The Hills Psalm is one of the Songs of Ascent. This is a group of Psalms that were sung by pilgrims as they made their way to Jerusalem. The city was on a hill and so when people were in trouble, where did they look for help? To the hills of Jerusalem, they would look to their God and the building that represented his presence among his people, the temple.
I think all of us have slipped before. When we are traveling, normally by car in 2018, hydroplaning in the rain can spell disaster for a trip. In the ancient world, I doubt there were guard rails on the side of a path. Slipping would mean the loss of limb and maybe life tumbling down a cliff.’
Lodging in the ancient world didn’t really exist – not like today. It was dangerous to travel even in the Pax Romana when Rome controlled the roads with an iron fist. God has always watched over his people traveling or at home. I don’t think that the sun would harm anyone beyond a sunburn. There no such thing as a moon burn. What God is talking about is that day or night, God will watch over you. There is no time that God isn’t on the job. It was thought that there were regional gods. A god of this plain – a god of that body of water or river – a god of that mountain. The one true God is always on the job everywhere.
This psalm is often used at confirmations, graduations, any change of life. The truth is that we are always traveling through life.
Want to hear more? Watch this Sunday’s Bible study from our series, VIC – Very Important Chapter Psalm 121 The Hills Psalm.
Please click HERE for the Bible class slides.