18 & 19 Oct 2025 (Pastoral Page) A STEADFAST GAZE IN SHIFTING TIMES

by Asst Ps Lai Keet Keong

Psalm 121

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.

This Psalm begins with a question that resonates deeply in our moments of crisis. It says in verse 1, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from?” Perhaps you have asked a similar question: “Where will I find the strength to get through this day?” “Who can help me carry this anxiety?” “Is there any hope for this situation?”

The “mountains” here can represent the looming, immovable challenges in our lives. For some, it is a mountain of depression, its shadow darkening everything. For others, it is the steep climb of financial stress, a chronic illness, or a relationship broken beyond our ability to repair. Our natural instinct is to look at the mountain itself and feel overwhelmed, small and helpless.

But the Psalmist does something crucial. He lifts his eyes beyond the mountains. He redirects his gaze from the problem to the Person. The answer comes swift and sure: “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” This is the foundation of our faith and trust. Our help is not a concept, a strategy, or a temporary fix. Our help is the Creator God Himself. The one who spoke galaxies into being is the same one who is intimately involved in your struggle today. The scope of His power is infinite, yet His care is profoundly personal.

The rest of the psalm unfolds this beautiful, comforting truth: God is your vigilant keeper.

• He is your stability: “He will not let your foot slip.” In the rocky, uncertain terrain of life, when you feel you are about to lose your footing, His grip is secure.

• He is your alert guardian: “He who watches over you will not slumber.” Your anxiety may keep you awake at night, but your Protector never sleeps. When your mind is racing with “what-ifs,” He is perfectly at peace and perfectly in control, standing watch over you.

• He is your protective shade: “The Lord is your shade at your right hand.” The “sun” of adversity and the “moon” of fear – the struggles of the day and the anxieties of the night – cannot consume you. He is a constant refuge, a place of rest and relief from the relentless heat of your trials.

• He is your constant companion: “The Lord will watch over your coming in and going out.” From the moment you get out of bed in the morning to the moment you lie down at night, in every transition, every new beginning, every difficult ending – He is there. His care is not conditional on your feelings or performance; it is a promise “both now and forevermore.”

Today, if you feel the weight of your mountains, practice the sacred act of lifting your eyes. Acknowledge the challenge but refuse to let it be your focus. Speak the truth to your own soul: “My help comes from the Lord.” When fear whispers that you are alone, remember the Keeper who never sleeps. When exhaustion tells you that you cannot go on, rest in the shade of His presence.

Your faith is not a denial of the struggle. It is a deliberate choice to trust the character of your God in the midst of the struggle. He is your keeper. And He is keeping you, even now.

Please, pray this prayer with me:

Dear Heavenly Father, my Helper and my Keeper, I come to You feeling overwhelmed. The mountains in my life seem so big, and my strength feels so small. Right now, I lift my eyes from my problems and fix my gaze on You. I choose to believe that my help comes from You, the Maker of all things. Thank you that You do not slumber, that You see my pain and know my anxiety. Be my stability when I feel I am slipping. Be my shade in the heat of this trial. Watch over my coming and going today. Help my heart to rest in the unshakable truth of Your faithful care.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.