שָׁמַר‎

The past few weeks and especially these last few days, I have had to continually run to the Word and to my Father with the thought that I have no clue where to go. No clue where to run. No clue about my future. But, despite all this doubting...I know that I can trust Him. My thoughts have been brought to Psalms 121 recently, so let's look at this Psalms together and let the words sink into our hearts.

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I will lift up my eyes to the hills - from whence comes my help?

My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade at your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.

The LORD shall preserve your from all evil; He shall preserve your soul.

The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.

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There is such assurance in these verses! Our help doesn't come from man, our wisdom is not of this world, our energy to live daily is not from man nor is our daily provision from man. So often though, including myself, we run to man to solve these problems. And we forget that the very Person Who keeps Israel, Who loves His children, Who watches the ravens...cares for us! "I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep." John 10:11 Oh - but why do we forget this fundamental truth? Jesus Christ, God's Son - He cares for you! He cares for me! And not just Jesus Christ, God the Father cares for us as well...so much so that He gave us His Son to prove that He loves us.

One could go on and on about this beautiful aspect of who God is - His Redeeming Love.

But back in Psalms 121 - my thoughts keps drifting to the words "keep" and "preserve." We all have probably heard many people talk on this chapter, focusing on those words. But what is the meaning behind them? What compels David to write such words about God?

The Hebrew word for this "to keep" and "to preserve" is שָׁמַר‎ which is pronounced shamar (shaw-mar'). Vines desribes it as meaning also "tending." It is the same words used for Adam tending the garden in Genesis 2:15, also it is used to refer to Harhas who is the "keeper of the wardrobe." Satan is also used with this word when God allowed him to keep Job, but not destroy him. The same word is also used not only "to tend" but also "to watch over." I loved how it was summed up in these words, "Not only does sharmar signify watching, but it signifies doing it as a watchman in the sense of fulfilling a responsibility." When we look at the actual meaning of the words - in my eyes, I seem to have a better appreciation for what David or the authors in the Bible are trying to say.

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Listen:

He who keeps you will not slumber...

He who keeps Israel...

The LORD is your keeper...

The LORD shall preserve...

He shall preserve your soul...

The LORD shall preserve your going out and coming forth...

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God's job as a watchman and "tender" of His flock was to watch Israel. Think of all the times God's hand was upon that nation - Abraham, Joseph, Egypt, Moses, the Red Sea, the many battles, Joshua, Hezekiah...etc. All of these people and places and many other people and places were used by God to point them back to Him being their Keeper. But there were many times when His people forsook Him whether it was for idols (Chronicles and Kings), for man's healing (II Chronicles 16:13), for pleasure (Solomon, David)...no matter how far they strayed, God never left them. He never left Israel. Because He Keeps Israel.

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If He keeps Israel...how much more will He keep us?

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And if He is continally looking out, watching over and tending us, His sheep...are we doing the same likewise?

Are we looking for Him?

Are we watching Him?

Are we tending to His business?

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After all of these thoughts, I just want to sum up some things. I am far from understanding, knowing and fully trusting my Savior. But God wants us to KNOW Him. To know Him in a way that when confusion, discouragement, physical illness, death, financial struggle or anything that comes our way in this world; we can honestly and firmly say "the LORD is my keeper," "the LORD will preserve."

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Often times I don't know where to turn

or go in this sin-sinking world,

but I keep my eyes fixed on Him

because He keeps me there in His midst.

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I know not what awaits me; GOD kindly veils mine eyes,

And o'er each step of my onward way He makes new scenes to rise;

and every joy He sends me comes a sweet and glad suprise.

One step I see before me: 'Tis all I need to see,

the light of heaven more brightly shines, when earth's illusions flee;

and sweetly thro' the silence comes His loving "Follow Me."

Oh, blissful lack of wisdom! 'Tis blessed not to know;

He holds me with His own right hand, and will not let me go;

and lulls my troubled soul to rest in Him who loves me so.

So on I go - not knowing, I would not if I might;

I'd rather walk in darkness with GOD than go alone in the night;

I'd rather walk by faith with Him than go alone by sight.

Where He may lead I'll follow,

My trust in Him repose;

And every hour in perfect peace

I'll sing "He knows! He knows!"

-Mary G. Brainard

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I don't know about tomorrow, It may bring me poverty;

But the One Who feeds the sparrow, Is the One Who stands by me.

And the path that be my portion, May be through the flame or flood,

But His presence goes before me, And I'm covered with His blood.

-Ira Stanphill

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The eyes of all look expectantly to You. And You give them their food in due season.

You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

The LORD is righteous in all His ways, gracious in all His works.

The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.

He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them.

The LORD preserves all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy.

My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD,

and all flesh shall bless His holy name forever and ever.

Psalm 145:15-21