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From Whence Cometh My Help

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From Whence Cometh My Help? Psalm 121
Transcript
Page 1: From Whence Cometh My Help

From Whence Cometh My

Help?

Psalm 121

Page 2: From Whence Cometh My Help

Psalm 121

Part of the “Songs of Ascent.”

Page 3: From Whence Cometh My Help

Psalm 121

Part of the “Songs of Ascent.”

• “Songs of Ascent” were sang as the Israelites journeyed to

Jerusalem.

Page 4: From Whence Cometh My Help

Psalm 121

Part of the “Songs of Ascent.”

• “Songs of Ascent” were sang as the Israelites journeyed to

Jerusalem.

• The Israelites‟ singing this psalm as they went to Jerusalem

plays an important role in the interpretation of the psalm.

Page 5: From Whence Cometh My Help

Psalm 121 (ESV)

“I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?

My help comes from the LORD,

who made heaven and earth.

“He will not let your foot be moved;

he who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, he who keeps Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

Page 6: From Whence Cometh My Help

Psalm 121 (ESV)

“The LORD is your keeper;

the LORD is your shade on your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day,

nor the moon by night.

“The LORD will keep you from all evil;

he will keep your life.

The LORD will keep

your going out and your coming in

from this time forth and forevermore.”

Page 7: From Whence Cometh My Help

From Whence Cometh My Help?

AN ASSURANCE OF HELP.

AN ASSURANCE OF WAKEFULNESS.

AN ASSURANCE OF PROTECTION.

Page 8: From Whence Cometh My Help

An Assurance of Help

“I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?

My help comes from the LORD,

who made heaven and earth” (vv 1-2, ESV).

Page 9: From Whence Cometh My Help

I Will Lift up my Eyes to the Hills

The psalmist lifted up his eyes to the hills.

Page 10: From Whence Cometh My Help

I Will Lift up my Eyes to the Hills

The psalmist lifted up his eyes to the hills.

• Travelers in the hills needed protection. Robbers and wild

beasts were a serious threat.

Page 11: From Whence Cometh My Help

I Will Lift up my Eyes to the Hills

The psalmist lifted up his eyes to the hills.

• Travelers in the hills needed protection. Robbers and wild

beasts were a serious threat.

• Jerusalem was built on a hill.

Page 12: From Whence Cometh My Help

I Will Lift up my Eyes to the Hills

The psalmist lifted up his eyes to the hills.

• Travelers in the hills needed protection. Robbers and wild

beasts were a serious threat.

• Jerusalem was built on a hill. Thus, the travelers would

start on their journey, looking to the hills and wondering

from whence they would find protection.

Page 13: From Whence Cometh My Help

I Will Lift up my Eyes to the Hills

The psalmist lifted up his eyes to the hills.

• Travelers in the hills needed protection. Robbers and wild

beasts were a serious threat.

• Jerusalem was built on a hill. Thus, the travelers would

start on their journey, looking to the hills and wondering

from whence they would find protection.

The question is rhetorical—the psalmist knows his

help comes from God.

Page 14: From Whence Cometh My Help

The Lord is a Helper

He is often referred to as Israel‟s helper.

Page 15: From Whence Cometh My Help

The Lord is a Helper

He is often referred to as Israel‟s helper:

• “May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you

support from Zion!” (Ps 20:2, ESV).

Page 16: From Whence Cometh My Help

The Lord is a Helper

He is often referred to as Israel‟s helper:

• “May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you

support from Zion!” (Ps 20:2, ESV).

• “O Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their

shield” (Ps 115:9, ESV).

Page 17: From Whence Cometh My Help

The Lord is a Helper

He is often referred to as Israel‟s helper:

• “May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you

support from Zion!” (Ps 20:2, ESV).

• “O Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their

shield” (Ps 115:9, ESV).

He is our help, too!

Page 18: From Whence Cometh My Help

The Lord is a Helper

He is often referred to as Israel‟s helper:

• “May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you

support from Zion!” (Ps 20:2, ESV).

• “O Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their

shield” (Ps 115:9, ESV).

He is our help, too!

• “We can confidently say, „The Lord is my helper; I will not

fear; what can man do to me?‟” (Heb 13:6, ESV).

Page 19: From Whence Cometh My Help

The Lord is a Helper

He is often referred to as Israel‟s helper:

• “May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you

support from Zion!” (Ps 20:2, ESV).

• “O Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their

shield” (Ps 115:9, ESV).

He is our help, too!

• “We can confidently say, „The Lord is my helper; I will not

fear; what can man do to me?‟” (Heb 13:6, ESV).

• We do not go through life alone!

Page 20: From Whence Cometh My Help

Our Helper is the Creator

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the

earth” (Gn 1:1, ESV).

