What does it mean that my help comes from the Lord (Psalm 121:2)?

He does not fall back on the acknowledgement of a general truth that there is help in the LORD, but, in simple personal faith, he says, "My help comes from the LORD."

In the remaining verses of the Psalm the Spirit of God answers this simple faith by unfolding to us the blessings of the one who looks to the LORD for his help. The one recurring thought in these verses is the constant care of the LORD. The word "keep" is the characteristic word of the Psalm. Bearing in mind that the word "preserve," in verses 7 and 8, should be translated "keep," it will be noticed that this encouraging word occurs six times in the last six verses.

(vv. 1-2) The godly man would fain escape from the land of his captivity; but mountains block his way. Looking at the difficulties, the cry is forced from him, “Whence shall my help come?” (JND). Immediately his faith replies, “My help comes from the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth.” The Maker of the mountains can lead him across the mountains.

In view of such distress, the psalmist apparently looked first to the hills, the high elevations where Zion is situated, the place of Israel's blessing. But he asks, "From whence comes my help?" (v. 1). However, the hills will not answer this question, and he firmly declares, "My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth." Thus, if one highly regards the hills, he must remember that God made the hills, and all heaven and earth.

Realising his need of help, the question immediately arises in the soul of the Psalmist, "From whence shall my help come?" He is surrounded by mountains that look strong, imposing, and immovable, even as there are those in the world that apparently are firmly established in power, and unassailable by an enemy. But can we trust in any fellow creature? The prophet Jeremiah tells us, "Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel" (Jer. 3:23). Realising his need of help, and that the help of man is in vain, the godly man turns from the creature to the Creator, and very blessedly he says,

"My help comes from the LORD, which made heaven and earth."

The beauty of the connection will be more fully seen if a slight rectification is made in the rendering of the first verse. Many read as follows: "I will lift up my eyes to the hills: from whence shall my help come?" And then the second verse is taken as the answer to this question.* Adopting this change, it will be perceived that faith is in activity; for no sooner does the soul cry in its sorrow, "From whence shall my help come?" than the answer springs forth, "My help cometh from the Lord," etc. This part illustrates a principle found everywhere in the Scriptures. If God works for the succour and deliverance of His people, He acts in connection with, and in response to, their faith. For example, when Peter writes of the inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for believers, he adds, "Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:4-5.) Truly, faith itself is produced and sustained in the soul by divine power, but none the less is it the living link between the soul and God, and that which secures His intervention, brings Him in, for our aid and deliverance. (See Mark 9:23; Hebrews 11, etc.)

"My help cometh from the Lord, who made heaven and earth." (vv. 1, 2.)

The beauty of the connection will be more fully seen if a slight rectification is made in the rendering of the first verse. Many read as follows: "I will lift up my eyes to the hills: from whence shall my help come?" And then the second verse is taken as the answer to this question.* Adopting this change, it will be perceived that faith is in activity; for no sooner does the soul cry in its sorrow, "From whence shall my help come?" than the answer springs forth, "My help cometh from the Lord," etc. This part illustrates a principle found everywhere in the Scriptures. If God works for the succour and deliverance of His people, He acts in connection with, and in response to, their faith. For example, when Peter writes of the inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for believers, he adds, "Who are kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:4-5.) Truly, faith itself is produced and sustained in the soul by divine power, but none the less is it the living link between the soul and God, and that which secures His intervention, brings Him in for our aid and deliverance. (See Mark 9:23; Hebrews, 11, etc.)

IN the preceding Psalm distress and conflict mark the condition of God's people: whereas here, while the pressure is still upon them, we are permitted to see what the Lord is on their behalf in their special circumstances. The greater the sense of need, the greater the discovery of what God is for us; and hence it is that, like these saints of a future day, we are often put to the test, in order that, learning our own helplessness, we may realize that our help and succour are to be found alone in God. This will explain the connection between these two Psalms. In the last verse of the foregoing, the Psalmist cries, "I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war." What, then, is his resource? The answer is found in the first two verses of Psalm 121:

1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

This verse is quite as probably, I should think, an enquiry - at any rate verse 2 is the direct assertion "My help is from Jehovah," in the character of most High God; compare Psalm 91.

We thus learn from this beautiful Psalm that, trusting in the LORD, and looking to Him for our help, we shall find, He will keep us from all danger; His care will be unceasing; His help is always available; He will keep us at all seasons; He will keep us from all evil; He will keep us in all circumstances; He will keep us through all time for evermore. Oh keep my soul, then, Jesus Abiding still with Thee, And if I wander, teach me Soon back to Thee to flee.

It is to be remarked, as pointed out in the last paper, that God is here known as Jehovah, the covenant name of God as in relationship with Israel; and also that the words, "which made heaven and earth," are appended, for this was according to the revelation God made of Himself to His earthly people. So Jonah confessed to the mariners, "I am an Hebrew; and I fear the Lord (Jehovah), the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land." (Jonah 1:9.) Of this creation, Jehovah revealed Himself to His ancient people as the Creator, although He discovered much more than this to Moses (Exodus 34:5-7), when He announced the sovereignty of His grace and mercy as the foundation on which He could spare His guilty people after the sin of the golden calf. The Christian is in the light as God is in the light, for God is now fully revealed in and through the Lord Jesus Christ; and the believer is, moreover, in accordance with God's counsels, brought, through association with Christ, into His own place and relationship. We know God, therefore, in a far more intimate manner, inasmuch as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is our God and Father. (John 20:17; Ephesians 1:3-5.) This difference must ever be borne in mind when reading the Old Testament Scriptures.

Passing now to verse 3, we have the divine response, through the Spirit, to the faith expressed in the second verse. Turning in the confidence of faith to Jehovah, who made heaven and earth, the soul is assured of the support and protection of its Omnipotent Keeper.