THE BLESSING OF THE LORD – “THE LORD KEEP THEE”

Personal safety, and the safety of our loved ones, is paramount to everyone of us. One would be deeply concerned about such matters. The same concern, with infinite intensity, and broadened scope, is what God our Creator thinks about us. This is how I see, the blessing and the benediction, that YAHWEH ordained, in Numbers 6:24-26. After all, isn’t God our Father? HalleluYah!!! He is – Isaiah 63:16.
– “24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: 25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: 26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” – Numbers 6:24-26

Let us look at the second, of the six blessings pronounced, for our meditation this morning – “THE LORD KEEP THEE.”

“SHAMAR” is the Hebrew word used for KEEP. It means – “To hedge about, to guard, to protect, attend to.” According to Strong’s Concordance [no. 8104] its meaning carries the idea of, keeping, caring for, and protecting. This is unmatched wholesome protection, one could ever ask for.
– To Keep us in the blessing; Keep us from dangers; Keep us from calamities; Keep us from the enemies.
– To Keep us safe in the storm; Keep us secured like an anchor in all our struggles; Keep us in all the upheavals in our life; Keep us through our sickness; Keep us in all our sufferings.
– To Keep us from destruction; Keep us from annihilation; Keep us from disasters.

YAHWEH, the covenant keeping God, not only blesses us, but also keeps us safe, through it all, so that we would enjoy the blessings, that God, so graciously bestows upon us. How wonderful of God our Creator, to think so much, about us! 

Can we imagine, that the LORD God Almighty, the God Most High, the God of all creation, the God to whom nothing is impossible, is promising to keep us, as the apple of His eye? God is interested, in keep us safe and secure. He is interested, in keeping all that concerns us, safe and secure. 

Such a promise should make us strong and secure. Strong in the sense of, not being afraid of anything unexpected, and unforeseen, falling upon us. Yes, it may be unexpected for us. However, for God Almighty, it never would be unexpected or unforeseen. He is the Omniscient One. He knows all what is about to befall us. To offset this, God had already promised “to KEEP US SAFE” and secure. If so, then is it not His business, to take care of us, and our safety? We assuredly know that, God would stand by His word, any given day. 

Our LORD knows everything about everything, that needs to be known, even before it happens. Then why should we be worried about anything, at all? God is there, to take care of any and every unexpected thing, that may fall upon us. We as His faithful and obedient children, ought to trust Him, and walk with Him faithfully.

Help of man, at many times in our lives, is not of much help, nor of much comfort. We need man’s help, for sure. But man’s help, can support and sustain us, only in a limited sense. Therefore, it is vain and worthless. That is why the Psalmist says…
– ‘​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.” – Psalms 121:1-8

Very few would realise and recognise that, all what we need is, already graciously provided by God our Father, and our Provider, through this blessing to “KEEP” us. Therefore, let us not be worried about anything; but eagerly rush to thank, praise and worship God, morning after morning, with our utmost gratitude. Even so, the LORD help us.