Psalm 121
Psalm 121
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
+++ +++ +++
This coming Sunday, the Second Sunday in Lent, we have a psalm of faith that links together the first two readings, which are about the faith of Abraham. Psalm 121 is among the favorites of many people, me included. My mother taught me this one, had me memorize it s a child. Those things stay with you. Above is the King James Version which was the standard then.
Besides learning it at home, Psalm 121 was on the poster for memorization at school. Our first day at Cove School each year the teacher had a large poster on the classroom wall. It was marked off with columns. Down the first column each child’s name was listed. Across the top each column was headed with a Bible passage for memorization that year. You got a star for each passage you memorized and recited aloud in class. Psalm 121 was sometimes on the list.
It was a different day and age, wasn't it. In some ways perhaps neither better nor worse than today, just different. But it was not a static, unchanging time even then, it was a just a stage in the constant evolution of culture, society, moving, changing like a movie film. My memories are just one frame, or a snapshot.
With human beings nothing is static. Society and culture keep changing. Values evolve. Cars keep improving. New translations of the Bible keep being published.
A modern English translation of Psalm 121 is as different from the King James Version as our 1935 Chevrolet Master was different from a 2011 Chevrolet Volt. No? Check out The Message translation of Psalm 121 --
+++ +++ +++
Psalm 121 A Pilgrim Song
I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains?
No, my strength comes from God,
who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.
He won't let you stumble,
your Guardian God won't fall asleep.
Not on your life! Israel's
Guardian will never doze or sleep.
God's your Guardian,
right at your side to protect you—
Shielding you from sunstroke,
sheltering you from moonstroke.
God guards you from every evil,
he guards your very life.
He guards you when you leave and when you return,
he guards you now, he guards you always.
Peace today.
TW+