“My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:2
Before setting out for Africa, the famous missionary and explorer David Livingstone worshipped with his father and his sister. As they prepared for him to set out into the unknown, they read this Psalm together, taking encouragement from “the Lord, who made heaven and earth”.
For us, the outbreak of COVID-19 is a stark reminder that life is a journey into the unknown. It would be true to say that we know what lies ahead in the broadest sense – a brief life; a battle against things which fail, spoil or break; a building awareness of the inevitability of death. Yet, the details are unknown.
In order to find hope for the future, everyone places their trust in something or someone. In today’s crisis, some will rely upon government policy whiles others will place their confidence in the health service. Many will depend upon the perceived power of the “unknown god” – fate!
The writer of Psalm 121 speaks with wisdom. His confidence is in the Creator, “the Lord, who made heaven and earth”.
A Living God
The gods worshipped by millions have no power to do anything because they have no life. A statue made of stone, wood or metal cannot move, or hear, or speak (cf. Psalm 115). It certainly cannot make the heavens and the earth. In fact, it is just a tiny speck within this vast universe.
The idols craved by many in the predominantly materialistic West are no different. Gadgets, clothing and houses have no power to create. Creative power requires life.
The verse we are considering here reminds us that the God who created is the “living God”. He is the One who has the power, wisdom and authority to create light, the stars and the planets, and the tiniest atom. Yet the pinnacle of God’s creation was when He “formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” (Gen 2:7). It is the living God who gives life.
When the Apostle Paul preached in Athens, he noted that many so called gods were worshipped. He proclaimed “God, who made the world and everything in it” (Acts 17:24). As he continued, he spoke of the need for all to repent of their sins which have been committed in defiance of the living God. He concluded by demonstrating that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.
The Bible calls Jesus Christ the “Prince of Life”. Yet Jesus was born into this world for one primary purpose – to die. It is only through Jesus Christ, who gave up His life as a sacrifice for sin, that we may be given life. At the cross Jesus conquered sin and He conquered death. He alone has the power and the right to give eternal life.
A Sovereign God
Psalm 149v2 says: “Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King”. There is a connection between the one who makes something, and the one who owns it. The “Lord, who made heaven and earth” not only made this world, but He owns it. He is the Sovereign. He is the King.
In Acts 3 and 4, the early church experienced trouble following the healing of the lame man at Gate Beautiful. The religious leaders were angered because this man was cured in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The inescapable conclusion was that this Jesus, whom they had recently crucified and seen laid in a grave, was alive and full of power. They could not deny the reality of the miracle and so instead commanded Peter and John not to preach in His name. As the church met for prayer, they called on the “Lord, …, who made heaven and earth” (Acts 4:24). Their thoughts then moved to the words of this Creator God as given in Psalm 2. Here it speaks of the nations in a united front fighting against the Lord. Rather than being troubled, worried and perplexed, the Lord spoke in His wrath to declare that He has “set [His] King, on [His] holy hill of Zion” (Psalm 2:6). This King is none other than His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Bible is clear that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As the Apostle Paul declares in Colossians 1:15-17, Jesus Christ is fully divine, the Creator of all things in heaven and on earth, and is King over all.
As His created beings we are called to bow the knee to Him. The Bible warns that all will one day bow the knee, but following death or when He returns, it will be too late to find mercy, pardon and forgiveness (Phil 2:9-11). Today is the day to come in repentance for our defiance of His rightful authority in our lives.
A Personal God
The Psalmist testified clearly that God was his help. But the question remains: will God be my help, my keeper, my protector? Will He be my King, and my God?
The Psalmist certainly believed so. In Psalm 121v1,2 he speaks of “my help”. Yet in the following verses, he speaks of others. “The Lord is your keeper” (v5). “The Lord shall preserve you from all evil” (v7). The Psalmist was writing to testify of God’s help in his life, yet with the purpose of instructing you and I that we may know God’s help in our lives.
You see, if evolution made the heavens and the earth, there is no intelligent, living, personal being to give the help we all so desperately need. It would be no wonder that millions would struggle with fear and anxiety about the future. It would be commonplace for many to live in a state of hopelessness. It would be no surprise that there would be pandemonium during a pandemic.
The created world around us speaks of a better way. Even disaster directs us to someone outside of ourselves. Above all, the Bible speaks with crystal clarity into confusion. There is a living God who created this universe. He is upon the throne as the King in control. He is the God who may be known through the Lord Jesus Christ. His salvation is available to those who will call out to Him with sorrow for personal sin and trust in Jesus Christ’s death at the cross for forgiveness.
Where is your confidence? Is it in the Creator?
