Eric's Beijing Diary

DAY FIVE

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:1-2)

Yesterday, as I was coming out of the canyon, the Tibetan herdsmen invited me into their tent for breakfast. They were having the Tibetan food known as "tsampa." First they pour boiling hot water in a bowl. Then they put in a big glob of yak butter. Bright yellow with a touch of green. I didn't ask. Then they pour in a bunch of flour. Not sure what it is, but someone told me yesterday that it was barley. Then you have to stick your hand in that muck and mix it together until it becomes a ball of clay. I have seen it done, so I kinda knew what to do, but I was pretty clumsy. It actually tastes pretty good, but it is very filling. Definitely a high energy food.

Hiking up the canyon this morning with some friendly travelers from the north of Israel, I was thinking about Psalm 121. The King James says, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help." It's a declarative sentence, implying the my help comes directly from the mountains. But the modern NRSV says, "I lift up my eyes to the hills--from where will my help come?" Definitely not the same. I told my friends that this is one of those situations where it would be really handy to be able to read Hebrew. But in a sense, it doesn't matter much, because the second verse clears it up:

"My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth." The same God who put the mountains in place is more than able to address the problems we have. So I do not get strength directly from the mountains, but I sure get a lot of encouragement from looking at them.

I have been thinking about mountains. You know, a lot of my thinking as a Christian has been focused on how to move mountains. But a question comes to my mind: "What if the mountain is very beautiful, and you don't want to move it? This week I have been really struck by the beauty of the mountains. It is difficult to look at the mountains without being reminded of the greatness of the God who put them in there. This, I believe, is what the psalm is referring to. We lift up our eyes to the hills to remind us that our help comes from the Lord.

"Father, please help me to keep my life in perspective. When I feel small and helpless, please remind me of your greatness. Thank-you for the wonders of nature, which you have given us to remind us of who you really are. We receive this message gladly, and we join with nature in declaring your glory."