Tuesday, November 13, 2018

2018.11.13 Hopewell @Home ▫ Psalm 121

Read Psalm 121
Questions for Littles: What type of song does the psalmist label this Psalm? To where does he lift his eyes (v1a)? What question does he ask (1b)? What is the answer (2a)? What has the Lord done (2b)? What will the Lord not allow, according to the first part of v3? What is the Lord doing (3b)? What will He not do? Whom else is the Lord keeping (4a)? What two things will He not do (4b)? What name does He repeat for Himself twice in v5? What is He in 5a? What is He in 5b? Where? What cannot strike you during the day (6a)? What cannot strike you at night (6b)? From what will Yahweh keep you (7a)? What will Yahweh keep in the second part of v7? What two things does Yahweh keep in the first part of v8? When? For how long?
This week’s Call to Worship and Prayer for Help came from Psalm 121. Prayers for help have often been used as calls to worship—in the great Reformed church in Geneva, Calvin always used Psalm 124:8 as a call to worship, “Our help is in the name of Yahweh, who made the heavens and the earth.”

This is exactly what the Psalmist tells himself here in v2. He has looked up to the hills, and there are a couple possibilities here of the significance of that. Either there is danger in the hills, and he needs to know where the help is going to come from if the danger appears. Or he is already needing the help where he is, and he is looking up to the hills wondering if help might possibly come from there.

But that’s just the point of the Psalm isn’t it? If he needs help already, then help is already with him. Yahweh is there. If he is wondering if help may be available in a pinch when it is suddenly needed, then, yes, he can be sure that the help will be available; because Yahweh will be there.

And will the help be enough? Of course it will be enough! Just as there is no uncertainty about the presence of the help, so also there is no uncertainty about the power of the help. Yahweh has made heaven and earth!
Dear believer, are you in need of help? Are you looking at the near future and anticipating needing it? Are you wondering if it will be enough? It will!
For what particular situation do you need help? How will you remind yourself of the truth of this Psalm now? How will you remember it then?
Suggested songs: ARP121 “I Lift My Eyes and See the Hills” or TPH121A “I Lift My Eyes Up to the Hills”

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