Psalm 120-121 (August 23, 2025)

A Song of Ascents.

120:1 In my distress I called to the Lord,

and he answered me.

2 Deliver me, O Lord,

from lying lips,

from a deceitful tongue.

3 What shall be given to you,

and what more shall be done to you,

you deceitful tongue?

4 A warrior's sharp arrows,

with glowing coals of the broom tree!

5 Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech,

that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!

6 Too long have I had my dwelling

among those who hate peace.

7 I am for peace,

but when I speak, they are for war!

My Help Comes from the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

121:1 I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?

2 My help comes from the Lord,

who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot be moved;

he who keeps you will not slumber.

4 Behold, he who keeps Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is your keeper;

the Lord is your shade on your right hand.

6 The sun shall not strike you by day,

nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all evil;

he will keep your life.

8 The Lord will keep

your going out and your coming in

from this time forth and forevermore.

Psalm 120 & 121Brian Lee

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Summary

Psalm 120 begins with lament:

“In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. Deliver me, O LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue!” (vv. 1–2).

The psalmist feels exiled among hostile people.

“Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!” (v. 5).

It is the cry of a believer who longs for peace in the midst of a violent, deceitful world.

Psalm 121 responds with hope:

“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).

This is not mere wishful thinking but covenantal assurance: the LORD is the Keeper of Israel. He does not slumber or sleep (v. 4). He will keep His people from the ultimate evil. Our God will guard our life ("going out and coming in") forevermore (vv. 7–8).

Together, these psalms capture the pilgrim life of the Christian. We as pilgrims in this world, we often cry out to God in a hostile world (Psalm 120). When we do, we are sustained by God’s faithful protection on the journey (Psalm 121).

Who is God?

God is the living Helper and Keeper of His people. Psalm 121 emphasizes His sovereignty as Creator.

“The LORD, who made heaven and earth” (121:2)

The psalmist also celebrates God's attentiveness, since He neither slumbers nor sleeps (121:4). Unlike idols that cannot see or act, our God is alert, active, and compassionate. Because He never dozes off or forgets His children, we can rest in His constant care. This truth calls us to entrust every part of life (our families, our work, even our fears) into His keeping, and to walk with honesty and peace even in the midst of lies, knowing we are never outside His watchful presence.

What is our Guilt?

Psalm 120 reminds us that deceit is not only around us but also within us. The psalmist laments living among lying lips, but the fact is, our own words are often compromising or even worse, silent when truth is costly. Our guilt is that we seek peace on the world’s terms, preferring comfort rather than conviction. The psalmist cries, “Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!” (120:5). Meshech was a distant, barbaric tribe in the north, and Kedar a nomadic, warlike tribe in the south—two places far apart, yet both representing life among the violent and deceitful. In other words, the psalmist felt exiled no matter where he turned.

In the same way, we often accommodate ourselves to the spirit of Meshech and Kedar—going along with the world’s hostility and deception, rather than living distinctly as citizens of Zion. By acknowledging this, we are called to repentance. Let our lips be purified by God’s truth so that our speech reflects His peace rather than the world’s deceit.

How does Grace Shine?

Grace shines in the covenant promise that “the LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life” (121:7). The Hebrew verb here is שָׁמַר (shāmar), a word that means to guard, watch over, and preserve with careful attention. Remarkably, shāmar is repeated six times in this short psalm, underscoring the unbreakable commitment of God to watch over His people. Just as Israel was called to keep God’s commandments, so God Himself promises to keep His people with even greater faithfulness.

The God who made heaven and earth pledges to guard the pilgrim at every step—“your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore” (121:8). This promise is fulfilled in Christ, the Good Shepherd, who declares, “No one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28). The same Lord who never slumbers keeps watch over us day and night, securing us not only from external dangers but also preserving our very souls for eternity.

Because Christ intercedes for us and holds us fast, we can persevere on the long and dangerous road. Even when we feel fragile, His vigilant keeping enables us to resist despair and to encourage one another as fellow pilgrims on the way to the New Jerusalem.

Prayer

Father, you are our Keeper and Helper. When we are surrounded by deceit and hostility, remind us to lift our eyes to you. Forgive us for trusting in worldly securities and for seeking peace apart from you. Thank you that in Christ we are guarded forever, and that you neither slumber nor sleep as you watch over our lives. Keep our going out and coming in, until we arrive safely in your heavenly city. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.