“The Lord is your shade at your right hand…”

The 121^st psalm is one of the songs of ascents.  “What are they?” you ask.  These were songs that Jewish travelers sang as they walked up to Jerusalem during three annual festivals: Unleavened Bread, Pentecost/Harvest and Tabernacles/Booths.  People literally had to walk up to Jerusalem — about 2,700 feet in elevation.  For some the journey would start from the farthest part of the country and end at the Temple.  As they passed through towns and villages on the way, relatives joined them enlarging the caravan.  Singing songs helped pass the time suitably for this gradually increasing, upwardly mobile family reunion.  Among other things it was fun, and it was meant to be.

The Lord’s character is a principle feature in these songs.  Another feature is what is available from the Lord: redemption, wisdom, defense, provisions, victory and other blessings.  Another theme is that corporate worship, especially in the house of the Lord, is something they would be doing altogether within a couple of days, if not hours, depending on how much farther they had to travel.

The latter part of Psalm 121 almost chants the answer to a question that is raised in verse 1 — “Where does my help come from?”  We find the answer first in verse 2, “My help comes from the Lord.”  Verses 5, 7 and 8 expand that reply by saying that He “watches over you.”  He watches as a caretaker would, one who is intimately concerned for one’s well-being.  It is in this context that we see the Lord described as “your shade.”  Shade is the protection from the sun and the harmful effects of its rays.

There are other similar mentions of shade in Scripture.  Isaiah 30:2-3 speak of Israel going to “Egypt’s shade for refuge,” which would become a shame to them.  Daniel (4:12) mentions the “beasts of the field [finding] shelter” (shade—NKJV) under a huge tree in King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.  In at least one instance people were superstitious about shade.  In Acts 5:15 “people brought the sick…so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.”  Healing did occur, but not from the shade cast by Peter.  It was the answer to earlier powerful prayer (4:30).

One aspect of God’s shade is that it appears “at your right hand” (v. 5).  In Scripture the right hand symbolizes the center of productivity and power.  After Jesus rose from the dead and ascended, “he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven” (Hebrews 1:3, 13; see Ps. 110:1).  God’s plan, his shade, covers you and all your needs, even when your right hand can’t or doesn’t work anymore.

As noted earlier, the word shade suggests a covering, a block, shield or shelter from the sun.  A modern analogy that also uses the concept of covering is insurance.  With insurance we’re “covered” — or protected — from the harm of major medical expenses, high dental bills, expensive car repairs after crashes and/or loss of life.  Of course, no insurance policy is permanent and foolproof.  Where I live car insurance is good only for six months, until you pay the next premium.  No premium, no insurance; it’s that simple and that temporary.  Ditto with life insurance (annually) and dental insurance (monthly).  No one price pays it all forever.

However, God’s shade is good 24-7: “The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.”  (The reference of sun and moon refers to day and night, not harmful effects.  The moon harms no one.)  And beyond this life on earth, verse 8 says, “The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”  Forever, too!  That “insurance” was purchased by Jesus at Calvary — one price! — when he gave his very life for us, our relationship with God, our temporal and eternal safety and our presence in heaven forever.

Do we really believe this?  To say God isn’t our shade is a massive assault on his character.  Do we see what a slap in God’s face it is for us to claim faith in Christ and then refuse to believe him?  Are we exhibiting confidence in he who is our shade, or are we denying him with our words, face and behavior?