What a beautiful psalm of protection.  And a reminder for us all.

“Our help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Ps 121:2).

The psalm then goes on to detail our the Lord is protect, that he does not sleep, He is a shelter, and the Lord will protect you from all harm.

“The LORD will protect you from all harm; He will protect your life.  The LORD will protect your coming and going both now and forevermore” (Ps 121:7-8).

And while it is such a beautiful song to sing and worship to, there’s always that little nagging voice in our head.  Does he protect us?  Really protect us?  Because let’s face it.  People still get in accidents, they still get strange diseases, kids still die young, and nations still face troubles.

It is good to remember that this is Hebrew thinking in that the group is what matters more than the individual.  This is true throughout the Eastern world today in Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East and other places.  Westerners tend to interpret everything individually.  Easterns interpret things corporately.

And in the corporate sense, there is truth.  God has protected and preserved Israel even to this very day, and will continue to do so for now and evermore.  People will come and go, some will get sick and die young, but in the big group picture, Israel is protected.

Yes there were times they went into captivity.  But that was because of extended times of disobedience.  But the Lord still preserved Israel throughout its long history even to this day.