“保护以色列的，也不打盹，也不睡觉。” – 诗 121:4
在下午3点钟左右，我往往会感到有睡意。有时我甚至很想伏在桌子上睡一会儿。但这不是好的做法，反而站起来走动一下，通常能令我再次清醒过来。
诗篇121篇向我们保证，神对我们的细心看顾永远不会失误 – 衪也不会小睡片刻。这篇诗篇的背景是朝圣者往耶路撒冷守节敬拜的路上，纵使路途上的幽暗山岭和转角之间可能隐藏着危险，然而诗人向神的子民保证，耶和华必定会保护他们的。
诗人说没有什么能妨碍神保护我们的：无论是在白日或夜间和从任何方向的危险都不能伤害我们，因为神是不会睡觉的。
神的子民怎能知道？因为神是创造天地的主，没有什么能够分散或拿走衪对衪所爱的人类 – 尤其是对衪的儿女 – 的注意力的。
无论我们的生命路程领我们到什么地方，这位掌控宇宙的全能神应许会保护我们。凭着知道这个事实的信心，我们便可以每天都在世上事奉衪。我们可以和历代历世神的子民一同放胆地说：“（我们）的帮助从造天地的耶和华而来。”
祷告
父啊，我们知道你是我们的创造主，我们满有信心地说，我们是在你里面得到帮助的。阿们。
诗篇 121
1我要向山举目。我的帮助从何而来？
2我的帮助从造天地的耶和华而来。
3他必不叫你的脚摇动，保护你的必不打盹。
4保护以色列的也不打盹，也不睡觉。
5保护你的是耶和华，耶和华在你右边荫庇你。
6白日，太阳必不伤你；夜间，月亮必不害你。
7耶和华要保护你免受一切的灾害，他要保护你的性命。
8你出你入，耶和华要保护你，从今时直到永远。
God Sustains Us
“Indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” – Psalm 121:4
I often feel sleepy around three o’clock in the afternoon. Sometimes I’m even tempted to put my head on my desk for a quick doze. But that’s not a good idea. Getting up and walking around will usually help to wake me up again.
In Psalm 121 we are assured that God’s watchful attention never lapses—not even for a quick nap. The setting of this psalm is the pilgrim’s road to Jerusalem for a worship festival. Though dangers may lurk in the shadowy hills and turns along the roadway, the psalmist assures God’s people that the Lord will watch over them.
Nothing will prevent God from watching over us, says the psalmist: nothing in the day or night and nothing from any direction, because God does not sleep.
How do God’s people know this? God is the Creator of the universe, and nothing can distract or draw his attention away from his beloved creatures, especially his children.
The all-powerful God who steers the universe has promised to watch over us wherever the journey of life takes us. With the confidence of knowing this, we can serve him in the world each day. With God’s people throughout the ages, we can say boldly, “[Our] help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
Prayer
We know, Father, that you are our Creator, and we say with confidence that our help is in you. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
