Psalms 120-121

" In my distress I cried to the LORD, and He heard me. Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue...Woe is me that I dwell in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar! My soul has dwelt too long with one who hates peace. I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war." psalm 120:1-2,5-7

"I will lift up my eyes to the hills - from whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth." psalm 121:1-2

I so often forget that in scripture where our English translation and the set up of chapters you often lose the fluidness of going from one chapter to the next; that they all really flow one right into the other. Here we see the psalmist crying out in distress to the LORD, to be delivered from a place, people and situation that stirred up discord, unrest and war. I am sure a lot of us can relate to the psalmist here, you don't have to look to far to find disunity, wars stirring up (whether within churches, friendships, family or even within country's). Or think of any situation that has cause your soul to cry out in desperation and despair and distress to the Father for help, rescuing, deliverance from the evil and unrest surrounding you. That every time you try and make amends or to work things out peaceably they want nothing to do with it or you. Maybe perhaps you have felt like a foreigner, in a land that was dark and cut off from worship to the One True God. That is exactly how the psalmist felt! For "Meshech" means 'foreigner' and "Kedar" means 'dark' to be cut off from worship to the One True God.

In this world, this house of war, where life is often distressing and this place of residence seems so far away for us sojourners who are on pilgrimage home to true worship to our God and fellowship with our Father; where our hearts cry out for help from this land were these eternal souls have dwelled to long in a foreign place, there is a Help.

Just as the psalmist realized, as we move to the next chapter we see that after we pour out our hearts like water before the throne of The King, our Father[Lamentations 2:19]. And we stop, look up and lift our eyes to the hills, its then that our Father lifts our chin up higher, towards the heavens and we realize, where our help comes from; the strength to keep walking forward when your feet are blistered and weary, the endurance and hope to continue living life in a dark oppressed land, the boldness to speak the peaceable response to the person who has only cause discord and unrest.

My help to do all those things, comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; the residences where He has called us to live in this moment, that person whom the Lord desires to use you to show and speak His love to, places where we have been chosen and called to prove God's presences. He created all. For our good and His glory.

In the midst of our distress God created a Keeper the LORD to keep us where ever we go[psalm 121], a Helper the Holy Spirit to teach us all things and to bring to our remembrance all things He has said to us[john14:26] and Rescuer the Savior Jesus Christ to save us and deliver us [Luke 2:11, Luke 4:18-21]

Because He is Our Father...

When we are set with a path to take, up and over hills, through the valleys and top of mountians, we take each step knowing our help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth; mountain tops, rolling hills and the deepest valleys. And when He created them we were ever present on His mind, knowing we would one day be walking through them. He made it hard enough that we would rely on His strength to reach the mountain top. He made the path long enough so that we would know we wouldn't be able to go on to the next hill unless He gave us the perseverance to carry on and the grace to endure. He made the valleys dark so that we would build our faith and hope by taking one step at a time with the lamp He shone for us to light up just the next step. That is why He made that beautiful sunset that left you breathless in awe of your Creator. The morning dew grass to show you the many tears the Father has cried over you because how purely clean the drop is is how clearly pure He sees you. Wild flowers scattered bout the valleys that fill your heart with giddy joy and makes you dance before your King; and in turn He is over come with joy to see His daughter dance with praise, He joins you in the dance and sweeps you off your feet. That is why He made the flower smell sweet, the sunshine feel warm, snow crunch beneath your feet and fall leaves to dance wildly when they fall. To make sure His child could see all the beauty He sees in you; that along your journey there would always be a treasure to be found, a love letter waiting to be read, a gift to be opened, a blessing to enjoy. Because He is our Father, He thinks of these things.

"I will lift my eyes to the hills- from whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD who made heaven and earth." - Psalm 121