Kept
"The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand...
The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life." (Psalm 121:5, 7)
March 13, 2025
Dear friends
This morning Jan Lu and I read Psalm 121 together, which is the second of the fifteen Songs of Ascent. These are also referred to as the Pilgrim Psalms, as traditionally they were recited by Jews during their pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
As a Christian I read these thinking of our journey through this world on our way to the fullness of God's new creation. Like men and women of faith all throughout history, we too travel "...looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God." (Hebrews 11:10)
Six times in this particular psalm the Lord's "keeping", his divine protection, is recalled. The Lord never becomes sleepy, and he stands watch at all times, even through the night (vv. 3-4). He will not let our foot slip (i.e., there will be no permanent falls). The elements of weather will not strike us down (vv. 5-6). We will be kept [protected, guarded] from evil and our lives preserved (v. 7). He watches over our "goings and comings", now and forever (v. 8).
All this does not mean that we will be spared from difficulty, loss, or setbacks on the road, but that we as God's children will arrive finally and safely on our journey to the Father's house. We are those "...who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:5)
This eternal safe-keeping is reflected also in our Lord's prayer on the eve of his death for us, as recorded in the Gospel of John, chapter 17. Here Jesus says...
"Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one." (John 17:11-15)
What a comfort, what a blessing, and what an encouragement to keep on keeping on, as we travel Homeward!
IN OTHER NEWS.
-- Now more than ever, prayer is needed for our brothers and sisters around the world.
-- It's always good to hear how God is working on campuses today.
-- "But we have to keep our heads straight about what’s important and what’s not. And we can’t demonize government work. Some public servants really are servants." (Peggy Noonan, "‘The Jungle’ Is a Cautionary Tale for DOGE", WSJ)
-- We have enjoyed following Jackie and Shadow, doting eagle parents keeping watch over their three babies.
-- Here's a good word from Alistair Begg, commenting on the first chapter of Habakkuk, "...notice that God’s delay in winding up history, in actually doing something dramatic, is meant to lead men and women to repentance. When people ask, 'Why doesn’t this God of yours do something?' we need to learn to be able to say, 'This God of ours has done something,' and tell them the story of the cross. We need to be able to say, 'This God of ours is going to do something,' and tell them about the bar of his judgment. And we need to be able to say, 'This God of the Bible is doing something—and that is, he is showing kindness to those who deserve his wrath in order that he might give them time to come to repentance.' 'Do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?'“ (Alistair Begg, "How Long and Why?")
FINAL QUOTE.
"A sovereign Protector I have, Unseen, yet forever at hand,
Unchangeably faithful to save, Almighty to rule and command.
He smiles, and my comforts abound; His grace as the dew shall descend;
And walls of salvation surround The soul he delights to defend."
(Augustus Toplady)
And that's it for this week!
Sandy
Afterwords is an occasional newsletter on topics of interest to me (Sandy Young) since my retirement from full-time pastoral ministry. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.