Psalms 121:4

Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. He that kept Israel or Jacob, when asleep, and appeared to him in a dream, and promised to keep him in all places, and did; who found his posterity in the wilderness, and kept them as the apple of his eye: he keeps his spiritual Israel, whom he has chosen, redeemed, and calls; and he that is in general their keeper, is the keeper of every particular believer, who may promise themselves the utmost safety under his care; since, though he may sometimes seem to sleep, when he withdraws his gracious presence, defers help, and does not arise so soon to the assistance of his people as they wish for and expect; yet does not in reality sleep, nor is any ways negligent of them; no, not so much as slumber, nor is in the least indifferent about them, and careless of them; see Gen 28:

Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The consoling truth must be repeated: it is too rich to be dismissed in a single line. It were well if we always imitated the sweet singer, and would dwell a little upon a choice doctrine, sucking the honey from it. What a glorious title is in the Hebrew—"The keeper of Israel, "and how delightful to think that no form of unconsciousness ever steals over him, neither the deep slumber nor the lighter sleep. He will never suffer the house to be broken up by the silent thief; he is ever on the watch, and speedily perceives every intruder. This is a subject of wonder, a theme for attentive consideration, therefore the word "Behold" is set up as a waymark. Israel fell asleep, but his God was awake. Jacob had neither walls, nor curtains, nor body guard around him; but the Lord was in that place though Jacob knew it not, and therefore the defenceless man was safe as in a castle. In after days he mentioned God under this enchanting name—"The God that led me all my life long": perhaps David alludes to that passage in this expression. The word "keepeth" is also full of meaning: he keeps us as a rich man keeps his treasures, as a captain keeps a city with a garrison, as a royal guard keeps his monarch's head. If the former verse is in strict accuracy a prayer, this is the answer to it; it affirms the matter thus, "Lo, he shall not slumber nor sleep—the Keeper of Israel". It may also be worthy of mention that in verse three the Lord is spoken of as the personal keeper of one individual, and here of all those who are in his chosen nation, described as Israel: mercy to one saint is the pledge of blessing to them all. Happy are the pilgrims to whom this psalm is a safe conduct; they may journey all the way to the celestial city without fear.

NOTICE, dear Friends, that both these texts begin with the word, "Behold." That word is meant to attract the readers' attention. In some books, which are intended to be sensational, you are asked to behold—and when you look, there is nothing to see! But when God's Word bids you behold what it has to say, you may be sure that the exclamation is not superfluous or misleading! It would be a marring of the Word of God to leave out even one of its smallest expressions and, therefore, when we see this word, "Behold," placed at the beginning of each of these texts, we may rest assured that there is, in both of them, something worth noting, worth examining and considering—and worth remembering and carrying away! A very useful series of discourses might be preached upon the "Beholds" of the Old and New Testaments which culminate in John the Baptist's, "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world," and Pilate's, "Behold the Man." And still more in our Lord's own message to John, "Behold, I come quickly." But two Old Testament, "Beholds," are to furnish us with a theme of meditation at this time. It is somewhat singular that they both relate to eyes. The first tells us about God's eyes—"Behold, He that keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." His eyes are never closed. No feeling of weariness or need of slumber ever causes them to be heavy and to shut. And the second text tells us about our eyes—"Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until He has mercy on us." See, Brothers and Sisters, both our texts speak about eyes, and they ask for the use of our eyes by saying, "Behold," which is as though God said to us, "I am going to tell you about My eyes which never slumber.

NOTICE, dear Friends, that both these texts begin with the word, "Behold." That word is meant to attract the readers' attention. In some books, which are intended to be sensational, you are asked to behold—and when you look, there is nothing to see! But when God's Word bids you behold what it has to say, you may be sure that the exclamation is not superfluous or misleading!

He that keepeth Israel - The Divine Being represents himself as a watchman, who takes care of the city and its inhabitants during the night-watches; and who is never overtaken with slumbering or sleepiness. There is a thought in the Antigone of Sophocles, that seems the counterpart of this of the psalmist, Ταν σαν, Ζευ, δυναμιν τις ανδρων Ὑπερβασια κατασχοι, Ταν ουθ’ ὑπνος αἱ - ρει ποθ’ ὁ παντογηρως, Ακαματοι τε θεων Μηνες; Antig. ver. 613, Edit. Johnson. Shall men below control great Jove above, Whose eyes by all-subduing sleep Are never closed, as feeble mortals’ are; But still their watchful vigil keep Through the long circle of th’ eternal year? Franklin.

Behold, he that keepeth Israel - The Keeper - the Guardian - of his people. The psalmist here passes from his own particular case to a general truth - a truth to him full of consolation. It is, that the people of God must always be safe; that their great Guardian never slumbers; and that he, as one of his people, might, therefore, confidently look for his protecting care. Shall neither slumber nor sleep - Never slumbers, never ceases to be watchful. Man sleeps; a sentinel may slumber on his post, by inattention, by long-continued wakefulness, or by weariness; a pilot may slumber at the helm; even a mother may fall asleep by the side of the sick child; but God is never exhausted, is never weary, is never inattentive. He never closes his eyes on the condition of his people, on the needs of the world.