PRÉCIS ON THE KEEPS OF GOD: EVEN WHILE YOU ARE UNAWARE!

SCRIPTURE. “The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand [the side not carrying a shield].” – PSALM 121:5, AMPC

KEY TERM: “KEEPER.” ‘Shamar’ [שָׁמַר]: “A primitive root, ‘To hedge about (as with thorns);’ i.e., to guard, protect, attend to, watch [over], preserve, or save; imp. a Shepherd caring for His sheep; to have charge of (as with tending a garden) to restrain or keep within [safe] bounds; to celebrate; keep covenant; to discharge one’s office or duty; to be on one’s guard by reason of the sword; ‘KEEP’(noun, archaic) – ‘Guardianship; restraint; safe place of confinement;’ the means or provisions by which one is kept; one that keeps or protects: the strongest and securest part of a medieval castle.”

QUOTATION. “‘God takes everyone He loves through a Desert.’ It is His cure for our wandering hearts, restlessly searching for a New Eden … The best gift of the Desert is God’s Presence …The Protective Love of the Shepherd gives me courage to face the interior journey.” ― PAUL E. MILLER, A Praying Life: Connecting With God In A Distracting World, 2017; edited

COMMENTARY. ‘The safety of the godly.’ – We must not rely upon men and means, instruments and second causes. Shall I depend upon the strength of the hills? Upon princes and great men? No; my confidence is in God only. Or, we must lift up our eyes above the hills; we must look to God Who makes all earthly things to us what they are. We must see all our help in God; from Him we must expect it, in His own way and time.

‘This Psalm teaches us to comfort ourselves in the Lord, when difficulties and dangers are greatest.’ It is Almighty Wisdom that contrives, and Almighty Power that works the safety of those that put themselves under God’s Protection. He is a wakeful, watchful Keeper; He is never weary; He not only does not sleep, but He does not so much as slumber. Under this Shade they may sit with delight and assurance. He is always near His people for their protection and refreshment.

‘The right hand is the working hand.’ Let them but turn to their duty, and they shall find God ready to give them success. He will take care that His people shall not fall. Thou shalt not be hurt, neither by the open assaults, nor by the secret attempts of thine enemies. The Lord shall prevent the evil thou fearest, and sanctify, remove, or lighten the evil thou feelest. He will preserve the soul, that it be not defiled by sin, and disturbed by affliction; He will preserve it from perishing eternally. He will keep thee in life and death; going out to thy labour in the morning of thy days, and coming home to thy rest when the evening of old age calls thee in.

‘It is a Protection for Life.’ The Spirit, who is their Preserver and Comforter, shall abide with them for ever. Let us be found in our work, assured that the blessings promised in this Psalm are ours, [‘that is, the godly’].” – MATTHEW HENRY, Exposition of the Old and New Testaments, 6 vols., 1708-1710; edited

DK’S TAKE. I have mentioned once before that I invented a Game of sorts to count each time I sense a ‘Providential Save’ occurring. You know, as when a car almost collides with you but somehow does not. Or when you stumble and nearly fall down but somehow it doesn’t take place. Or perhaps in a social situation where you were about to say something awful, but some sort of ‘Restrainer’ steps in to stop you, saving the conversation. Those sorts of things.

I am presently up to 80 for the last several months, in case you were wondering – or even if you were not!

THE PROMISE. Here is the fiery point lost on most Church-attending Christians today. His Covenant is rock solid and unwavering in its immovability. But it is, like all Divine Promises, CONDITIONAL: ‘One has to remain “godly” in order to inherit such privilege.’

Specifically: It is only the obediently Humble and Faithful who are so protected. PAUL THE APOSTLE states who shall not be included in that group, no matter what label they happen to wear.

“Do you not know that the unrighteous and the wrongdoers will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived (misled): neither the impure and immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who participate in homosexuality, nor cheats (swindlers and thieves), nor greedy graspers, nor drunkards, nor foulmouthed revilers and slanderers, nor extortioners and robbers will inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God.” – 1 CORINTHIANS 6:9-10, AMPC

CODICIL. Nor all those who do willfully traffic or form alliance with such wrongdoers. Not for the sake of the Gospel, but for the hope of self-gain. ‘Only the righteous are Kept by the Shepherd of our souls, beloved.’ Not the ones who refuse to bend the knee.’ Selah.