A. J. MATTILL, Jr.
Our study of the Guardian God is based on Psalm 121. Commentators assure us that “there is no more emphatic declaration of God’s ever-present protection and care” (God’s Word Today, November 2001, p. 21). We begin by quoting Psalm 121:
(1) I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. (2) My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. (3) He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. (4) Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. (5) The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. (6) The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. (7) The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. (8) The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore (King James Version).
Now let us focus our attention on verse 7: The Lord will guard you from all evil, and always guard your life (New American Bible); The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life (Revised Standard Version); The Lord will protect you from all danger; he will keep you safe (Today’s English Version); The Lord will protect you and keep you safe from all dangers (Contemporary English Version); The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life (New International Version).
But we must ask, Is Psalm 121:7 true? Does the Lord really keep us safe from all dangers? Does he protect us from all harm? Does God’s care, love, and protection never fail? Before we answer these questions, let us consider how many people have suffered and died and are suffering and dying from the hostile actualities of life, such as accidents, black widow spiders, carnivorous animals, crimes, diseases, droughts, earthquakes, explosions, fires, floods, hurricanes, mudslides, plagues, poisonous snakes, terrorists, ticks, tornadoes, tsunamis, typhoons, volcanoes, and wars.
During the last 2,500 years, more or less, since God supposedly inspired a psalmist to write Psalm 121:7, zillions of people have suffered and died from these hostile actualities, from accidents to wars. When we face the facts, what can we say? Honesty compels some of us to conclude that there is no guardian God, no ever vigilant guide and refuge. Whether we like it or not, all of us, believers and unbelievers, are on our own. It’s up to us to protect ourselves. The harsh reality is that no supernatural powers, whether angels or gods, are protecting us and keeping us safe. Good things happen to bad people, and bad things happen to good people. Like it or not, we’re here today and gone tomorrow!
Yet, in spite of the hostile actualities of life, believers continue to sing with fervor Civilla D. Martin’s popular hymn of 1905, “God Will Take Care of You”: Be not dismay’d what-e-’er betide, God will take care of you; Beneath his wings of love abide, God will take care of you.