Click here to read PSALM 121 in poetic form.
Background
Psalm 121 is in the Deuteronomy Book of the Psalms (Psalms 107-150). These 44 Psalms, like the Book of Deuteronomy in the Old Testament, show God’s Word as the source of salvation, deliverance, and healing. This would be fully carried out in the life of the coming Messiah, the living Word, Jesus Christ. Whereas Psalm 119 showed that God would raise the Messiah from the dead to eternal life, Psalm 121 is the second of 15 “songs of the degrees” (Psalms 120-134) regarding God keeping Hezekiah alive (see the notes on Psalm 120 for more details).
Psalm 121, written by Hezekiah, shows the Messiah trusting in the Lord (not idols) for His protection.
Structure
(Messiah’s trust in the Lord)
(Verses 1,2) Messiah’s help: not from the hills (idols), but from the Lord (Creator)
(Verses 3,4) The Lord watches over the Messiah, for He will not sleep or slumber
(Verses 5,6) The Lord protects the Messiah, as a shade on his right hand
(Verses 7,8) The Lord will preserve the Messiah forever (resurrection and eternal life)
Key Scriptures
Verse 1—“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.” In the Hebrew, this is a question. SHOULD I lift my eyes to the hills (where pagan asherah are found)? FROM WHENCE comes my help? It comes from the Lord, Who is the Creator—and not from man-made idols.
Verse 3—“He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.” This is another promise that the Lord would protect His Messiah’s “foot,” similar to the help of angels in Psalm 91:12: “They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.”
Verses 7,8—“The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” Note the triple emphasis of God’s preservation of the Messiah, in protecting his soul from all evil. Jesus Christ faced “all evil” when the Devil tried to kill him on numerous occasions. Imagine the “all evil” fomented against him during the crucifixion. God protected His Son, the greatest leader who ever lived. The Hebrew phrase “going out and coming in” often refers to leadership or rulership (Deuteronomy 31:2; I Samuel 29:6; II Samuel 3:25; II Chronicles 1:10; Acts 9:28).
FOR FURTHER STUDY
All 150 of The Psalms in Poetic Form are available from Amazon in a book, either Large Print or a smaller Bedside Reader. Also available for free with a Kindle Unlimited membership. Enjoy!
You can also hear the author read them aloud on YouTube.
The entire blog series is now available in the publication The Psalms: Background & Structure with Key Scriptures Explained.
One reply on “Psalms in Poetic Form: PSALM 121”
What an amazing promise for the Messiah! And the deliverance is also available for us. I think of II Peter 3:9 which says:
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
God is so patient with us and He knows our frame. He is faithful and has proven it.
Thanks for sharing the details of this chapter and bringing to the front of our minds.
God Bless You, Gene!