Significant Words: help, LORD, made.
Theological Significance
“My help cometh from the Lord” This is the first statement that this psalm makes. The psalmist tells us not to do things in our strength but to rely on God alone for our strength to live. God is our aid. He is our helper. This verse can serve as a great encouragement to the one who takes the words found here to heart. In our walk, we have many difficulties and struggles, but through the power of God, God alone, we can courageously face the struggles that can so often beset our walk. Not only does relying on the Lord for help aid our walk, but we will experience happiness when we rely on the Lord as our help.
The second significant theological statement made by this verse is that God created heaven and earth. It is not without purpose that the Psalms remind us of God’s work in creating the world. The truth of God being the creator reassures us that we can lean on God in times of great trouble. God is a present help for us in our time of struggle. The action of “looking to the hills,” as mentioned in the previous verse, would undoubtedly remind the observer of God’s great power.
Impact
Let us not let the simplicity of the magnificent verse cloud our understanding of its effect on our lives. Consider this the “I am who I am” the creator of heaven and earth is your present help. A help with this much might and strength is certainly not one to only be utilized in times of great need, but rather as a first resort. Why I reckon that what Paul says must certainly be true when he says, “I can do all things.” Or are the words we find in Isiaih also of no comfort “the creator fainteth not, neither is weary” God orchestrated the creation of galaxies and oceans with just words? For such a powerful being to be tired or weary would be inconceivable. “He giveth power to the faint.” Christian who is tired turn to the God that never grows tired and runs the race set before you. Christian fly on the wings like eagles. Be not afraid because the very word of God found in Isaiah proclaims, “Fear not; I will help thee. Be not faithless but believe. The words of Jeremiah proclaim that no enemy will prevail when God is with you. Fear, not those who harm the body, courageously live out the calling of God. Like Israel, in Hosea 13:9, we will only destroy ourselves if we try to conquer this sacred walk in our strength. The writer of Hebrews proclaims this very thing, hoping we may say, “The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
Christian, I ask you, can you say and believe the Words proclaimed by the mighty God. Does your testimony to others reflect the truth that strength is drawn from God, or are you a faithless wonderer seeking direction in your life from your own strength? Christian, is the God of all power and majesty your shield as the Psalmist proclaims, or are you defenseless against the very present Evil of this world? Christian, does sin grip your life? Turn to the hills and be free. Do you fear the persecution of your fellow man? Turn to the hills and fear not. Do you doubt your ability to follow God’s calling? Turn to the hills and find wisdom and strength there. There is not an obstacle that can separate us from our help. In every situation in every struggle, God is with us, and if is God is for us, who can be against us. So cling not to your pride and look to God. This verse is not some cute quotable verse we find in the Psalms; this is a truth that transforms the way we live. Christian, do you look earnestly to the hills? Let it be said of others about you and I “their help comes from the LORD.”
Hebrew Meaning
The word for help in this text is the Hebrew word ‛ēzer is used in this verse. This word is a masculine noun that refers to a helper or aid. (Word Study Dictionary). The word is most notably used in Gen 2:18 when God said he would create a “help meet” for Adam in the form of Eve. (Strong’s). This interpretative context could help our understanding of the significance of this cry for reliance on God. The reliance and connection that a married couple has for one another could possibly be the connection believers should have with God. The word ‛ēzer is also used in Psa 33:2, Deu 33:29, and Psa 115:9-11 (Strong’s).In these verses, the Lord is referred to as our shield, our protection. In Psa 70:5, we see David make what seems to be a plea for financial help using the same word. A practically identical statement is made in Psa 124:8 using the same Hebrew word for help (Strong’s). Hosea makes the same cry as this verse in Hos_13:9. Finally, the Psalmist’s word declares that someone is happy if the “God of Jacob” is their help in Psa 146:5(Strong’s).
The word used for the LORD here is yehōwāh; this is the proper name for God (Word Study). The self-existent God is what this word describes (Vine OT). The name is not usually pronounced out of reverence. The word appears in Hebrew without its vowels. The exact pronunciation is debated. The word only appears in the Bible (Vines OT). Third, found the first Biblical usage in Gen 2:4 (Strong’s) concerning this verse. In Gen 2:4, like Psa 121:2, God’s creation of heaven and earth is mentioned. God makes a powerful statement of His self-existence in Exo 3:14-17. In verse 14, God identifies Himself as the “I am who I am.” Many scholars say this statement in Exodus 3:14 is the defining statement for the word yehōwāh (Word Study). Following this statement, God describes Himself twice in verses 15 and 16 as the yehōwāh of “your fathers.”
The word for made ‛āśāh describes the action of completing something (Word Study). It used to describe many different actions, but given the context of this verse, it would make sense that “made” or “created” would be a proper translation. Any way you could render it using the BDB definition would still result in the same meaning.
Context
This verse is located in the 121st chapter of the Psalms. The verse before this verse, verse 1, asks the question that this verse answers. Importantly, in the verse before this one, we see the Psalmist say that he looks unto to the hill “from whence comest my help.” The Psalmist looks to the hills to find their help from the Lord. Following this verse, you see this Psalm switch from the first-person perspective to the third-person perspective (Expositor’s Bible). The following two verses explain the things that the LORD will not do. Then in Psalms 121:5, the Psalmist declares that the Lord is “thy keeper” and “thy shade,” possibly referring to Israel. Verse 121:6 states more things that will not happen to the Lord. Then the last two verses, 7 and 8, declare what the Lord will do for “thee.”