Christian Commentary Encouraging Devotions

^{Psalm 121:1} I lift up my eyes to the hills-
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. (NLT)

Here we see...

1) Recognition of the source of our strength (and protection). It's not from the mountains. It's from Almighty God.

2) He made everything. He's powerful! That's who I want protecting me!

3) He will not allow my foot to slip... There are no gray areas with our God. Should I protect him in this situation? Should I let her go her own way if that's what she wants? No. "He will not allow..." His protection is unilateral and unequivocal.

4) 24/7 protection! I remember hearing a long time ago that I didn't need to toss and turn staying awake in bed worrying all night. God never sleeps, so let Him take care of it! No sense both of us losing sleep. Here's real help for insomniacs!

5) Protection from every harm.

⁷GOD guards you from every evil,
he guards your very life.
⁸He guards you when you leave and when you return,
he guards you now, he guards you always. (MSG)

Now, read the same portion of scripture from the majestic, poetic King James. Read it out loud...

¹   I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
²   My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
³   He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
⁴   Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
⁵   The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
⁶   The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
⁷   The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
⁸   The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

I was reading elsewhere today in Acts 1,

³After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. (NLT)

The kingdom of God. Not a kingdom of this world, rather a spiritual kingdom as defined in Romans 14:¹⁷For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

A big part of kingdom living is enjoying divine protection. It's yours for the asking (and believing/receiving) today.