Psalm 121 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 121 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1I lift up my eyes to the hills- from where will my help come?
Verse 2My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Verse 3He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
Verse 4He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
Verse 5The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
Verse 6The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
Verse 7The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.
Verse 8The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.
Devotion
This sounds like a burglar alarm commercial: "He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep" (Psalm 121:4). Indeed, God gives us 24-hour protection.
Holding fast to this promise, Psalm 27 boldly says, "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"
We trust this promise: "God will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore" (Psalm 121:8). So we can say with Jesus, whether in life or death: "Father into your hands I commend my spirit."
Indeed, this is a continuing blessing. And like the psalmist, we can daily pray the following from the "Night Prayer (Compline)" liturgy.
Prayer
Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping;
that awake, we may watch with Christ and asleep, we may rest in peace. Amen.