“Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.” Psalm 127:1b KJV
Watchmen were always stationed on the walls of Jerusalem to detect the stealthy approach of enemy forces, but even vigilant watchmen couldn’t protect Israel. Only God could see all things, only God could watch for the enemies of Israel carefully and constantly. Israel discovered time and again God’s watchful hand of protection. The seven plagues that Egypt endured never touched the Israelites, though they lived adjacent to the Egyptians in the land of Goshen. God was the fire between Egypt and Israel as God’s people crossed the Red Sea on dry land. Time and time again God’s people experienced the blessing of His power and protection.
A completed house doesn’t mean that it is impervious to hurricanes, hail, fires or thieves. Prudent investors confidently place themselves in Allstate’s good hands. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. No, they’re not! Perhaps you’ve been paying insurance companies through the nose for twenty years. Only in dire emergencies will you get a fraction of your money back. God’s watchful protection over your life night and day is critical. There is no fine print, no conditional clause in God’s contract to prevent Him from watching over your life. Fretting, fearing and stewing over your little problems is just vanity….There’s that buzzword again from Solomon in Ecclesiastes: nada, nothing, zero, meaningless time-wasting, joy-stealing worry.
The key to having the psalmist’s attitude, “Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain…,” is completely relinquishing control of your life and your household and trusting God’s guardianship by faith. Confidence in God allows Him to be able to do His best work. Listen to Solomon’s words in Proverbs 3:19: “by wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundation, by understanding He set the heavens in place.” If He designs infinitesimal universes and holds every atom together by strong nuclear force (Colossians 1:17), building and defending your miniscule little life-hut should be no problem. In Proverbs 3:25, Solomon promises that God will assuredly shield you from destruction. “Have no fear of sudden disaster (when it comes) or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.”