Psalm 121 | Psalms for Shepherds

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Psalm 121 | Psalms for Shepherds

An audible devotional on Psalm 121

June 22, 2024 • Holly Culhane, Psalms for Shepherds, P4S • Psalm 121

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This is Holly Culhane with Presence Point and welcome to our Psalms for Shepherds podcast.

Today we’ll be looking at Psalm 121, the second of the Psalms - or Songs - of Ascent.

Raechel Myers, the founder of She Reads Truth, contemporizes this group of psalms this way: “These songs for the journey are words to set our hearts on as we go. They are written to help us feel what we are meant to feel – the blunt force of tragedy, the wonder of beauty, the longing for rescue, the indignation that opposes injustice and evil. They are a way for us to inscribe the history of our faith on our own memory and feet.”

With that in mind, here is Psalm 121:

I look up to the mountains - does my help come from there?

My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth!

He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.

Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.

The LORD himself watches over you!

The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade.

The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night.

The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over your life.

The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.

This psalm almost begs you to sing it, doesn’t it? And the Provision, Protection, and Presence of our Good Shepherd are so evident!

Notice the psalmist’s use of the phrase “watches over”, “keeps”, or “keeps watch”. It is used six times in these eight short verses.

The phrase is a translation of the Hebrew word “shamar”, which has a rich meaning and is used frequently in the Old Testament.

In 1 Samuel 17:20, the word “shamar” is even used specifically to mean caring for sheep!!

You can imagine how much those of us at Presence Point love that! And Who is it that is doing all this shamar’ing on our behalf? It’s Yahweh!

Does it not seem that God is whispering – or maybe even shouting – this psalm as an encouragement to His beloved under-shepherds? What a reminder that He is indeed our Good Shepherd!

So, as you journey with the sheep God has entrusted to your care, may I suggest you develop a practice, or rhythm, of remembering God’s careful keeping of you, His guarding, His watchfulness...... because you have purpose to Him.

Furthermore, dear shepherd, if you need reassurance that you are not alone, if you are longing for protection and rescue, if the road feels steep and treacherous, I implore you then to cling to the beautiful truths of Psalm 121.

Thank you so much for joining me this week. I pray you join me next time for more “songs for the journey”, and as you go, may you live deeply into the Lord’s call on your life to shepherd well those entrusted to your care.

Psalm 133 | Psalms for Shepherds

October 26, 2024 • Holly Culhane, Psalms for Shepherds, P4S • Psalm 133

We continue this week in the Psalms of Ascent with Psalm 133. This psalm may be familiar to many of you, as David speaks candidly about the importance of unity -the word often translated as "harmony" in many Bibles - a timely reminder for our world today. Psalm 133 How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron's head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe. Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting. This psalm describes unity - harmony - as precious, refreshing. Is that not true? This psalm is really quite self-explanatory. The question for us as shepherd leaders in today's world is this: Do we promote harmony? Do we encourage unity: Is our presence both "precious" and "refreshing"? If not, what must we do to change it? What part of our heart do we need to give the Father access to so He can cleanse it? What behaviors or patterns do we need to discontinue, change, or fine-tune, so that, we are more harmonious, more unifying? Thank you for joining me this week. I pray you live deeply into your calling to shepherd well all those you encounter.

Psalm 132 | Psalms for Shepherds

October 19, 2024 • Holly Culhane, Psalms for Shepherds, P4S • Psalm 132

This week, the journey through the Psalms of Ascent continues with a song that celebrates the Lord's faithfulness to David in several ways and can therefore, if we let it, remind us of God's faithfulness to us. Verses 1 through 5 of this psalm recount David's request to build a house for God - a "sanctuary for the Mighty One of Israel". Verses 6 through 10 recall how God allowed David to move the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. In verses 11 through the end of the psalm, the psalmist reminds us that God chose David's line for the throne, and that throne was situated in Jerusalem, a city of people, a priesthood, and faithful followers God swore to protect and make His own. The psalm is a wonderful reminder of all God has done and has promised, but how do we apply it to shepherd leadership?... We need to do what David did. We need to give God His rightful place; We need to express to God our joyful worship; We need to remind God of His faithful covenant; and We need to trust God for His bountiful blessings. It seems so simple as we list those four requirements, but the practical application requires intentionality and a heart in tune with the Father. Please don't let this day pass until you stop and consider... How am I doing at giving God His rightful place - in every aspect of my life? How am I doing at expressing to God my joyful worship? How am I doing at reminding God of His faithful covenant, and in trusting God for His bountiful blessings? Be encouraged to journal your thoughts. Set a reminder to review them. Take time every day to remember. It will deeply impact your ability to be a godly shepherd.

Psalm 131 | Psalms for Shepherds

October 12, 2024 • Holly Culhane, Psalms for Shepherds, P4S • Psalm 131

As we continue in the Psalms of Ascent this week, we turn to Psalm 131. Charles Spurgeon described this song best when he said, “It is one of the shortest psalms to read, but one of the longest to learn.” Psalm 131 A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of David. LORD, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the LORD — now and always. In this psalm, the themes of humility and contentment in the LORD are undeniable. Anyone who has walked this earth and walked with the LORD for any length of time knows that both humility and true contentment are only developed through the trials, hardships, highs, and lows of a life of long obedience to Yahweh. In this psalm, King David shows us he learned this as well. To continue to quote Spurgeon, the psalm “speaks of a young child, but it contains the experience of a man in Christ.” I agree. And it also puts my heart at rest and reminds me to cease striving. Dear shepherd, let’s still ourselves and stop striving for self. Just as God’s Word says in another psalm - be still and know that He is God. After all, how can we shepherd well, submitting to the Father rather than self, if we are serving our desires and preferences, rather than God’s? How can we sacrifice for others, if we are self-focused? Please take a moment to… Pause in His Presence. Reflect on His Presence, His Protection, and His Provision. And whatever circumstances you face right now in your shepherding responsibilities, put your hope in Him. He is God. He is all that we need. We can rest in Him. And we can wait on Him with hope. Fellow sheep and under-shepherd, I encourage you to make Psalm 131 your prayer today.