My Hope is in God

My Daily SOAP from today, from Psalm 121

Scripture

Psalm 121:1 A song of ascents, for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.

“I look up to the mountains – does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!”

Observation

I imagine a pilgrim on his or her way to Jerusalem for a festival or sacrifice reciting this Psalm. Israel is a hilly country and Jerusalem is built on a mountain. You literally have to “go up” or ascend to get there. And a pilgrim could be thinking or hoping that Jerusalem, the safety of the mountains, or the leadership or government on the hill of Jerusalem would protect them from their enemies.

The Psalm itself calls out to the false or potentially misplaced hope and reminds the pilgrim: “My help comes from the Lord!”

God may (and does) use human institutions, governments, churches, and people to assist, but the help is ultimately from God and through his sovereignty.

These  pilgrims faced many dangers on their journey: the elements of nature, bandits, injury on rough terrain. The Psalm reminds us that God is watching over us, he doesn’t slumber sleep, he’s a protective shade over us and he’ll watch over us in the comings and goings in life, and in the dangers and risks and trials we face.

Application

The question is always “Will I trust God?”, “Will I put my hope in Him?” Or is my hope falsely in circumstances, men or government?

Prayer

Today God I tell you that my hope is in you, and and you alone!