Feet Unmoved
In our next verses of our study, Psalm 121:3-4 New American Standard Bible, God reassures us as to what kind of watchman He is:
He will not allow your foot to slip;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
A slip is an accident. There are no accidents with God. Anything that comes to you has to pass through His hands first because He is sovereign. Remember Job? After all he endured, he said he now saw God, instead of just hearing about Him from others (Job 42:5). God had something more for Job than just letting him live the good life. God wanted Job to know Him more intimately.
When I was on a Ugandan Missions trip in June, we went hiking at a series of waterfalls called Sipi Falls. It had been very rainy with the trail to the waterfalls much slipperier than usual, and we weren’t wearing the correct shoes. Also, the trail was much steeper than what was anticipated. But we were very careful and we had wonderful GUIDES helping us. And no one fell. We were being watched over carefully. If we even tottered or started to slip, there was our guide’s hand stretched out towards us to steady us and keep us from falling, to keep our feet in place.
This phrase referring to the foot not slipping H4132 in Greek actually means to not “waver, slip, totter or be moved.” Your feet will not be moved. Why? Because your Watchman is watching over you and guiding you. This reminds me of the house that was built on the ROCK in Matthew 7:24-27. It got hit with the same storms that the house on the sand did. The house on the sand slipped and fell, but the house on the rocks DID NOT MOVE. If we build our lives on the Word, then when storms come (and they will!), we also will not be moved.
And if we come close to slipping, God is right there. He is ALWAYS NEAR. We see what happens in Psalm 37:23-24 NASB if we start to fall:
The steps of a man are established by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.
When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong,
Because the Lord is the One who holds his hand.
Close your eyes and picture a parent holding their toddler’s hand. Just learning to walk, the toddler is a little wobbly. The toddler starts to fall, but the parent pulls the hand up, and though the toddler may falter, the parent’s action helps them place their feet square on the ground again. That is what God does for us. Because He is always holding our hand (if we let Him!), when we begin to falter, He pulls us up, so we don’t fall “headlong”, so we don’t fall on our face ,and so our feet stay on the ground.
When a person is tired, they are more prone to accidents. They might be drowsy, doze off or slumber. Did you know that driving while drowsy is just as dangerous as drunk driving? So I told our kids, don’t drive if you are sleepy! (they knew not to drive drunk). In reference to God not slumbering, the word slumber H5123 is used once in verse 3 and a second time in verse 4. He’s making a point. He said it twice. He does not slumber. He does not get drowsy. He does not miss anything. He is ALWAYS watching over us!
Our verse also tells us that God DOES NOT SLEEP. We need sleep to keep us alert during the day. God doesn’t need sleep to keep Him alert. He is always alert. Good night-watchmen don’t sleep. They stay alert all night looking out for danger lurking in the night. God is our GOOD WATCHMAN, always alert, never sleeping, never letting things slip by Him.
So moms, remember that
GOD IS ALWAYS WATCHING OVER YOU.
In His Love,
Suzanne
Mom Morsels 