Psalm 121 — He Never Sleeps

Psalm 121 — He Never Sleeps — Aneel Aranha  

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
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—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor 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 begins with a question that has echoed in the hearts of countless people throughout history: "I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?" (Psalm 121:1). It's a question born out of vulnerability, perhaps even desperation. It's the cry of someone looking for stability, looking for a rock to cling to in the midst of life's storms.

The psalmist's answer is immediate: "My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth" (Psalm 121:2). That is extremely assuring. The one who crafted the vast expanse of the universe, with billions of galaxies, each with trillions of stars, and knows the names of them all, is the same one who watches over us.

But there is more! The psalmist doesn't just say that God will help. He goes on to describe the nature of this help. He says, “He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber" (Psalm 121:3). As Don Moen sings an adaptation of this psalm, “He never sleeps / He never slumbers / He never tires of hearing our prayer.” He describes a God who is ever vigilant, who never takes a break from caring for us.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus speaks of his care for his followers, likening himself to a shepherd who watches over his sheep. He says, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep" (John 10:1). A good shepherd really cares about his sheep. He's always watching out for them, making sure they're safe and have enough to eat. If there's any danger, he's there to protect them. He knows each sheep well and would do anything, even risk his own life, to keep them safe.

Psalm 121 talks about God being like this good shepherd. Just like a shepherd, God is always there, making sure we're okay. He's always watching, day and night, to keep us safe. And the best part? He'll always be there for us, no matter what.

So, what are you worried about? Don’t be. The Lord watches over you.

God bless you.