The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-31
BY WILLLAM r. ETJIs

less Watcher" Ps. 121.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
As the joyous hosts of Israel wendell
their pilgrim way up to the Feast at
Jerusalem, they sang the songs of the
heart which we have in the Book of
Psaims: under the sub-captions. "a
terances, which used to ring to the
bright Judean skies. have ever since
been echoing in the hearts of men and
women the world around. Especially
dear and familiar is the Psalm which
the young peoples societies are to
study this week:
II will lift up mine eyes unto the noun
tains:
From whence shall my help come?
My help cometh from Jehovah,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be
moved:
He that keepeth thee will not slumber.
Behold, he that keepeth Israel will
neither slumber nor sleep.
Jehovah is thy keeper:
Jehovah is thy shade upon thy right
hand.
THE sun shall not smite thee by day,
Nor the moon by night.
Jehovah will keep thee from all evil;
He will keep thy soul.
| Jehovah will keep thy going out and
thy coming in,
From this time forth and for
evermore."
1t Is not mans weakness, but mans
strength. that, in all final issues, he is
dependent upon a Higher Power than
himself.
The old translation of this beautiful
psalm made the singer look to the hills
for help: Il will lift up mine eyes unto
the hills. from whence cometh my help"
The revision renders it better, for the
hearts help comes from a higher source
than the hills From whence cometh
my help? My help cometh from Jeho-
YAH" Stronger than the mountains,
loftier than the sources of their bene-
fcent springs, is the help of the Lord
Himself. The mountains are round
about Jerusalem; but to the myriads of
people who have never seen a mountain
this figure does not appeal; they do
know, however, the power and precious
ness of the all-enfoldIng protection of
the Almighty.
The best OF earthly help fails The
strongest Of men know what it is to
feel their supports lettering beneath
them. Vain is the help of mani" at
some time or other cries everybody
Happy Is he who in this extremity
learns that there is a Sleepless Watch
er, an omnipotent Guardian and an un-
failing Friend.
Life Is perplexing. There are occasions
when 1t battles everybody. To many it
is a lane between two rows Of grinning
sphinxes. All of us need assistance
from without ourselves in mastering
the mystery of life. Who so we'll able
to help as He who planned our lives
and of whom the Psalmist cried, my
times are in thy hand?" For the child
of God existence is not a mere sur
| priufnp nf NJ
tultous happenings" 1t is a plan of a
loving, divine Father, whose thoughts
| toward US are all merciful.
believer in the assurance that the
sleepless eye of the heavenly Father
keeps watch over him.
The sentinel figure was In the Psalm
| lists mind when he penned the lines
concerning the Guardian of Israel who
| never sleeps. Everybody is familiar
| with the work of the sentry, who
watches the camp night and day, that
| no enemy may approach. The regiment
and army give no thought to their own
| safety; they sleep in peace, because of
the vigilance of the guards who are
ever on post. So the peace of God
sentinels the heart of the Christian
because of the unsleeping Watcher.
That God cares is the greatest RENEE
dy for mans cares.
OF His high attributes, beyond the most
1 thank my God for that omniscient
eye,
Beneath whose blaze no secret thing
can lie
In His infinitude Of being lost.
I bless my God I am not wrecked and
| Upon a sea Of doubt, with power to fly
| And hide, somewhither in immensely,
| One single sin out of His reckoning
| crossed.
For even there, self-conscious of its
| thrall,
Would spring the terror: IF He saw
| the whole,
And tracked this skulking guilt out to
its goal,
He could not pardon!" But, or great
or small,
He sees the inmost foldings of my soul.
And, seeing utterly. forgives my all.
! Anon.
A child delights to "show off, before
his father. His greatest reward is the
| beholding approval of a pleasant and