「到如今耶和華都幫助我們。」－撒母耳記上7:12
不論經過貧困或富足、疾病或康壯；不論是在家或離家、安定或漂泊；不論有多少榮耀與羞辱、困惑與歡笑、試煉與得勝、禱告與攔阻－「到如今耶和華都幫助我們」！
「到如今」也指向將來。因為當人停在路中，寫下了「到如今」時，表示他還尚未來到終點，前頭仍有一段漫漫長路；仍有試驗和歡樂、試探和得勝、祈求和答應、勞苦和力勁、爭戰和得勝，與免不了的病痛、老去，和衰亡。
難道就這樣結束了嗎？
當然不是！還有在主形像裡的復活、寶座、琴聲、新歌、詩章、白衣、耶穌的榮臉、聖徒的千萬聚集、神的榮耀、在永遠裡一切的豐滿，以及永世的福樂。
哦，信徒們哪！振作精神吧！從感恩的心裡向祂口唱心合，揚聲歡呼「以便以謝」（到如今耶和華都幫助我們之意），因為「你既一路蒙祂引領，祂也必領你直到路終」。
－司布真
阿爾卑斯山上的牧人有個美好的習俗：在日落向晚時，他們總會交互著對唱一首「晚安曲」。
那裡的空氣澄澈如水晶，他們歌聲也能繚繞得無遠弗屆。
日暮時分，他們招聚羊群，領他們走下山間小路，一路他們歌聲來回交迭：「到如今耶和華都幫助我們，我們要讚美祂的名」！
末了，彼此友好地互唱輕柔的「晚安！晚安！」讓美好的旋律在空谷間蕩漾，直到消散於遠方天際。
願我們也能在夜間彼此吆喝呼喚，直到朦朧的黯淡中，響起了鼓舞天路客的陣陣回音。
讓我們點滴地攢積四處飄盪的回聲，直到哈利路亞的隆隆巨響，在震耳欲聾的雷鳴海濤中齊聲爆發，湧上藍寶石的寶座四圍；直到清晨來臨，發現自己與得贖的百姓一同圍繞在玻璃海旁，高聲呼喊：「但願頌讚、尊貴、榮耀、權能，都歸與坐寶座的和羔羊，直到永永遠遠」（啟示錄5:13）！
"Hitherto hath the Lord helped us" (I Sam. 7:12).The word "hitherto" seems like a hand pointing in the direction of the past. Twenty years or seventy, and yet "hitherto hath the Lord helped us!" Through poverty, through wealth, through sickness, through health; at home, abroad, on the land, on the sea; in honor, in dishonor, in perplexity, in joy, in trial, in triumph, in prayer, in temptation--"hitherto hath the Lord helped!"
We delight to look down a long avenue of trees. It is delightful to gaze from one end of the long vista, a sort of verdant temple, with its branching pillars and its arches of leaves. Even so look down the long aisles of your years, at the green boughs of mercy overhead, and the strong pillars of lovingkindness and faithfulness which bear up your joys.
Are there no birds in yonder branches singing? Surely, there must be many, and they all sing of mercy received "hitherto."
But the word also points forward. For when a man gets up to a certain mark, and writes "hitherto," he is not yet at the end; there are still distances to be traversed. More trials, more joys; more temptations, more triumphs; more prayers, more answers; more toils, more strength; more fights, more victories; and then come sickness, old age, disease, death.
Is it over now? No! there is more yet--awakening in Jesus' likeness, thrones, harps, songs, psalms, white raiment the face of Jesus, the society of saints, the glory of God, the fullness of eternity, the infinity of bliss. Oh, be of good courage, believer, and with grateful confidence raise thy "Ebenezer," for,
"He who hath helped thee hitherto
Will help thee all thy journey through."
When read in Heaven's light, how glorious and marvelous a prospect will thy "hitherto" unfold to thy grateful eye. --C. H. Spurgeon
The Alpine shepherds have a beautiful custom of ending the day by singing to one another an evening farewell. The air is so crystalline that the song will carry long distances. As the dusk begins to fall, they gather their flocks and begin to lead them down the mountain paths, singing, "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. Let us praise His name!"
And at last with a sweet courtesy, they sing to one another the friendly farewell: "Goodnight! Goodnight!" The words are taken up by the echoes, and from side to side the song goes reverberating sweetly and softly until the music dies away in the distance.
So let us call out to one another through the darkness, till the gloom becomes vocal with many voices, encouraging the pilgrim host. Let the echoes gather till a very storm of Hallelujahs break in thundering waves around the sapphire throne, and then as the morning breaks we shall find ourselves at the margin of the sea of glass, crying, with the redeemed host, "Blessing and honor and glory be unto him that sitteth on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever!"
