GOD’S WORDS OF PRESERVATION

“The Lord shall PRESERVE you from all evil; He shall PRESERVE your soul” – Psalm 121:7

GOD’S WORDS of PRESERVATION can make the difference between life and death: “The Lord shall PRESERVE you from all evil; He shall PRESERVE your soul. The Lord shall PRESERVE your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore” (Psa.121:7-8). Without His Words, life can be a game of chance! To “preserve” means to keep or protect; to keep safe from danger, injury, harm, or destruction; to keep alive, intact, or free from decay.

This wonderful “Traveller’s” Psalm reveals three reasons why we must trust in the Lord at all times, especially during times of trials and tribulation. First, is that the LORD will HELP His own: “I will lift up my eyes to the hills – from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth” (vv.1-2). Second, is that the LORD will KEEP His own: “He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand” (vv.3-5). Third, is that the LORD will PRESERVE His own: “The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul” (v.7).

The Lord is our Helper, Keeper, and Preserver! In all three, God is concerned not only with the temporal needs of the body, but also the preserving of our souls: keeping us from the clutches of sin and the perversion of error; protecting us from the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, pride of life, worldliness, Satan’s onslaughts, the devil’s wiles, and diverse demonic drives that fallen humanity is battling with. The Lord is our eternal Defender, Guardian, and Preserver. He keeps us from danger, from sin, and unto salvation. We have His assurances of preservation from troubles and singing songs of deliverance:

• “You are my hiding place; You shall PRESERVE me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance” (Psa.32:7).

• “Blessed is he who considers the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will PRESERVE him and keep him alive, and he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies” (Psa.41: 1-2).

Psalm 121 ends with a powerful and sweeping pledge: “The Lord shall PRESERVE your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore” (v.8). Referring to “going out” and “coming in” is not only a way of saying ‘everything’; it draws attention to all of our ventures and enterprises. God preserves us from ALL evil, in all places, always, and “forevermore” (v.8). “ALL EVIL” in Verse 7 is similar to Paul’s testimony towards the end of his life: “And the Lord will DELIVER me from EVERY EVIL WORK, and PRESERVE me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen” (2Tim.4:18). May God grant us such Testimonies of Deliverance, Preservation, and Triumph, in Jesus name!

The Believer is preserved for a Purpose! Nothing can come into our lives apart from what God permits. Everything is “filtered” through the hands of our loving Father: there are no chance circumstances or random occurrences in the believer’s life. Nothing happens that is purposeless for “we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom.8:28). Oh that we would lean more intensely upon Him who alone can bear the weight. When our load is heavy and our weakness obvious, it is then that He is most strong, capable, and able to help, keep, and preserve us to the end.

Let’s conclude with Jude’s glorious conclusion to his letter, which extols the preservation work of the LORD: “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen” (Jude 24-25).