“I Lift Up My Eyes Unto the Hills”
Injustices of life, …loss of a spouse, loss of a job, death of a loved one, betrayal, rejection, abandonment, and false accusations by those close to us – bring devastating hurt and grief. Anyone who lives long enough will not escape these personal journeys into the valleys of darkness. The key is to move through it. I remain a victim only if I stay stuck in the valleys.
When I am in these valleys, I keep my faith and hope by reminding myself:
“Hang on to Jesus, my rock, my salvation”
“If I hope to heal, there is work for me. I must walk through, ..not around”
“Accept and share my emotions and feelings, without shame. Allow them to flow”
“Seek the Grace within these events”
“ Accept Jesus’ path through passion, death, and resurrection as the model for my own. Trust there is new life on the other side of these painful moments”
When I catch myself dwelling a bit long in depressive thought and emotion, I sing aloud a portion of Psalm 121. Psalm 121 is the second of 15 OT Songs of Ascents devout Jews must have sung as they made their way to the highlands of Judah, where Jerusalem was located, for the annual feasts.
One major route was the Jericho to Jerusalem route, which followed deep, narrow ravines nearly its entire winding ascent of over 3000 feet. One can easily imagine how this psalm might have been sung by a hopeful but very weary pilgrim. He has been traveling for days. His feet are sore. His muscles ache. Jerusalem, the end of his pilgrimage, seems very distant. Suddenly he sees the hills of Judah in the distance, and he breaks into song.
I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
I’ve only memorized the first stanza but when I sing aloud, …” I lift up my eyes” there comes an uplifting of my entire being of heart, mind, and spirit. I am strengthened in the assurance that the Almighty alone is my one “true” help and salvation. I am never alone.
Click on this text to hear Michael Card’s Psalm 121 interpretation
The audio clip is about 2 minutes in length, the first half is Hebrew, the remainder English
