The soul that looks to the Lord for his help can count upon the unfailing care of the Lord in all circumstances. "Going" and "coming" speak of the changing circumstances that mark a world of unrest. In the gospel day, the Lord could say to His disciples, "'Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.' For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat" (Mark 6:31). In His compassionate care the Lord will give us times of rest apart from the busy world; but down here, it will only be rest awhile-- words that indicate we must again be in movement. For the eternal rest we must look on. "There remains therefore a rest for the people of God" (Hebrews 4:9).

Of the one that enters into that blessed rest we read, "He shall go out no more" (Revelation 3:12). In the meantime, in all the busy round of a life of toil in a world of need, the one that looks to the Lord for his help can count on the Lord to keep him in every circumstance.

We also learn that the one who looks to the Lord for his help may be assured that he will be kept through all time, "even forevermore." The psalmist doubtless had the millennial reign [of Jesus' kingdom on earth] in view. The Christian can give a wider application to the words as he looks on to a glad eternity, to be spent evermore with Christ and like Christ in the Father's house, where He has gone to prepare a place for His heavenly people.

The Lord can say of His sheep, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand" (John 10:28). Nothing less than His home will do for His sheep. We may wander, but He finds His sheep, and He keeps them in His strength in their passage through time; and at last He will bring all His wandering sheep home to be forever with the Lord.

Hamilton Smith