https://odb.org/2026/04/28/in-gods-line-of-sight
Psalm 121 (NIV):
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
While it’s not wrong to enjoy unexpected blessings, big breaks, or once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, a desire for enjoyment can easily turn into a fear of missing out. We can even be tempted to think God holds out on us or loses sight of us. However, the “Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:2) is our ever-watchful and never-sleeping provider and protector (vv. 3-7). So we don’t have to fret over detours, delays, or even missed opportunities. God will watch over our “coming and going both now and forevermore” (v. 8). (Xochitl Dixon, Our Daily Bread 28th April 2026)
Psalm 121 is part of a collection of songs designed for use during the high holy days of Israel’s calendar. People from all over the land would journey to Jerusalem for the celebration of “the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles” (Deuteronomy 16:16). However, most of them made the journey on foot (as Jesus did with His family in Luke 2:41-52), and the trek could be treacherous. Most pilgrims made the journey from the lowlands around Jerusalem, so going to the city meant climbing up Mount Zion. That’s why Psalms 120-134 are called Songs of Ascents. Psalm 121, in particular, promises that the God who lives on Zion watches over all those journeying to His city, and He’ll protect them on their way. Even today, we can trust that the God who lives in the heavenly Zion watches over us no matter where we are. (Insight, Jed Ostoich, Our Daily Bread 28th April 2026)
As we live life as a believer, we know that Jesus watches over us, the same way Jehovah used to watch over the Israelites as a whole. From the time He delivered them out of Egypt into the wilderness and then forty years later, into the Promised Land. He didn’t only watch over them, He also guided them daily. By a miraculous pillar of cloud in the day and by a miraculous pillar of fire in the night. He also provided them with manna from heaven. With such a heavenly tangible and visible presence on earth, no one dared to attack them and in fact no one ever did even though they were in the wilderness.
Similarly, in more modern times when the Jewish populace travel to Jerusalem for the high holy festivals, they pray and petition that God watches over them. As they needed to travel up to Mount Zion, a treacherous journey filled with bandits, they sang the Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120-134) including Psalm 121, believing that God will protect them as they journey to Zion.
They may be times when we miss certain opportunities. Or we couldn’t get tickets to a concert or performance of our favourite singers. Or because of our heavy workload, we couldn’t catch a movie on the big screen. Or we are already quite advanced in age but have yet to see the Northern Lights or walked on the Great Wall of China or have not seen the cherry blossoms in Japan. Or that despite precautions taken, we still met an accident or a careful lifestyle we are still afflicted with illness or cancer. Or with all the publicity surrounding scams, we are still scammed!
If it was an accident, we could have suffered a worse fate if not for God’s oversight. If it was an illness, we could have been afflicted with a fatal disease. Or we could have suffered a cardiac arrest and passed on. Missed opportunities are missed opportunities – perhaps we will have a better treat one day! As for travel, perhaps we could one day have a beautiful family reunion in a nice climate place, colder than Malaysia but not like the Artic! We may not have all the things or the experiences we wished for in this lifetime. If so, we will probably have that experience in the next one when we live for eternity!
Most importantly, this morning, know that the LORD our God, our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit will all watch over us. Unless our time is up for us to go home to be with Jesus in heaven, we will live on and He will take care of us. The God who lives in Zion will watch over His people! Amen! Have a good week ahead, everyone!
Psalm 121:8 NIV The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
P/S – I couldn’t write and post yesterday as we needed to travel from Seremban early in the morning having missed the golden window on Sunday due to church commitments. Will try to compensate by putting up a post this Saturday.
Ronnie's Thoughts 