from where will my help come?

As I read psalm 121, I remember a tender scene in the movie “The Sound of Music.” Near the end of the movie we find the Von Trapp family trying to escaping the Nazi Brown Shirts by hiding in the convent where Maria had served as a novitiate. The scene becomes quite intense as we see the Reverend Mother scuttling the Von Trapp family through the convents graveyard towards the dark mausoleum behind the gate whilst the heavy footsteps of the Nazi soldiers can be heard in the distance. Maria breathlessly apologizes to the Reverend Mother for putting the abbey in such danger but the Reverend Mother assures her that it was right for her and her family to be there. Captain Von Trapp asks the Reverend Mother if he can borrow the caretaker’s car but the Reverend Mother tells him that it would be useless. She had heard on the radio that the borders had just been closed. Then the Captain looks over his shoulder and sees the mountains in the distance and tells her that they will drive up into the hills and go over the mountains on foot. Maria is concerned about the children but the children assure her that they will be ok. As the Reverend Mother starts closing the mausoleum gate Maria steps towards the her and the Reverend Mother looks into her eyes and says, “Maria. You will not be alone. Remember: ‘I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help?’” A few scenes later we see the Von Trapp family at the mountaintop crossing into safety with the song “Climb Every Mountain” swelling in the background.


I have to give the Reverend Mother her props for picking the most theologically appropriate psalm verse to comfort Maria. Psalm 121 is part of a group of psalms called the “Song of Ascents.” The Hebrews used these psalms as liturgy as they journeyed to Jerusalem on pilgrimage. It is possible that the hills that they were looking to in the distance was Mount Zion. On Mount Zion was built the sanctuary of which the pilgrims believed to be dwelling place of God the creator of all things.

The journey to Jerusalem especially ascending up the mountains was treacherous. The stones under foot could slip and cause the person travelling on foot to fall. Throughout their long journey these pilgrims needed protection from the heat of the sun and the dangers of darkness. It is in the midst of this danger we can see the psalmist looking towards the hills of Jerusalem and crying out “from where will my help come?” and then the response, “My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” On a visceral level we know what it means to lift our eyes to the hills in search of help. We’ve all made this cry in the challenging times of our lives. We also hear these cries from all over the world, most especially now from the people of Japan who are recovering from a devastating earthquake that happened a little over a week ago and we wonder once again how a loving God could allow this to happen.

“He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” (121:3-4) I don’t know about you, but it is hard for me to not wonder if this time God was asleep on the job because tectonic plates have shifted and a big chunk of the world has moved.

Some will try to explain this away with easy answers. They try to ease our anxiety by telling us that God was testing the faith of the Japanese or that God was sending a warning to the world through the destruction of Japan. Yes there are Bible stories about God destroying Israel, Judah and Jerusalem due to the people not obeying the laws of God. However, in the end it is written that God also bestows his mercy upon these cities in spite of their wrongdoing. What is missing in these easy answers is that God’s mercy and grace is always present especially in the face of human suffering. Our God is an in-carnational God. A Creator who so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son Jesus to know first hand the brokenness of our human condition. And during the season of Lent we remember that Jesus set his face to Jerusalem and went on a journey there that led to the cross. God has given humankind and even the the earth the gift of free will. God will not control the forces of nature to keep us from danger. However, God knows our pain because God has felt our pain and God is weeping with us now as we try to grapple with what happened in Japan.

In this psalm we hear the word keep six times. He who keeps you, he who keeps Israel, The Lord is your keeper, The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life, the Lord will keep your going out and your coming in. The word keep in the NRSV translation of the bible comes from the Hebrew word shamar which means to guard, to watch, to be a guardian to, to preserve. Reread this mind it is easier for us to understand what the psalmist was trying to say, “The Lord is your guardian; the LORD is your shade at your right hand…The LORD will guard you from all evil, he will guard your life; The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.” (121:5-8)

The keeping, the guarding, the watching, the shamar of God over creation is like how a parent keeps, guards, watches over their children. As parents you will do anything to keep yourr children safe from harm. But you also know that you do not own your children. As the poet Kahlil Gibran puts it, “Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, and though they are with you yet they do not belong to you.” (1)

There comes a time when you need to allow your children their freedom and independence as they get older. As you give your children more freedom you realize that you can’t be with them 24/7 guarding, watching and keeping them. When your child does get hurt, it is hard for you as a parent not blame yourselves for not being protective enough but realistically you know that your protection can only go so far. You can choose to be the super overprotective parent by tying your child to yourself with a rope until they graduate from college, or you can teach your children the things they need to know to be safe, to do what is right and to let them know that you love them unconditionally and that you will always be there for them. You hope that with your love and everything you’ve taught your child that they will be able to make the right choices and be safe but you also know that you have to let go and let them make their own way.

So too it is with God and creation. God created the heavens and the earth and everything on it and yet God has gives all of creation free will. God chooses not to control humankind and even the forces of nature like a puppeteer would controls his marionettes. Instead God has given us the freedom to make the choice to go the way of God or to move away from God. However like a loving parent, God teaches us the things we need to know to do the right thing and is always there for us, loving us nconditionally.

“The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.” (121:7-8)

May it be so. Amen.



[1] Kahlil Gibran “On Children”