Page 21: From Whence Cometh My Help

Our Helper is the Creator

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the

earth” (Gn 1:1, ESV).

Universe shows God‟s power.

Page 22: From Whence Cometh My Help

Our Helper is the Creator

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the

earth” (Gn 1:1, ESV).

Universe shows God‟s power.

• Milky Way:

100 to 200 billion stars.

Page 23: From Whence Cometh My Help

Our Helper is the Creator

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the

earth” (Gn 1:1, ESV).

Universe shows God‟s power.

• Milky Way:

100 to 200 billion stars.

Roughly 100,000 light-years from end to end.

Page 24: From Whence Cometh My Help

Our Helper is the Creator

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the

earth” (Gn 1:1, ESV).

Universe shows God‟s power.

• Milky Way:

100 to 200 billion stars.

Roughly 100,000 light-years from end to end.

We are about 2/3 from the center.

Page 25: From Whence Cometh My Help

Our Helper is the Creator

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the

earth” (Gn 1:1, ESV).

Universe shows God‟s power.

• Milky Way.

• Andromeda (nearest large galaxy to us).

Page 26: From Whence Cometh My Help

Our Helper is the Creator

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the

earth” (Gn 1:1, ESV).

Universe shows God‟s power.

• Milky Way.

• Andromeda (nearest large galaxy to us).

200 to 300 billion stars.

Page 27: From Whence Cometh My Help

Our Helper is the Creator

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the

earth” (Gn 1:1, ESV).

Universe shows God‟s power.

• Milky Way.

• Andromeda (nearest large galaxy to us).

200 to 300 billion stars.

2 million light years away (what astronomers see is light sent from

Andromeda 2 million years ago).

Page 28: From Whence Cometh My Help

THAT’S THE POWER WE HAVE

TO HELP US!

Page 29: From Whence Cometh My Help

An Assurance of

Wakefulness

“He will not let your foot be moved;

he who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, he who keeps Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep” (v 3, ESV).

Page 30: From Whence Cometh My Help

Relevant for these Jews

God would not allow their feet to be moved.

Page 31: From Whence Cometh My Help

Relevant for these Jews

God would not allow their feet to be moved.

They would be traveling to Jerusalem over the course of many

days.

Page 32: From Whence Cometh My Help

Relevant for these Jews

God would not allow their feet to be moved.

They would be traveling to Jerusalem over the course of many

days.

God wouldn‟t allow their feet to be moved on the difficult

terrain.

Page 33: From Whence Cometh My Help

God Doesn‟t Slumber or

Sleep

For the Mesopotamians, a sleeping god was one who was

unresponsive to the needs of his people.

Page 34: From Whence Cometh My Help

God Doesn‟t Slumber or

Sleep

For the Mesopotamians, a sleeping god was one who was

unresponsive to the needs of his people.

Babylonian prayer: How long is my god going to sleep?

Page 35: From Whence Cometh My Help

God Doesn‟t Slumber or

Sleep

For the Mesopotamians, a sleeping god was one who was

unresponsive to the needs of his people.

Babylonian prayer: How long is my god going to sleep?

Our God isn‟t like those gods—he never sleeps.

Page 36: From Whence Cometh My Help

God Always Hears Us

“Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint

and moan, and he hears my voice” (Ps 55:17, ESV).

Page 37: From Whence Cometh My Help

God Always Hears Us

“Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint

and moan, and he hears my voice” (Ps 55:17, ESV).

“Rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark,

he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he

prayed” (Mk 1:35, ESV).

Page 38: From Whence Cometh My Help

God Always Hears Us

“Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint

and moan, and he hears my voice” (Ps 55:17, ESV).

“Rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark,

he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he

prayed” (Mk 1:35, ESV).

“In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and

all night he continued in prayer to God” (Lk 6:12, ESV).

Page 39: From Whence Cometh My Help

An Assurance of Protection

“The LORD is your keeper; the

LORD is your shade on your right

hand” (v 5, ESV).

Page 40: From Whence Cometh My Help

An Assurance of Protection

“The LORD is your keeper; the

LORD is your shade on your right

hand” (v 5, ESV).

Heb word for “keeper” comes from

the verb which means “to hedge

about,” “to guard,” or “to protect.”

Page 41: From Whence Cometh My Help

An Assurance of Protection

“The LORD is your keeper; the

LORD is your shade on your right

hand” (v 5, ESV).

Heb word for “keeper” comes from

the verb which means “to hedge

about,” “to guard,” or “to protect.”

The Lord was a shade—protection

from the sun was quite important in

the Ancient Near East.

Page 42: From Whence Cometh My Help

An Assurance of Protection

“The LORD is your keeper; the

LORD is your shade on your right

hand” (v 5, ESV).

