WALKING IN BLESSING
Opening Prayer
Gracious Lord, in this quiet time. I am here; opening my mind, surrendering my heart, offering my will to You.
Read Psalm 121
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
We have reflected on Joseph’s life as a journey. If you think of your own life in the same way, what do you need from God now?This is a psalm of blessing with two voices. In verses 1,2 an individual prepares for a journey and looks for a blessing, which is spoken by a second voice in the rest of the psalm, possibly a priest at the Temple.
As the traveler looks up, he sees ‘the mountains.’ These may be literal or may represent the threats and challenges that lie ahead. But beyond them he sees the One who made the hills, who made heaven and earth, so he looks up for blessing with hunger and eagerness.
The blessing covers day and night, the whole of time, and the whole range of the journey. Whereas Psalm 139 acknowledges that no part of our lives is hidden from God, this psalm affirms His active involvement in every stage with the purpose of blessing us.
Blessing does not mean ease. There are challenges and difficulties along the way, but even in these there is blessing. Jesus’ disciples came to see that life with Jesus did not mean an absence of storms, but a safe conclusion to the journey (Mark 4:35–41).
Apply
As you look up, do you see problems or the One who is bigger? Use this psalm to ask for the blessing you need (1,2), and to speak God’s blessing over others (3–8).
Closing prayer
Lord, I thank for Your help. Daily life can drain me of joy, but You replenish and refresh me by Your presence. I praise You with my whole heart.
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