the journey (step five)

We touch on one of the most fundamental aspects of human experience in Psalm 124 (step five on “the journey”). All of us have lived through overwhelming circumstances. In moments such as these a primal cry rises up within us. David feels our pain and utters that one word cry… 

Help!

The psalm paints a vivid picture of truths already expressed in Psalm 121. The circumstances in today’s psalm appear hopeless. However, God’s people experience his help. Both psalms appeal to our help being in the Lord, “the maker of heaven and earth” (verse 8). If the Lord has such power, then he is more than able to respond to the cries of his people.

Over the course of the last week I have asked myself the question, “How does the Lord help his people?” I have settled on four answers (there will be more). 

He does so through…

➡️ His presence

The greatest gift that the risen and ascended Lord Jesus gave to his church was the gift of the Holy Spirit. His words in the John’s gospel have brought tremendous reassurance to Christians over the centuries; “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth…” (John 14:16-17)

The Lord is “an ever-present help” (Psalm 46:1)…

who said…

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

➡️ Our prayers

The author of this psalm, David, recorded the following testimony earlier in the psalter, “This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him from all his troubles” (Psalm 34:6). The Lord has given us the gracious provision of prayer as a divine means of support in life.  

➡️ His people

When our children were young they loved “The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends.” My favourite story is “The Tailor of Gloucester” but I find “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” very endearing! You may remember that Peter finds himself being chased through Mr McGregor’s garden only to run into the gooseberry net and become entangled by the large buttons on his jacket. “Peter gave himself up for lost, and shed big tears, but his sobs were overheard by some friendly sparrows, who…implored him to exert himself.” As Mr McGregor was about to capture him, he wriggled out just in time to escape. It reminds me of Psalm 124; “We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare…” (verse 7).

Just as the sparrows in the children’s tale helped Peter, so the Lord will often use his people to help and support us. This challenges me to live in such a way that I can be a help and blessing to others.

➡️ His providence 

One of the most poignant hymns in the church’s collection was penned by William Cowper - “God moves in a mysterious way…”

The third verse contains the words:

“Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,

but trust him for his grace;

behind a frowning providence 

he hides a smiling face.”

This is “a hymn for stormy weather,” as someone has said. We face moments when the God who has declared himself good will not seem so good. Life may seem bad, sometimes, very bad. Cowper encourages us to find beyond the events of life the God who is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works (Psalm 145:17). His song goes on to say, “the bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.”

These four truths taken together reveal why the author of Hebrews is able to say, “So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper…'” (Hebrews 13:6)

The church has sung for centuries:

O God our help in ages past,

Our hope for years to come…

The Scriptures have declared for millennia: 

“Thus far has the Lord helped 

            us…” 

        (1 Samuel 7:12 ).

(picture - path on Ben Lawers)