Psalm 121: Where Does My Help Come From?

"I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help

comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1-2

Read the verse above over again. In this verse, the psalmist seems to be on a diligent search. He seems to know that this life is hopeless, but that there must be hope somewhere out there. He knows that his help is not from within himself, since he is caused to look outward to the mountains rather than inward to his own heart. But after his diligent search, where does he find his help? Answer: in the "Lord, who made heaven and earth." Our question before us today is this: do we find help from the Lord, or do we seek help from other sources?

Let us take a minute to consider what the psalmist did not say. He did not say, "I lift up my eyes to the hills, and I didn't find any help, so I kept on trusting in myself." He knows that he himself is not his Savior; he is conscious of his own sin and aware of his inabilities. He knows that he cannot save himself. He also did not say, "I lift my eyes to the hills. From where dos my help come? From my fellow man, who will fight along with me to overcome trials." Many people in this earth, you and me included, are tempted to believe that if we just work hard enough, we can overcome this world. Biblically speaking, this is just not so, because no matter how hard you work, you are still guilty of transgressing against God (Romans 3:23). You cannot overcome your guilt and shame by yourself; you need someone else to do it for you. Lastly, notice that the psalmist did not render anything else worthy of helping him than "the Lord." Not his wife, not his husband, not his children, not his job, not his finances, and not his possessions. So often, we trust in these things to help us, but let us realize that they cannot help us. Only the Lord can help us, because he is the one "who made heaven and earth."

This Christmas season, we celebrate that very fact. That hey! You can't save yourself, but a sovereign baby born of a virgin in a manger can: "She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). Is that not humbling? This is why the magi came and bowed down to the Savior Jesus. They knew of his worth, they knew of his power, and they knew of his salvation. Why boy down to a baby? Because that baby is the one God-man who can save the world from its sins. Praise the Lord.

So, where does your help come from? When you are afraid, do you turn inward to yourself or outward to a Savior? Do you trust in your efforts or the efforts of a Christ who came on your behalf? Amen!