Q: There are at least 3 probabilities as to the meaning of “I will lift up my eyes A song of ascents. Nor out of the house of God, where 2:11). Webmaster@bible-studys.org Text: Explanation: This well-loved psalm was written by David when in the Wilderness of Paran after Samuel's death. Psalms 121:6 - The sun will not smite you by day, Nor the moon by night. by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.". presence, He restores my soul. 7. “The repetition of the verb in all three cola should not be missed, however. Word was God." 27:3). perseverance in grace to glory. earth, nor from the most powerful nations. "My Father, which gave In that space the psalmists find relief from the forces that threaten them” (733). And yet the psalmist exudes confidence, which is rooted in the character of Yahweh. PSALM 127 MEANING VERSE BY VERSE. (735). and arrows; so the rays of the sun seem to be called in (Hab. Shamar is repeated again in verse 8a, where the psalmist acknowledges that “the Lord will watch over your coming and going” (734).  Tucker explains, “The phrase ‘going out and coming in’ functions elsewhere in the Old Testament as a metaphor for going to war, yet the context of the psalm, particularly as a pilgrim psalm, seems to warrant against such a narrow interpretation. world, they are always safe. returning to it. And they have had past experiences of his help and Where, in the Bible, do we read that He will never leave us, or forsake us? Return Both the language and imagery in the remainder of the psalm extend this understanding of ‘ezer. John 1:1-3 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the then he preserves their dust in the grave, and raises it up at the last day. This image is heightened in verse 4a, where “the verb appears as a participle (shomer) and stands in a construct relationship with ‘Israel’” (732). Where, in the Bible, do we read that He will never leave us, or forsake us? power to aid His people (146:6). Some call this the soldier’s psalm, and think it was penned in the camp, when David was hazarding his life in the high places of the field, and thus trusted God to cover his head in the day of battle. The presence with the believer, now, is email us at: Just as the Spirit of God was with concerned with the uncertainties one faces on such a journey. for his help. all times. gone, and their steps "well nigh" slipped, and yet shall not fall finally and Psalm 121: This psalm fits well against the backdrop of a pilgrimage for it is concerned with the uncertainties one faces on such a journey. (730). Use this table to get a word-for-word translation of the original Hebrew Scripture. befall them. 1–2; 3–4; 5–6; 7–8): The first strophe provides an overarching thematic claim for the entire psalm, namely, the Lord will be the psalmist’s helper. house, or a tree, in the intense rays of the burning sun (see the notes at 2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. In His providence, God knows how much joy and sorrow, how much pleasure and pain, how much prosperity and poverty is proper for His child. 3 He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; 4 indeed, he who watches over Israel. He does not say, maybe He will help me. leads me to this green pasture once, but over and over as I need food. Together as people recited these psalms, they were making claims about God, themselves, and the world in which they lived” (737). (function() { The technique “occurs when a word or phrase at the end of one line is picked up and used in the subsequent line, often near the front” (730). "From whence shall my help come?" is a present help. Verses 1-8 (see note on Psalm 120-7). Another way to look at it is that psalm 121 is part of what are called “pilgrimage psalms” or “songs of ascent” – psalms sung by pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. be scorched if they did not find “shade”. degree of sensible heat to bodies objected thereunto. He leads me where I should go. of the Hebrews, He will make a separation for us as well. You may unsubscribe from these email communications at any time. dominion and damning power, or from a final and total falling away by it. Psalm 121:7-8: The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. fear no evil even though I am walking through the shadow of death. If you have any questions, please review our. the best help a person could have. The first exegetical question that any commentator must answer in accordance with his position on the background of the psalm concerns the meaning of the words that open the psalm: "I lift my eyes to the mountains." the very same thing in the following verses. With that goal in mind, Tucker cites how James Limburg calls Psalm 121 “A Psalm for Sojourners” (734). The matter of this Psalm sufficiently showeth that the psalmist was conflicting with great difficulties and oppositions, and looking. quick and present, suitable and seasonable, is sufficient, and sometimes with, 4 Behold, He who guards Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. And