This psalm may have been the first psalm that we memorised as children in Sunday School. Did our teachers chose it because they knew we were starting a journey, the journey of life, and that we needed God to take us safely through all the experiences we would face? I am glad that I was taught it, although now I cannot recall the first time I could recite it by heart. More importantly, its words are still there.
The psalm describes a traveller making his way with others along a dangerous route. As they journey, they look at the surrounding mountains and regard them as a source of possible danger. Perhaps they saw pagan temples located on the top of those hills and knew that worshippers there would not show friendship to those travelling to worship the true God in Jerusalem. Or maybe they thought that bandits could hide in the hills and from there come and attack them; if not dangers from human marauders, there could be sudden attacks by wild animals. Whatever the type of danger, they knew that their God was able to protect them. He had power to do so, the power that he showed when he made the heavens and the earth (vv. 1-2).
In what ways could the Lord help them? The psalmist speaks to his fellow travellers and reminds them that the Lord is aware of every step that they take on the journey. This divine awareness is constant because the Lord never sleeps. Indeed, his awareness is not limited to the psalmist and those with him. In addition, he knows where all his people Israel are constantly. What amazing comfort for travellers to heaven to have! (vv. 3-4)
In verses 5 and 6, the traveller uses another example to illustrate the keeping power of God. Travellers in hot countries faced the dangers of sunstroke and moonstroke. Perhaps the idea here is that God protects them when they are resting. Literally, they would rest when the sun was hottest, and they also would rest during the night. Of course, these illustrations point to the presence of God with them. Again, the psalmist encourages his friends about the constant care and protection of God. He looks after his people through the day and throughout the night (vv. 5-6).
The psalmist moves on from their current circumstances to remind his friends that their covenant Lord will protect them from every danger that they could possibly face. This verse has a similar meaning to what Paul expressed in Romans 8:38-39: ‘For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.’
The idea of regarding the Christian life as a journey is a common one. We are familiar with how John Bunyan used it in his Pilgrim’s Progress to describe how Christian travelled from the City of Destruction to Mount Zion. The imagery occurs in other places in the Bible, such as Isaiah 35. It is also an obvious inference in the invitation of Jesus to follow him.
The psalm was a favourite one for David Livingstone. No doubt, we can see why he would have liked it because he became a famous traveller and missionary.
We are where we are on our journey through this world. Around us are spiritual enemies and physical dangers. Who can and who should we depend on? The answer is obvious – the Lord who knows our every footstep and who is our shelter when we need spiritual rest.
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