worry about how.
WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT He could take the shame and scandal of Calvary and make it the instrument of our salvation?
WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT – don’t worry about how.
He will bring you out.
To any who are already in Christ – you believed a long time ago, you are in the family, you are one of the children, but you’ve lost your freedom. You’ve allowed trouble and trial and tribulation to almost beat you down.
The word for you is Trust Him.
Jesus said to the Jews who believed in Him, "If you continue in my Word you’ll know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
The truth will make you free. The truth will give you the power to live in spite of what’s going on.
Trust Him.
Amen