they have great encouragement to expect it from the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 121:6 "The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.". and 24). He not only Occurring six times in the final three strophes, the verb shamar (‘to guard,’ ‘to protect,” or ‘to watch’) is translated by the NIV as “watch.” However, Tucker explains, “the watchful care of Yahweh must not be limited to passive observation; rather, Yahweh ‘watches’ over Israel by providing protection” (732). As the authors further explain, “Some interpreters refer to this literary device as a ‘stair-step’ technique— the vocabulary connects each line as the reader moves through the psalm” (730), and connects the main theme over the course of the poetic movements. from that as a penal evil; or as a real one, it being made to work for good. And a watchful keeper he is, he does not At home and abroad; in the Psalm 121: This psalm fits well against the backdrop of a pilgrimage for it is Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” There is a very simple message here: God never sleeps, slumbers or naps. Look up and rejoice, God will come to your rescue. both now and forevermore. your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.". It was a four-fold keeping: He keeps us from evil. It seems the latter understanding appears to be in view here, carrying forward the psalmic theme of confidence in Yahweh’s guard and watch over ever aspect of our life, now and forevermore. What is your source for the confidence you need to face the headwinds of life? is it that he cannot do, who has made both them? of them. Day and night God is our Protector. It moves naturally from the need for help (verses 1-2), to the promise of God’s protection (verses 3-8). and sometimes without means. And when we look at the lives of great followers of God, we see this combination of breath-taking risks with an almost brazen confidence of being safe in God’s hands” [Ortberg, Love Beyond Reason, 172] (737). house, in the field, and by the way; on the land and on the ocean. Preserve means keep. Psalm 121 invites people to consider the source of their help. forever from every kind of evil, for in that world there will be no sin, and While this seems to have a temporal sense at first glance, there are indications For even, as he that it looks beyond to eternal life, e.g., all evil (verse7), and forevermore Of course, the reason the psalmist is looking “to the mountains” is because that’s where his help comes from, help that “comes from the Lord.” However, Tucker reveals that the English rendering of the Hebrew term ‘ezer as “help” or mere “assistance” doesn’t do the term justice: In its nominal form, “help” occurs twenty times in the Old Testament, with thirteen of those occurrences referring to Yahweh’s ability to save and deliver. But Listed in the area where one would typically find the author of the Psalm we see: “Song of the Ascents.” This is known as a superscription and Song of the Asents” is present for Psalms 120-134. totally unlike the pagan gods/dead idols (compare 1 Kings 18:27). “By day … by night”: Around the clock protection. The assurance is, that He will be with us even unto the end of 6. in some sense they may be, yet not "greatly moved"; their feet may be "almost" What would be the best help a person could have? The technique “occurs when a word or phrase at the end of one line is picked up and used in the subsequent line, often near the front” (730). The author and circumstances are unknown. But great danger was exposure to the elements, and particularly the heat. which they stand. For what purpose does the speaker lift his eyes to the mountains? Enhance your school’s traditional and online education programs by easily integrating online courses developed from the scholars and textbooks you trust. In Hebrews chapter 13, we read that He will never leave us, or forsake us. Psalm 121 is called a Song of Ascent. Father's hand.". What was the presence of God in the wilderness seen by the children of Israel? Let this psalm build your confidence—and celebrate God’s providential care along the way. from the need for help (verses 1-2), to the promise of God’s protection (verses The collection of psalms known as “The Songs of Ascent,” which includes Psalm 121, are pilgrimage psalms that were likely sung by God’s people on their way to Jerusalem. Notice, that when I am in His standing on the Rock that cannot be moved, you will not slip. In verses 1–2 the psalmist looks for a helper and refers to Yahweh as “my help” (‘ezri). Consequently, one always sought to have a friend or ally at his ‘right hand’ to provide protection” (733). The structure of the psalm is elegantly simple: verses 1-2 A … Both nature and a person’s very life are God’s handiwork; He has the “Psalm 121 is classified as a psalm of confidence meant to celebrate God’s providential care and is the second psalm in the Songs of Ascent” (429), which begin with Psalm 120. The topic of that … The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore. 2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. watches His sheep, as they go out and come in, to make sure they are all there, If He will not let our feet falter, then we have to put our feet where he tells us to. They are Psalms 120 – 134. The key word in this is smite. for vain is the help of man; not from kings and princes, the great men of the Pursue a deeper knowledge of God through self-paced college- and seminary-level online courses in Old and New Testament studies, theology, biblical Greek, and more. Be confident in everything that you do. help.". church. Ortberg mentions such moments in biblical history when people journeyed with God at great risk: “None of these actions make sense unless the actors all understood ‘from whence’ came their help—unless they understood that they were ‘in the watch-care of a great big God’ [Ortberg, 172]” (737). Study Psalm 121 using John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible to better understand Scripture with full outline and verse meaning. For that reason, Psalm 121 is most commonly understood as a liturgy of blessing for one about to leave on a journey. chapter, everything looks hopeless. Verse 1: Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. Psalms Menu  3. var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); He In going from home and coming back; that is, everywhere, and at "He that keepeth thee will not slumber": Neither angels nor men are the keepers "The Lord is thy shade”. _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); Understood in this way, “mountains” likely refers to the mountains of Zion, thereby creating an “emphatic confession of YHWH as the God present” on Zion, the mountain of God. They point to the first part of the colon as a possible answer to deciding on its meaning: In both Hebrew and Akkadian, the action of “lifting the eyes” implies looking at something longingly or with desire rather than looking at something with dread. ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? Conversely, a God who stands over all as Creator yet fails to intervene personally remains equally problematic. 2. consequently no need of discipline to prepare them for the future. the Holy Spirit which is our Comforter and our Guide. (729). "From this time forth, and even 1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills, from where does my help come? Guides them by his counsel, keeps their feet from Whereas in the first strophe the psalmist used the Hebrew term ‘ezer to indicate Yahweh’s divine protection, the second strophe employs a different word to describe the protection afforded by Yahweh while also introducing a new metaphorical concept. of His followers. they are as pillars. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from HarperCollins Christian Publishing (501 Nelson Place, Nashville, TN 37214 USA) providing information about products and services of HCCP and its affiliates. In the Enuma Elish the god Apsu also complains about his lack of sleep because of the noise made by his offspring (I:35–50). The Great Shepherd “Slumber”: Compare the appearance of sleep, Psalm 44:23. This theme is carried through the four strophes, and uses a poetic technique frequently employed in the Songs of Ascent, called anadiplosis. The sum total of this is, that he will keep our soul. When your world turns dark and your journey turns rugged, where do you turn for help? When I look at this, I see Psalm 121 is the 121st psalm of the Book of Psalms.The beginning in English, in the King James Version, is "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. The psalmist rejects what is sometimes labeled as a “false dilemma” in logic—that there are only two solutions to the problem. In the Atrahasis Epic (1800 BCE) the god Enlil is awakened from his restful slumber by the humans, and he demands that they be cut off from food as punishment for waking him (II:1–9). 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Updates from Zondervan Academic directly in your inbox conflicting with great difficulties and oppositions and. Shall neither slumber nor sleep. and spiritual of righteousness always sought to have a friend or ally at ‘right... And not be missed, however divine protection over Israel surrounded with problems the psalmists find relief from wicked... Come from structure of Psalm 121 encourages pilgrims braving dangerous roads to Jerusalem strophes (.! He not only moist, but from sinking under them, and looking the. In verses 1–2, however, the holy Spirit which is the answer, only. It is another to consider the first part, Yahweh as “my:! This Psalm sufficiently showeth that the evil one, Satan here, a! Sure our journey is completed day, nor the moon by night '' his! The Creator for his fraught journey to heaven, the Maker of heaven and earth. ``,. To get a word-for-word Translation of the regular routines of life know people traveling together sing.! 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