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Book of Psalms


Psalm 121

A Song of degrees.

King James Version

1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.1

Bible Commentary
1 Many commentators take these hills to refer to the mountains of Jerusalem. Because of the presence of the sanctuary, Jerusalem was viewed as the dwelling place of God, and in this sense could be considered the source of divine help. Help comes to saints only from above, they look elsewhere in vain: let us lift up our eyes with hope, expectance, desire, and confidence.2,3
2 Our hope is in Jehovah, for our help comes from Him. It is vain to trust the creatures, but wise to trust the Creator. Jehovah who created all things is equal to every emergency; heaven and earth are at the disposal of Him who made them, therefore let us be very joyful in our infinite helper.2
3 Though the paths of life are dangerous and difficult, yet we shall stand fast, for Jehovah will not permit our feet to slide. If our foot will be thus kept we may be sure that our head and heart will be preserved also. When dangers are awake around us we are safe, for our Preserver is awake also, and will not permit us to be taken unawares. No fatigue or exhaustion can cast our God into sleep; his watchful eyes are never closed.2
4 How delightful to think that no form of unconsciousness ever steals over God, neither the deep slumber nor the lighter sleep. 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.2
5 Here the preserving One, who had been spoken of by pronouns in the two previous verses, is distinctly named: Jehovah is thy keeper. Here Jehovah assumes a gracious office and fulfills it in person. A shade gives protection from burning heat and glaring light. When a blazing sun pours down its burning beams upon our heads the Lord Jehovah himself will interpose to shade us, and that in the most honourable manner, acting as our right hand attendant, and placing us in comfort and safety.2

6 The two great lights rule the day and the night, and under the lordship of both we shall labour or rest in equal safety. Doubtless there are dangers of the light and of the dark, but in both and from both we shall be preserved: literally from excessive heat and from baneful chills. All evil may be ranked as under the sun or the moon, and if neither of these can smite us we are indeed secure.2
7 The wings of Jehovah amply guard his own from evils great and small, temporary and eternal. The Lord not only preserves thee from all evil, but preserves thy soul. Our soul is kept from the dominion of sin, the infection of error, the crush of despondency, the puffing up of pride; kept from the world, the flesh, and the devil; kept for holier and greater things; kept in the love of God; kept unto the eternal kingdom and glory. What can harm a soul that is kept of the Lord?2
8 When we go out in the morning to labour, and come home at eventide to rest, Jehovah shall keep us. When we go out in youth to begin life, and come in at the end to die, we shall experience the same keeping. Our exits and our entrances are under one protection. This keeping is eternal; continuing from this time forth, even for evermore. None are so safe as those whom God keeps; none so much in danger as the self secure.2

References and notes
1. King James Authorized Version
2. Charles H. Spurgeon, "The Treasury of David" - http:// bible. crosswalk .com/ Commentaries
3. SDA Bible Commentary Vol. 3 pgs. 620, 861-862, 907
4. The Book of Psalms - http:/ /www.bible .org/docs /ot/books /psa/ps -intr.htm

SONG PREVIEW

Click on image for song preview of Psalm 121. The music was composed in 1984. Psalm 121 features on the CD album Wings of the Morning.

 

BIBLE AUTHOR

A Song of degrees. Composed by David in the Wilderness of Paran, immediately after learning of the death of Samuel. When David realised that his last influential earthly friend was gone, he turned to the Lord for his sole remaining help.3



A SONG OF DEGREES

Psalm 121 is one of the Pilgrim Psalms (Pss. 120-134) which all have the heading "A song of degrees or ascents". There is considerable uncertainty regarding the meaning of the expression "a Song of degrees," perhaps better translated, "a Song of ascents," appearing in the superscription to this psalm and in the superscriptions to Ps. 120-134. The most probable explanation is that these psalms were employed as a pilgrim psalms, sung as the the children of Israel journeyed up to Jerusalem to the yearly festivals.3



PSALMS AND JUDAISM

In the modern synagogue the use of the psalms varies according to the rite followed (Eastern European, Spanish-Portuguese, Yemenite, Italian, etc), but the psalms have an honoured place in all the rituals. Likewise in the life of the orthodox Jew, from the first waking moment to the last moment before the night's rest begins, the psalms comprise a substantial part of the worshiper's daily prayers.3



PSALMS AND CHRISTIANITY

Jesus of Nazareth quoted more frequently from Psalms and from Isaiah than from any other Old Testament book. No other Old Testament book is so frequently cited in the New Testament as the book of Psalms, with the possible exception of Isaiah. The early Christians incorporated psalms into their worship (see 1 Cor. 14:26; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; James 5:13) and the churches that followed continued the practice down through the centuries. Chrysostom (c. 347-407) attests the prevalence of psalms in all forms of worship. In the medieval church the clergy recited the whole Psalter weekly. It is said that St. Patrick recited the whole book of Psalms daily. The psalms are a definite part of the Catholic ritual - both Roman and Eastern - and continue to hold a substantial place in the worship of both Anglican and evangelical branches of the Christian church.3

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