Gospel Reflections 1000: We, too, are never walking the path of faith alone.

Psalm 121:1–2 ‘I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.’

These are words of a ‘profession of faith’ that assure us of help from a being far greater than humanity itself, amidst life’s difficulties and on our journey (pilgrimage).

It means not looking down at one’s own worries and the difficulties at one’s feet, but raising one’s gaze and turning one’s awareness to a greater being that transcends oneself.

This represents the attitude of a believer seeking to escape anxiety and despair and to find hope.

This psalm is one of the ‘Songs of Ascent’ and is said to refer to Mount Zion, where the Temple in Jerusalem stood.

It depicts a scene in which a pilgrim looks up at the distant mountains and contemplates God’s dwelling place.

Mountains were considered both ‘dangerous places’—rugged and home to wild beasts and bandits—and, in ancient times, ‘sacred places’ where the gods dwelt.

David asks, ‘Will this mighty mountain save me?’, and concludes that ‘it is not the mountain itself, but the Lord who created the mountains (and the heavens and the earth) who is the Saviour’.

He places the source of help not in mere natural objects (mountains) or human wisdom, but in the ‘Creator (the Maker of all things)’.

It conveys an overwhelming sense of security and conviction that if God created the world from nothing and rules over it, He can protect us from even the smallest difficulties or dangers we face alone.

This psalm is believed to have been sung by pilgrims journeying to Jerusalem since ancient times, as they encouraged one another along the way. Even today, it remains a cherished source of great encouragement for Christians journeying through life when they face crises or anxiety.

We, too, are never walking the path of faith alone.

It is precisely because we have friends in faith with whom we can look up to God and share our thoughts about Him that we are able to walk the path of faith called hope.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.