PSALMS OF ASCENT! PSALM 121:3-4

Malcolm Cox, email: malcolm.cox@iccmissions.org | ICC Missions on facebook | www.nwlcc.org

RIGHT CHOICEThe Psalmist is convinced

he has found and trusted the right Guardian - the one who is the ‘Maker of heaven and earth’ (v2).

But what more can we learn about this God? What is He like? Our author sees four aspects of God’s character that we will look at here.

AWAKEThe phrase ‘watches over‘

translates of the Hebrew word ‘Shamar’. The root to the word is “to exercise great care over”, “take care of,” or “guard.” The image is rather like a mother watching over a vulnerable child - staying awake to protect him or her.

My wife and I stayed up all night when our son was in hospital and suffering from a potentially life-threatening condition. It was not hard - it was a natural expression of love. God is like that - awake because of love. The Pagan gods needed waking (see, 1 Kg 18:27), but not Israel’s God.

ATTENTIVEThe word ‘Shamar’ can

also involve guarding against an intruder. The cherubim are guarding the path to the tree of life in Gen 3:24. Gatekeepers (Is 21:11) & watchmen (Songs 5:7) guard cities and people.

Not only is God awake, but He pays attention to what is going on - even when we are not. Several of our neighbours have been burgled recently. We cannot keep up with all the threats around us, and even a burglar alarm is no guarantee of safety. We have a dog and a sign on the front of our porch that says so (and the sign did frighten a visitor to our home recently), but even our canine defender cannot prevent all potential attacks.

God, however, is better than a burglar alarm and greater than a guard-dog. Satan steps back when he knows God is home! (Jms 4:7).

PERSONALGod is YHWH five times in

this Psalm. His protection is personal - all the ’you’s’ are

singular. Cain asks, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9, the same Hebrew word, ‘Shamar’). The answer from God is an implied “yes”.

We are also to help ‘guard’ one another in Christ. The reason Christ ians are in frequent touch and have ‘discipling’ relationships where we open our hearts to one another is so that we can assist one another in guarding our hearts from evil. We are being like God when we love each other in this way.

CONSISTENT‘Shamar’ also involves

tending to things like a garden - “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” (Gen 2:15)

As any gardener knows, plants grow healthily when they are cared for consistently. God is like this with us - consistent in His love for us and His discipline of us.

Our guardian is awake, a t t e n t i ve , p e r s o n a l a n d consistent.

“Neither Slumber nor Sleep” “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.” (PSALMS 121:3–4 NIV)