Thursday, January 22nd | Daily Devotion
- Jan 22
- 3 min read
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. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. 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 forth and forevermore. -Psalm 121:1-8
TRANSCRIPTION:
Good morning, good morning. I’m Dr. Powell, and on this incredible Thursday morning we’re here with our weekday devotional. I want to take a look at a familiar Psalm—one that we’ve probably heard at least once or twice in church—but one that gives us fitting marching orders as we move forward by faith and by grace through this wonderful month of January.
I pray that this resonates with you, but I want us to look at it in a slightly different fashion today. I’m actually going to read the entirety of this Psalm because it’s pretty short, and I’d love for us to meditate on it throughout the rest of the day to give us motivation as we move forward by faith and by grace.
“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. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. 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 forth and forevermore.”
Again, this 121st Psalm is one we say often in church. We’ve leaned on it in many situations and circumstances. It’s easily quoted, but too often it’s rarely put into actual practice—because it’s twofold. On one end, it’s a declaration of what to do. On the other end, it’s a declaration of why to do it.
The lifting of the eyes to the hills is a shift in focus. Scholars suggest that during this season David was experiencing what it meant to be on the run—having been called and appointed, yet now facing threats and opposition. He finds himself almost outside of himself, in a place of pressure and uncertainty. But this Psalm becomes his declaration to no longer live within the surrounding context of his circumstances, but instead to live in everlasting reassurance of God’s grace, favor, and protection.
David is saying, I lift up my eyes to the hills—I’m not looking down anymore. I’m making a declaration that my countenance will change. And many of us know what it’s like to be in situations that force our countenance to fall. We may not look down physically, but we look down spiritually, mentally, emotionally. We find ourselves downtrodden because of what’s happening around us.
At some point, we have to change the trajectory of our outcome by changing where we’re looking. So I want to ask you today: what are you focused on that has pulled your attention away from the direction of the Savior?
David goes on to explain why this shift matters. He says the Lord is your keeper. The Lord is your shade on your right hand. That reference to the right hand speaks to favor—God’s preference, God’s positioning, God elevating you into a greater place and purpose.
He says the sun will not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. In other words, there is no space, no time, and no situation where God’s protection is absent from your life. And because His protection is always present, it ought to change how you walk. You shouldn’t walk around defeated. You should walk with the confidence of someone covered.
The Lord will keep you from all evil. He will keep your life. And even when you walk into situations meant for harm, God is still keeping you. So if you look back—just over the last 48 hours—ask yourself honestly: how often has God truly let you down?
Most of us can’t name a solid example. Yet we still walk as if God has something left to prove. No—lift up your eyes. Lift your countenance. Rest in the assurance of who God is, and walk in the favor He’s already given you.
Be blessed on this Thursday. I’ll see you soon.