Week of November 2

Do you pray in advance of taking a journey? Think of Psalm 121 as an early prayer for traveling mercies! My family, when I was a child, always prayed together before taking a journey. We asked God to provide His watch care over us as we traveled. It is a pattern that I have continued throughout my entire adult life. We are not alone in this regard. Pilgrims going to Jerusalem may have sung this prayer for God’s protection on the journey. Think of all the things that can go wrong on a trip: accidents, robbery, and sudden illness. All these calamities and more are considered in verses 3-6 (cf. Luke 10:30-37). Nevertheless, a safe trip is promised in verses 7-8. Let’s ponder the God who accompanies us on the journey (cf. Luke 24:14-15).  

The psalm has been labeled a “Pilgrim Psalm” because its setting is a journey. One may well imagine that it was sung as the pilgrims made their way to Jerusalem and one of the festivals in the Temple. The hymn, upon closer examination, also appears to contain a dialogue. It is not known whether it is an inner one, much like a father who prays for his family all along the way. Others believe that it may have been a conversation between a parent and a child. Some believe that it may have even been a dialogue between a priest and a pilgrim. I hasten to add that God was praised for His protection and provision in the journey. This attitude of thanksgiving is not a trivial thing, as we shall see.

What or who is your ultimate destination? What title would you place above your trips? One possible heading may be: “The Lord Our Protector.” There are any number of ways to describe God’s care along the pathway: “Guardian,” “Helper,” and “Rescuer.” I often taught my students to make certain that the body of the written assignment matched the title. If we invoke God’s blessings on the journey, then we should pay close attention to Him along the way. The psalmist writes, “I lift up my eyes to the hills,” meaning that he “looks at” the hills (121:1). It is from there that his help comes (121:1). The hills, according to some Bible scholars referred to the hills that surrounded Jerusalem and the Temple that was situated prominently atop a hill in the city (Handbook). In other words, the eye of the traveler should be on the Lord. He is the ultimate destination.

Who protects you along the way? Notice the shift in focus in verses 3-8. It may be that a priest was responding the worshiper’s cry to the God of all creation in verses 1-2. It may have even been the inner song of worship that a dad sings in his heart as he drives along a long stretch of highway with his sleeping children in the seat behind him. Regardless, we may see the answer to the first worship cry. God is the one who protects you! He will not let your foot stumble (or fall), meaning He will protect you from falling into misfortune because He never sleeps (121:3-4). He is your “shade,” or protection, keeping you safe from the hot rays of the sun. Day and night He is always by your side (121:5-6; “right hand”).

In whom do you rest? How is this possible? God is the God who “keeps” us. The same verb is used in verses 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8. All evil and harm are vanquished. God literally keeps us safe along the pathway. As a matter of fact, the psalmist even writes that He will “keep your going out and coming in,” meaning wherever you go or may be God will cover the entire journey. Rest in this truth!

I’ll never forget a journey that I once took from Midland to Atlanta. I was a pastor at the time, and the plane was a small “puddle jumper,” as they were termed, and not a jet. The pilot flew that plane into a thunderstorm. A young boy was seated next to me and he asked me, “Are we going to be OK?” I could hear the fear in his voice, and I calmly replied, “The pilot will keep us safe.” I’m sure that he thought that I meant the person flying the plane, but I meant the person who holds the wind and rain in His hands! I prayed for that child and that plane filled with passengers all the way to Dallas, and I let out a sigh of relief and offered thanksgiving to the Lord as soon as we landed. 

Here is the spiritual point. Take your trust in the Lord along on each day’s journey. He will guide and guard you along the way.

1. With what phrase do you entitle your journeys? Your daily trek to and from work or school? Return from your trip and write down the ways that God did indeed protect or rescue you. Praise him.

2. For Families: Most all of us plan activities for our children and grandchildren to enjoy on long journeys. You may even be planning at this time for an upcoming Thanksgiving or Christmas trip! Take time to include Bible verses you may read aloud when you stop to eat, refuel and refresh, lie down to rest, and even when you experience some difficulty. Ask the children to draw a picture of God helping your family in those moments.

May your paths be straight,
Larry C. Ashlock