King James Version
Psalms 121
8 verses with commentary
My Help Comes from the Lord
A Song of degrees. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. I will: or, Shall I lift up mine eyes to the hills? whence should my help come?
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.</strong> This opening verse of the Songs of Ascents initiates one of Scripture's most beloved declarations of divine protection and providence. The Hebrew phrase <em>essa enai el-heharim</em> (אֶשָּׂא עֵינַי אֶל־הֶהָרִים) literally means "I lift up my eyes to the mountains." The verb <em>nasa</em> (נָשָׂא, "to lift up") s...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(1) **Whence.**—Our version is certainly incorrect in following the LXX. and Vulg. in making *whence *a relative. The Hebrew word is always interrogative; even in Joshua 2:4 it is indirectly interrogative. But the margin is hardly right in making the whole verse interrogative. Render, *I will lift up mine eyes to the hills. Whence comes my help? *The hills are those on which Jerusalem is built, th...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
8-9. The exaltation of Zion's king is joy to the righteous and sorrow to the wicked.
**daughters of Judah--**(Compare Psa 48:11).
My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.</strong> This verse provides the climactic answer to verse 1's question, establishing the theological foundation for the entire psalm. The Hebrew <em>ezri me-im Yahweh</em> (עֶזְרִי מֵעִם יְהוָה) literally means "my help is from with Yahweh"—the preposition <em>me-im</em> (מֵעִם, "from with") indicating both source and relationship...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(2) **My help cometh . . .**—Not as the superstition of the Canaanite said, from the sacred summits themselves, but from their Creator’s Lord. It is noticeable that the style, “maker of heaven and earth,” is a peculiarity of psalms which are certainly post-exile, and show how strongly the contrast with heathenism impressed the creative power of God on the Hebrew mind. When the idolater, pointing t...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
8-9. The exaltation of Zion's king is joy to the righteous and sorrow to the wicked.
**daughters of Judah--**(Compare Psa 48:11).
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
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KJV Study Commentary
The reassurance: <em>Al yitten lamot raglekha</em> (He will not permit your foot to slip). <em>Natan</em> (give/permit) with <em>mot</em> (slip/totter/waver) promises stability. <em>Regel</em> (foot) represents one's path, walk, conduct. <em>Al yanum shomrekha</em> (He will not slumber, your keeper). <em>Num</em> (slumber/be drowsy); <em>shomer</em> (keeper/guard/watcher). The answer to verse 1-2:...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(3) **He will not.**—The LXX. and Vulg. rightly, “may He not suffer,” &c. The Hebrew cannot be a simple negative. That it is Israel which is addressed the next verse seems to prove.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
10-12. Let gratitude for the blessings of providence and grace incite saints (Psa 4:3) to holy living. Spiritual blessings are in store, represented by light (Psa 27:1) and gladness.
Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
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KJV Study Commentary
<em>Hineh lo yanum v'lo yishan shomer Yisrael</em> (Behold, He neither slumbers nor sleeps, the keeper of Israel). <em>Hineh</em> (behold) draws attention. <em>Lo yanum</em> (He does not slumber); <em>lo yishan</em> (He does not sleep) - two verbs for sleep emphasize totality. <em>Shomer Yisrael</em> (keeper/guardian of Israel) identifies God's covenant role. The verse intensifies verse 3's truth:...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(4) **Slumber nor sleep.**—This repetition, with the addition of a synonym, offers a very good instance of the *step-like *style supposed by many critics to give their name to these psalms. But it must be carefully noticed that there is no climax in the force of the two words, the first, if anything, being the stronger. It is used of the sleep of death (Psalm 76:5).
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
10-12. Let gratitude for the blessings of providence and grace incite saints (Psa 4:3) to holy living. Spiritual blessings are in store, represented by light (Psa 27:1) and gladness.
The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
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KJV Study Commentary
<em>YHWH shomrekha, YHWH tzilkha al yad yeminekha</em> (The LORD is your keeper, the LORD is your shade at your right hand). <em>Shomer</em> (keeper) and <em>tzel</em> (shade/shadow) both indicate protection. <em>Yad yemin</em> (right hand) represents position of honor, strength, protection—guards stood at right hand to shield with their own bodies. In hot Middle Eastern climate, shade means relie...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(5) **Thy keeper.**—Notice again how the prominent word is caught up from the preceding verse and amplified, and then again repeated, and again amplified in Psalm 121:7-8, where *preserve *is an unfortunate substitution by the Authorised Version.
**Shade.**—An image of protection, and one peculiarly attractive to the Oriental. (See Numbers 14:9, margin; Psalm 91:1; Isaiah 25:4; Isaiah 32:2.)
**Upo...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
10-12. Let gratitude for the blessings of providence and grace incite saints (Psa 4:3) to holy living. Spiritual blessings are in store, represented by light (Psa 27:1) and gladness.
The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
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KJV Study Commentary
<em>Yomam hashemesh lo yakkekah v'yareach balaylah</em> (By day the sun shall not strike you, nor the moon by night). <em>Nakah</em> (strike/smite/harm) indicates harmful impact. <em>Shemesh</em> (sun) and <em>yareach</em> (moon) represent day and night dangers comprehensively. Ancient belief held that moon could cause harm (English "lunacy" from Latin <em>luna</em>, moon). Whether literal (sunstr...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(6) **Smite thee.**—The mention of shade leads to the amplification of the figure. The evil effects of *sunstroke *are too well known to need comment. They are often mentioned in the Bible (2Kings 4:18; 2Kings 4:20; Jonah 4; Judith 8:3).
**Nor the moon by night.**—Possibly there is allusion to the belief, so common in old times, of the harmful influence of the moon’s light—a belief still recalled ...
Read full commentary →The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
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KJV Study Commentary
<em>YHWH yishmarekha mikol ra, yishmor et naphshekha</em> (The LORD shall preserve you from all evil, He shall preserve your soul). <em>Shamar</em> (preserve/keep/guard) appears twice, emphasizing divine protection. <em>Mikol ra</em> (from all evil/harm) is comprehensive—no qualifier, no exception. <em>Nephesh</em> (soul/life/self) indicates the whole person—not just physical safety but spiritual ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(7-8) Instead of *preserve, *read *keep, *the persistent dwelling on this one word making one of the chief beauties of this hymn.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
PSALM 98 Psa 98:1-9. In view of the wonders of grace and righteousness displayed in God's salvation, the whole creation is invited to unite in praise.
**1. gotten ... victory--**literally, "made salvation," enabled Him to save His people.
**right hand, and ... arm--**denote power.
**holy arm--**or, "arm of holiness," the power of His united moral perfections (Psa 22:3; 32:11).
The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
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KJV Study Commentary
<em>YHWH yishmor tzeitkha u'vo'ekha me'atah v'ad olam</em> (The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore). <em>Yatza</em> (go out) and <em>bo</em> (come in) form a merism encompassing all activity and movement. <em>Me'atah</em> (from now); <em>ad olam</em> (until forever). The promise spans both activities (all comings/goings) and time (present to ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(8) **Thy going out and thy coming in.**—A common Hebrew expression to denote the whole of life. (See Deuteronomy 28:6, comp. St. Paul’s prayer, 1Thessalonians 5:23.)
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**2. salvation--**the result of His righteousness (Psa 7:17; 31:1), and both are publicly displayed.