Those ‘helpful’ hills!

These blogs tackle Bible myths―like urban myths, but which make regular appearances in Sunday sermons! I bet you can quote this one by heart, probably in the old King James:

 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help (Psalm 121:1).

So what’s wrong with that? Everyone knows we find encouragement from appreciating the Lord’s creation. I agree. I love his handiwork!

But our help doesn’t come from the hills. So why did David say it does? He didn’t! He was saying exactly the opposite! We miss it, because we stop there, instead of adding the next verse. To avoid confusion, more recent versions of the Bible (correctly) change this verse to a question. Here’s why:

Idols were worshiped on hills. People went to the ‘high places’ to sacrifice. Even today, in India, almost every significant hill sports a temple or altar.

Picture: The ‘high place’ at Dan, Israel, where King Jeroboam set up one of his calf idols.

Here is the Lord rebuking Israel for ‘prostitution’ (read ‘idolatry’):  “Long ago you broke off your yoke and tore off your bonds; you said, ‘I will not serve you!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every spreading tree you lay down as a prostitute (Jeremiah 2:20).

So what was David actually saying? Here is the NIV: I lift up my eyes to the hills―where does my help come from?  My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth (Psalm 121:1-2).

David was drawing the contrast between the futility of worshiping idols and the hills where they were located, and worshiping the Lord who made the hills in the first place!

Our help DOESN’T come from the hills at all. It comes from the Lord.