The Lord is your keeper

“The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.” - Psalms 121v5

Psalm 121 is a beautiful Psalm with the theme of the Keeper. It was to be sung as pilgrims drew close to Jerusalem on their journey home. The hills of Jerusalem are in sight. The next psalm, Psalm 122, is to be sung as they stand at the gates of the city the next day. The pilgrims have almost finished a long journey. The Hebrew word “Shamar” appears six times in this Psalm. It is translated “keep” in verses 3,4, and 5; and “preserve” in verses 7 and 8. The word first appears in Genesis when Adam is instructed to keep the garden. It appears 470 times in the Old Testament. There are several applications of the word. It means to “hedge about”, “to guard a flock”, “to tend a garden”, “to keep safe and preserve”, “to watch over”, and “to pay heed.” All of these fit into Psalm 121. As we travel our pilgrim journey and look forward to our heavenly Jerusalem, we need to look more at the fact that “The LORD is thy keeper.”

When I think of a keep my mind goes to the marvellous castles in Ireland. Inside the castle walls is what most people think of when they think of a castle. The main building inside the castle walls is actually called the keep. It is here where the family was safe and where the treasure was kept. Guards kept the keep safe and secure. They were the keepers.
Every time I visit a castle and enter the keep I am reminded of my Keeper. In Him and in Him alone I find perfect preservation and protection. Praise God that He is my keeper!