May 2, 2025
God watches over you
Read: 1 Samuel 9,10; Psalm 121; Luke 17:20-37
Scripture: Psalm 121: 7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; 8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Observation: In the book of Psalms, 15 Psalms (Psalms 120 to 134) that start with the title "A song of ascents" are called "Pilgrim Psalms." Many Bible scholars opine that Jews sang these songs as they ascended Mount Zion when they went to Jerusalem for their annual pilgrimage, according to the instruction in Deut.16:16. Some view that the word "ascents" refers to the 15 steps of the Jerusalem temple and say that these songs can be called "a song of the stairs." Psalm 121 is one of the pilgrimage songs, in which "the Lord watches over" is the major theme.
Here the psalmist expresses his belief in God that the Creator God helps and protects him from all harm. If God protects us, why do we see many difficulties and struggles in our lives? Even good Christians face many issues in their lives. Many psalms describe the agony and sufferings of the psalmist. In fact, many psalms were written during such periods. Does God protect us? YES. There is no doubt about it. The psalmist gives a broad picture of God; God indeed watches over his people. How God deals with each of us would differ according to our situations. Who would have thought that people would become afraid of even stepping out of their houses! But during Covid, we saw such fear among all people. When our children, women, and men go out, there is no guarantee for their safety and life. Some feel insecure even in their homes. When we read Psalm 121, we understand that God watches over us all the time. Even when we go through difficult times, God protects us and helps us overcome them. The psalmist says that the God who watches over you now will do it forevermore. Trusting God gives more hope than any other thing in the world.
Application: God is my helper. Even when I sleep, God protects me. He keeps me safe under his wings. He protects my life now and forevermore. He gives me glorious eternal hope. He is my hope!
Prayer: Father God, thank you for the assurance and hope you give me whenever I come to you. You indeed watch over me. Help me to stay under your care now and forevermore. Amen.
✍️: Arputharaj Samuel
📕: Quiet Time Companion
🗓️ Day – 122