“My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
~ Psalm 121:2
Hi James and Ellen,
Have you ever chanted? A chant can be a liturgical dialogue. A liturgical dialogue is an exchange of words or phrases between a guy or gal with another guy or gal or between a group of guys and/or gals with another group of guys and/or gals. When soldiers march, the soldiers will at times exchange chants with their sergeant. When guys and gals are on a pilgrimage, the guys and gals will at times exchange chants between themselves. When a pastor reads the Bible during a church service, the pastor will at times read one verse and the guys and gals who are the church’s congregants will as a form of a chant read the next verse. A chant can even be words that a guy, gal or kid can say back and forth in his or her own heart. A chant can be like a tune, song, hymn or mantra. Psalm 121 is a song of ascents or chants. There are four couplets in this psalm song. This psalm song was probably sung or chanted back and forth between guys and gals while they were on a pilgrimage to the city of Jerusalem or in a caravan going someplace. This psalm song chant could have been sung or chanted by a single guy or gal while he or she reflected on the glory that faithful followers of God will receive one day in heaven. This short psalm song has the words ‘the LORD’ and ‘watch over’ used five times. The dialogue in this psalm song chant goes from one verse to the next verse. The dialogue of this psalm song chant begins with a question which are followed by claims of assurance in the Lord – Who is God, in the next verses. The back and forth dialoguing in this psalm song chant is to encourage the guys and gals who are chanting this psalm song – just as soldiers chant with their sergeant to encourage each other as they march – just as guys and gals chant on a pilgrimage from one place to another place to encourage each other as they walk and – just as a pastor has the guys and gals who are his congregants chant with him as he reads a portion of the Bible to encourage each other as they worship together.
Where do you get your help? The writer of this psalm song chant of ascents states in verse 2 that, “My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Are you asking God the Father – the Lord, for His help? How often do you ask God the Father – the Lord, for His help? God the Father – the Lord, wants all of His specially elected kids – and guys and gals, to be always asking Him for His help. Do you remember a particular moment when you know that God the Father – the Lord, helped you after you asked Him for His help? Your grandpaa knows that God the Father – the Lord, has been and is always helping him and your grandmaa. The help that your grandmaa and grandpaa have been and are always receiving from God the Father – the Lord, is coming to them through the grace and mercy of God the Father – the Lord; it is not coming to them because your grandmaa and grandpaa have done something really extra special for Him. God the Father – the Lord, always keeps His eyes on His specially elected kids – and guys and gals, who He elected before He created planet Earth. God the Father – the Lord, knows that His specially elected kids – and guys and gals, are always in need of His help in order to survive living on planet Earth. God the Father – the Lord, knows that His specially elected kids – and guys and gals, are always about to slip into a sin danger zone. God the Father – the Lord, knows that His specially elected kids – and guys and gals, are always about to do something stupid and get hurt. God the Father – the Lord, knows that His specially elected kids – and guys and gals, are always being tempted and tried by an enemy – whose name is Satan, who is always out there with cohorts, minions and gofers trying to harm and destroy them. God the Father – the Lord, is always guarding and caring for His specially elected kids – and guys and gals, by always keeping His eyes on them.
It is a comforting thought knowing that there is a Being – Who is God the Father – the Lord, Who constantly keeps watch over the guys, gals and kids who before He created planet Earth He specially elected to be His adopted kids – keeping them from harm, danger, doing stupid things and sinning. How do you feel about the indisputable fact that God the Father – the Lord, always watches over you – to keep you from being hurt, getting sick, making unwise decisions and compromising your faith? Your grandpaa knows that if God the Father – the Lord, does not keep a close watch over him that . . . God the Father – the Lord – over the now 57 years that your grandmaa and grandpaa have been married, has taken your grandmaa and grandpaa on a life track that at times has been a bumpy track to walk but . . . your grandmaa and grandpaa over the past 57 years have lived in Delaware, Massachusetts, South Dakota, Illinois, Texas, Florida, Colorado, Georgia and South Carolina. Your grandmaa and grandpaa have lived or spent time in Colombia, Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Mexico, Canada and Guatemala. Your grandpaa has spent time in Paraguay, Chile, Slovenia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Haiti and Puerto Rico. About 40 years before this ‘devotional’ was first written, a very naïve farm kid from Volga, South Dakota and a very attractive city gal from Wilmington, Delaware were making plans for their wedding. This young couple had no thoughts, aspirations or dreams about doing anything other than living together, working, etc. It was about ten years after your grandmaa and grandpaa were married that God the Father – the Lord, divinely changed the life track that they were walking to a missionary vocation life track. When God the Father – The Lord, opened in 1972 all kinds of doors and windows for your grandmaa and grandpaa to go through and when they did . . . this editing is being done 18 years later and God the Father – the Lord, still has them on the same rewarding life track that He began in their lives 57 years ago.
Psalm 121 (437)