The Psalms are filled with many memorable verses and words of comfort and support. There is one book in Psalms that might be worth memorizing and it isn’t Psalms 23 or Psalms 100, it’s actually Psalms 121. This is one of the Psalms known as the “Psalms of Ascents.” (Psalms 120- 134 are called “Songs of Ascents.” These Psalms were either sung by pilgrims on the ascending march from the Babylonia captivity to Jerusalem or that they were sung by worshipers from all parts of Palestine as they went up to Jerusalem for the great festivals. * Oxford NIV Scofield Study Bible, page 617)

Psalm 121

The traveler’s psalms
A song of ascents
I lift up my eyes to the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip
He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches of Israel
Will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you-the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm-he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

At some point in time, all parents will find themselves crying out to God for help, whether it is on that first night that you bring your sweet baby home from the hospital or on the day that you watch your child drive away from home on their way to adulthood. Each moment has its own set of anxieties and worries. You may wonder what to do with a crying infant or your teenagers who have made some unhealthy life choices and you are at your wit’s end as to what to do- you cry out to the Lord for help and guidance!

Psalm 121 can ease the tension by offering words of encouragement. The Lord watches over you is a reoccurring theme. Just picture the Lord watching over you, and be comforted in knowing that you are never alone. He never sleeps! That’s pretty amazing, He will never fall asleep, He is with us always.

Many times parents feel alone, isolated and frustrated. Once you step into the role of a parent, you will always be someone’s mother or father. A piece of your heart is out there, (honestly that’s the only way I can describe it. A piece of your heart is out in this world.) I am writing this while attending a freshman orientation for our youngest son Alex and at the same time our oldest daughter is setting out on her own as a new bride-do I need help? Absolutely! I could not make it through these transitions on my own. “I lift my eyes to the hills where does my help come from?” It comes from the Lord!

Fast forward over 10 years later, I finally found this handwritten note which I wrote as I was waiting on Alex while he toured the college campus with his freshman guides.

It’s March 19, 2020, and our world has been turned upside down. The COVID-19 virus has shut down practically the entire nation. Our oldest daughter just called to say that her grocery was limiting her meat and milk intake to only one meat and one milk per family, and don’t even get me started on the whole toilet paper fiasco!

We are in unchartered times and our need to focus on our faith is greater now than ever before. Perhaps this is a time to reconnect and refocus. I do believe that God uses times like these to get us back to a place of dependence on Him and less on ourselves. Churches are using online resources to stay connected with their members, schools are using Google classrooms to keep students engaged, restaurants are using Door dash and other means to get food to your doorsteps, and everyone else is trying to keep their sanity.

It’s another rainy, grey day and if I don’t see the sunshine soon, I too will lose my mind! J. Martin Kohe wrote, “The greatest power that a person possesses is the power to choose.” Today I choose to be happy! (or at least I will give it a good effort!)

God bless you with grace, mercy, and peace!