Psalm 121

A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.

¹ I look up to the mountains—
    does my help come from there?
² My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth!

³ He will not let you stumble;
    the one who watches over you will not slumber.
⁴ Indeed, he who watches over Israel
    never slumbers or sleeps.

⁵ The Lord himself watches over you!
    The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
⁶ The sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon at night.

⁷ The Lord keeps you from all harm
    and watches over your life.
⁸ The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
    both now and forever.

Dear God, what exactly is your role in protecting me? When do you extend your “protective shade” (verse 5) and when do you allow life to run its course in my life? What are you doing that I can’t see? I know I will have ultimate safety and live in your glorious presence beyond this current life, but what are you doing now? How do your angels come into play?

Honestly, I feel like I’m missing something when it comes to praying about angels and what they are doing around me. My wife will say a Catholic prayer to Michael the Archangel about safety. Is that appropriate? Should I be more praying to you/Jesus/Holy Spirit about assigning an angel in general? Is Michael even omnipresent so that he could hear my prayers? So many questions. I’m so ignorant.

Father, you know my heart. I want to simply live for you today. I want to do good work. I want to have constructive conversations with people–especially when there is conflict involved. Help me to follow you moment to moment. If I could pray for protection for anyone, it would start with my wife. Protect her soul, mind, heart, and body. Defend her, Father. My children and their significant others. I pray that my son and his wife would have a day that further develops what you’re doing in each of their lives. For my daughter and her boyfriend, that you would guide them clearly and intentionally on the path you have for them. Love all of them. Heal all of them. Be glorified in all of our lives. There are so many other family and non-family members on my mind. You know who they are. Oh, Father, love them beyond what my feeble prayers call on you to do. Holy Spirit, pray in a way that I’m just incapable of.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen