I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
– Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV)
My daily commute takes me through some winding roads in the hills. I must admit that the thought of fearing a hill or mountain feels odd in those moments. However, if I pause and consider all of the modern wonders that make it possible for me to drive through these hills – cars, paved roads, GPS – I realize that to approach a hill in Jesus’ day would have elicited such a different response. If I were walking to the foot of a mountain, one that I had to climb, I can understand the helplessness that the Psalmist feels in this moment. However, I can easily appreciate the metaphor of a mountain – that person, place, or thing that elicits great fear, maybe even terror. The one that makes you stupid scared. The one that makes you feel utterly helpless. Yet, this Psalm is not about banishing fear as much as it is about knowing whom to turn to. Our help doesn’t come from ourselves. Our help comes from the Lord. He is not intimidated by the mountains and rightly so – he created them.
Take a moment to imagine yourself in the sandals of the Psalmist, looking in fear at a towering mountain. Perhaps insert in place of the mountain one of your great fears. What is it like to sit with that fear? After sitting with the fear, take some time to look to God. Invite him into this place of fear in your heart and talk to him about how you feel.
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