Heb word for “keeper” comes from

the verb which means “to hedge

about,” “to guard,” or “to protect.”

The Lord was a shade—protection

from the sun was quite important in

the Ancient Near East.

The Lord was their right hand.

Page 43: From Whence Cometh My Help

On the Right Hand

The Lord‟s being on someone‟s

right hand was a sign of

protection.

Page 44: From Whence Cometh My Help

On the Right Hand

The Lord‟s being on someone‟s

right hand was a sign of

protection.

“I have set the LORD always before

me; because he is at my right hand, I

shall not be shaken” (Ps 16:8, ESV).

Page 45: From Whence Cometh My Help

On the Right Hand

The Lord‟s being on someone‟s

right hand was a sign of

protection.

“I have set the LORD always before

me; because he is at my right hand, I

shall not be shaken” (Ps 16:8, ESV).

“The Lord is at your right hand; he

will shatter kings on the day of his

wrath” (Ps 110:5, ESV).

Page 46: From Whence Cometh My Help

Neither Sun nor Moon

Many of the roads to Jerusalem

upon which the pilgrims would be

traveling were exposed to

excessive heat.

Page 47: From Whence Cometh My Help

Neither Sun nor Moon

Many of the roads to Jerusalem

upon which the pilgrims would be

traveling were exposed to

excessive heat.

Protection from the moon:

People believed too much exposure to

the moon was dangerous.

Page 48: From Whence Cometh My Help

Neither Sun nor Moon

Many of the roads to Jerusalem

upon which the pilgrims would be

traveling were exposed to

excessive heat.

Protection from the moon:

People believed too much exposure to

the moon was dangerous.

Babylonian and Mesopotamian

medical texts refer to illness as the

work of Sin, the moon god—

especially epilepsy.

Page 49: From Whence Cometh My Help

Neither Sun nor Moon

Many of the roads to Jerusalem

upon which the pilgrims would be

traveling were exposed to

excessive heat.

Protection from the moon:

People believed too much exposure to

the moon was dangerous.

Babylonian and Mesopotamian

medical texts refer to illness as the

work of Sin, the moon god—

especially epilepsy.

“Lunatic” and “Moonstruck.”

Page 50: From Whence Cometh My Help

Keep Us from Evil & Keep

Our Life

“Evil” should likely be understood

as sorrow & distress, particularly

death.

Page 51: From Whence Cometh My Help

Keep Us from Evil & Keep

Our Life

“Evil” should likely be understood

as sorrow & distress, particularly

death.

Synonymous parallelism.

Page 52: From Whence Cometh My Help

Keep Us from Evil & Keep

Our Life

“Evil” should likely be understood

as sorrow & distress, particularly

death.

Synonymous parallelism.

The Lord‟s keeping one from evil

appears to be the same as keeping his

life.

Page 53: From Whence Cometh My Help

Hebrews Lacked Info on

Afterlife

“If a man dies, shall he live

again?” (Job 14:14, ESV).

Page 54: From Whence Cometh My Help

Hebrews Lacked Info on

Afterlife

“If a man dies, shall he live

again?” (Job 14:14, ESV).

The Hebrews seem to have had the

idea of annihilation after death.

Page 55: From Whence Cometh My Help

Hebrews Lacked Info on

Afterlife

“If a man dies, shall he live

again?” (Job 14:14, ESV).

The Hebrews seem to have had the

idea of annihilation after death;

this may be a way of saying that

God will provide eternity for his

people.

Page 56: From Whence Cometh My Help

Hebrews Lacked Info on

Afterlife

“If a man dies, shall he live

again?” (Job 14:14, ESV).

The Hebrews seem to have had the

idea of annihilation after death.

“I am the resurrection and the life.

Whoever believes in me, though

he die, yet shall he live, and

everyone who lives and believes in

me shall never die” (Jn 11:25-26,

ESV).

Page 57: From Whence Cometh My Help

Keep Your Going Out &

Your Coming In

“Your going out and your coming

in” was military language (going

to battle & coming back home)

and language for one‟s coming

and going throughout the course

of the day.

Page 58: From Whence Cometh My Help

Keep Your Going Out &

Your Coming In

“Your going out and your coming

in” was military language (going

to battle & coming back home)

and language for one‟s coming

and going throughout the course

of the day.

Phraseology likely has special

significance concerning the trip to

and from Jerusalem.

Page 59: From Whence Cometh My Help

Keep Your Going Out &

Your Coming In

“Your going out and your coming

in” was military language (going

to battle & coming back home)

and language for one‟s coming

and going throughout the course

of the day.

Phraseology likely has special

significance concerning the trip to

and from Jerusalem.

“From this time forth and

forevermore”=“duration of life.”

Page 60: From Whence Cometh My Help

Do you have God‟s protection?


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