Commentary - Psalm 121

Bird's-eye view

Psalm 121 is one of the Songs of Ascent (Psalms 120-134), which were pilgrim songs for the Israelites on their way up to Jerusalem for the great feasts. This is a song for people on a journey, and by extension, it is a song for every Christian in our pilgrimage through this life. The psalm opens with a question born of anxiety and uncertainty: "From where shall my help come?" The pilgrim looks up at the mountains, which could represent the destination of Jerusalem, but could also represent the pagan high places and the dangers that lurked on the road. The answer is a thunderous declaration of faith: our help comes not from the created order, but from the Creator Himself. The rest of the psalm is a cascade of assurances, piling up promise upon promise of God's constant, vigilant, and eternal care. The central theme is that Yahweh is our keeper, and because He is our keeper, we are secure.

This is a psalm of objective truth. It does not describe how the pilgrim feels, but rather declares what God is and what God does. Our security is not based on our grip on Him, but on His grip on us. Because He never slumbers or sleeps, we can. Because He is the Creator of all things, He is sovereign over all things, and nothing can befall His people that is not part of His good and fatherly purpose. This is bedrock truth for the Christian life.

Outline

Context: The Songs of Ascent

The Songs of Ascent were sung by worshippers as they made their way to Jerusalem. This was not a stroll down a paved boulevard; it was a difficult and often dangerous journey through hilly country. Travelers faced threats from bandits, wild animals, and the elements. These psalms, therefore, are full of the realities of a hard journey, but they are also full of the confident joy of approaching the place of corporate worship, the house of God. They are psalms for sojourners and pilgrims. Every Christian is a pilgrim, on his way to the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb. 12:22). These psalms are therefore our songs. They teach us how to think, how to pray, and how to sing as we navigate the treacherous terrain of this life on our way home.

Key Themes

Verse by Verse Commentary

Psalm 121:1-2

1 I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come? 2 My help comes from Yahweh, Who made heaven and earth.

The psalm begins with a pilgrim looking up. He sees the mountains. This is an ambiguous gesture. Is he looking to the mountains where Jerusalem sits, the destination? Or is he looking at the mountains as the source of potential trouble, the place where bandits hide, where pagan high places were built for idol worship? The question that follows, "From where shall my help come?" suggests the latter. He is not looking to the mountains for help, but is asking where his help will come from in the face of the mountains. It is a question that reveals a sense of vulnerability.

And the answer in verse 2 is immediate and absolute. My help does not come from the mountains, or from anything in the created world. My help comes from the one who made the mountains. This is the fundamental distinction that undergirds all of biblical faith: the Creator/creature distinction. Our help is not found within the system of created things. Our help is the transcendent God, Yahweh, the covenant-keeping God who spoke the heavens and the earth into existence. If He can do that, He can certainly handle whatever trouble you might find on your journey.

Psalm 121:3-4

3 He will not allow your foot to stumble; He who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, He who keeps Israel Will not slumber and will not sleep.

The promises now become intensely personal. God's care is not a vague, general goodwill. He is concerned with your foot, with each step you take on the path. In mountainous country, a stumble can be disastrous. The promise is that God will not allow it. This is a statement of His sovereign control. And the reason He can make this promise is that His watchfulness is unceasing. "He who keeps you will not slumber."

The pagan gods of the nations were fickle. Elijah mocked the prophets of Baal, suggesting their god might be on a journey, or perhaps sleeping (1 Kings 18:27). But Yahweh is not like that. The promise to the individual pilgrim in verse 3 is then grounded in God's covenant faithfulness to His people as a whole in verse 4. The God who keeps all of Israel is the same God who is keeping you. And the psalmist doubles down on the point for emphasis: He will not slumber and will not sleep. There is never a moment when God's eye is off His people. His providence is exhaustive and meticulous.

Psalm 121:5-6

5 Yahweh is your keeper; Yahweh is your shade on your right hand. 6 The sun will not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night.

The word keeper (Hebrew: shamar) is the theme word of this psalm, appearing six times. It means to guard, to watch over, to preserve. Yahweh is your keeper. This is His identity in relation to you. He is also your shade on your right hand. In the blistering heat of the Middle East, shade is a profound blessing, a relief, a protection. And it is at your "right hand," the side of strength and action. God's protection is immediate, personal, and right where you need it.

Verse 6 extends this protection to cover all time and all kinds of threats. The sun represents the clear and present dangers of the daytime. The moon was anciently associated with hidden dangers, mysterious ailments, or lunacy. The promise is that God's protection covers you 24/7, from the dangers you can see and from the dangers you can't. His care is comprehensive.

Psalm 121:7-8

7 Yahweh will keep you from all evil; He will keep your soul. 8 Yahweh will keep your going out and your coming in From now until forever.

These final verses bring the psalm to its glorious crescendo. The scope of God's keeping power is total. He will keep you from all evil. Now, this does not mean that believers will lead a charmed life, free from trouble or pain. We know from the rest of Scripture that is not the case. It means that no evil will ultimately triumph over you. No evil can separate you from the love of God or derail His ultimate purpose for your life. Any evil that touches you will be bent and repurposed by our sovereign God for your ultimate good (Rom. 8:28). He will keep your "soul," your very life, your essential self.

And this total protection extends to all your activities and for all time. He keeps your "going out and your coming in", when you go out to your work and when you come home to your rest. It covers every aspect of your life's journey. And the duration of this promise is staggering: "From now until forever." This is not a temporary arrangement. God's covenant-keeping, providential care is the permanent state of affairs for His people. It is an eternal security blanket.

Application

The central application of this psalm is to believe it. This is not a psalm about what you must do, but about what God has promised to do. Your security in this life's pilgrimage does not depend on your strength, your wisdom, or your feelings. It depends entirely on the character and promises of your unslumbering Keeper.

So, where are you looking for help? Are your eyes on the "mountains" of political saviors, economic forecasts, or your own retirement plan? Those are created things, and they will fail you. Lift your eyes higher. Your help comes from Yahweh, who made heaven and earth. Because He is your keeper, you can rest. Because He never sleeps, you can. Cast your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7). Trust His exhaustive, sovereign, meticulous, and eternal care. This is the foundation for a life of fearless confidence and joyful obedience, no matter how steep or rocky the path ahead may seem.