Psalms 121:8

The Lord shall preserve thy going out, &c.— That is; "Shall protect and prosper thee in all thy undertakings."

REFLECTIONS.—In every distress the Psalmist fled to a covenant God. We have,

1. His prayer. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, the place of God's tabernacle, or to the heavenly hills, the place where his honour dwelleth, from whence cometh my help; or it may be read interrogatively, Shall I lift mine eyes to the hills? to idols, or the mighty men of the earth? from whence shall my help come? from these? No; in vain is salvation hoped for from these hills, Jeremiah 3:23. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth; his arm is my dependance, his grace my sole support, and his power almighty; he who created all things, can and will preserve me from the power of my enemies. Note; (1.) God is a sure refuge to those who fly to him. (2.) When human help is despaired of, with God nothing is impossible.

2. The answer. Either thus the Psalmist may have replied to himself, or he speaks to every humble petitioner in his circumstances: He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; though earth and hell assail the believer's soul, the grace and power of Jehovah is sufficient for him. He that keepeth thee will not slumber, watchful over his saints, their sure protector; and well and safely kept must they be, whom he keeps. Behold, he that keepeth Israel, his believing people, shall neither slumber nor sleep, but, ever attentive to their concerns, and careful for their good, shall preserve them from the power of evil. The Lord is thy keeper, the Lord Jesus, the great, the good shepherd of the sheep, whose infinite love engages him to watch them with tenderest care: yea, the least lamb of his flock may confidently expect his kind regard. The Lord is thy shade; as the thick cloud which shelters from the scorching beams of day, so God will cover them with his wings from danger, and refresh them, as under the shadow of a great rock in a weary land, Isaiah 32:2 and ever near to fly unto, even upon thy right hand, a very present help in trouble. Thus hid in God, the sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night; the fiercest blasts of persecution shall not scorch us up, as the seed on the rock, nor the cold and nipping frosts or inclement dews of temptation blast. Thus hid in God, the Lord shall preserve thee from all evil, whether of sin or suffering; sin shall not have dominion, and Satan shall not be able to prevail. He shall preserve thy soul, either the life from death; or if he give the enemy power over the body, the soul shall be precious in his sight, and the glorious crown of martyrdom amply recompence all the pains that this flesh can suffer. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in; in all our travels by land or water, in our commerce and business, and in all our affairs, this divine protection is over us, and God will prosper the work of our hands: from this time forth, and even for evermore, not only the guard of faithful souls through life, but their guide to death, in death their stay; and after death their everlasting portion. Lord Jesus, fulfil these thy promises to my soul, I beseech thee!