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Cheddar Methodist Church
Lent 3 - 15th March 2009 AM
Climbing
Psalm 121
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up myeyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he whowatches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he whowatches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORDwatches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he willwatch over your life;
8 the LORD willwatch over your coming and going
both now and for evermore.
So a group of celebrities made it to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro –
ostensibly for Comic Relief. Yesterday I read a humorous article inThe
Times that described what an ordeal it was for these folks – most of them
unaccustomed to physical exertion and deprivation. I wonder how they felt
as they finally saw the final stretch to the summit?
Most readers of this psalm will think that the author is wondering if his help
comes from the hills.
Perhaps the prospect of Jerusalem where the pilgrims are heading
suggests to him that his strength comes from there?
I want to suggest that he may be looking to the hills with apprehension. How am I going to make it? As someone who is notoriously unfit and overweight the thought of even climbing one of our local hills Crook Peak doesn’t appeal any more. How can I possibly climb it?
In support of my view that the psalmist is anxious about the climb I point
out that he goes on to hear a second voice in verses 3-8
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3 He will not let your foot slip—
he whowatches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he whowatches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORDwatches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he willwatch over your life;
8 the LORD willwatch over your coming and going
both now and for evermore.
This voice speaks about feet slipping (3) the hot sun and the moonlight
night – “all harm” (7) and the difficult pilgrimage of “coming and going” (8)
Life can be an uphill struggle.
This morning I have a very simple thought for you : We may feel that we
do not have the strength for what lies before us – but our Lord provides an
inner strength that will make it possible for us to cope with the hills of
life.
The pilgrims chant this psalm as they approach Jerusalem. (Indeed I am
told that Hebrew passengers sing it as they descend in an aircraft to
Jerusalem! I guess to them it is a psalm of DESCENT!) The Psalm is full of
God’s watchfulness. All the way He watches over me!
1 I lift up myeyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
In order to expand this thought I want to remind you of three people who
climbed up in the strength of God:
•Climbing for the last time (Moses)
•Climbing into enemy territory (Jonathan and his armour bearer)
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•Climbing to the place of prayer (Elijah)
MOSES – climbing for the last time Deut 32:48
33:27
48 On that same day the LORD told Moses, 49 “Go up into the Abarim Range to Mount Nebo in Moab, across
from Jericho, and view Canaan, the land I am giving the Israelites as their own possession.50 There on the
mountain that you have climbed you will die and be gathered to your people, just as your brother Aaron died
on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people.51 This is because both of you broke faith with me in the
presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and because you did not uphold
my holiness among the Israelites.52 Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance; you will not enter
the land I am giving to the people of Israel.”
….
27 The eternal God is your refuge,
and underneath are the everlasting arms.
It is immensely hard for us to understand how Moses felt about this. So
many great things had happened to him on the mountains of Sinai – but
now he must make his last climb – and the mountain stretches before him.
From there he will view the land – but never enter it.
Will this sour Moses’ relationship with God?
And yet – whilst still looking away to that mountain and knowing all he
does about what it means for him – he is able to leave behind a series of blessings in Chapter 33, including those beautiful lines in the promise to Jeshurun:-
27 The eternal God is your refuge,
and underneath are the everlasting arms.
Moses does not harbour resentment in his heart as he approaches his final
climb. He has taken time to prepare Joshua his successor. Moses has a
relationship with God that transcends this final disappointment. He
understands the reasons. But still he has to make this final ascent – to
climb for the last time. How must he have felt?
Whatever our circumstances just now – facing whatever uphill struggle – He who made heavens and earth is the one who provides the SUFFICIENT STRENGTH.
I will lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my strength come from?
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