June 13, 2025 - Psalms 121-125

One of the best known and most quoted, I suspect, verses in the Psalms:  “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” (121:1,2).  The “eye theme” theme continues:  “To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! . . . our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he has mercy upon us” (123:1,2).

And especially poignant for today, with the Israeli strikes against Iran, David instructs, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!” (122:6).  And, as he solicits prayer for Jerusalem, David testifies, “If it had not been the LORD who was on our side—let Israel now say—if it had not been the LORD who was on our side when people rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us up alive” (124:1-3).  But the Lord IS on our side and, so, we pray “Lord, keep our eyes focused on you, today.  Hear us and have mercy upon us.”

Dear refuge of my weary soul,

On thee, when sorrows rise;

On thee, when waves of trouble roll,

My fainting Hope relies.

To thee, I tell each rising grief,

For thou alone canst heal;

Thy word can bring a sweet relief,

For ev’ry pain I feel.   -- Anne Steele (1760)