Verse 1-2
Psalms 121:1-2. I will lift up
mine eyes unto the hills — To
Zion and Moriah, called the holy
mountains, Psalms 87:1, the
hills on which the tabernacle or
temple stood, where were the ark
of the covenant, the oracle, and
the altars. I will have an eye
to the special presence of God
in his church, and with his
people, and from thence I will
expect help. My help cometh from
the Lord — From God alone, and
therefore to him alone will I
turn mine eyes; which made
heaven and earth — And therefore
how great soever my straits and
difficulties may be, he has
power sufficient for my succour
and relief.
Verses 3-8
Psalms 121:3-8. He will not
suffer thy foot to be moved — To
wit, so as to fall into
mischief. He speaks, as it were,
from God to himself, but,
withal, to the encouragement of
all good men. He that keepeth
thee will not slumber — Will not
overlook nor neglect any thing
which is necessary for thy
preservation. The Lord is thy
shade upon thy right hand — Both
to refresh thee, and keep thee
from the burning heat of the
sun. In those countries where
the heat of the sun was
intolerable, shady places were
esteemed not only very
refreshing, but likewise
salutary, and necessary to the
preservation of health and life.
When, therefore, the psalmist
styles God his shade, he means
that he protected him from
danger, and refreshed him with
comforts. The sun shall not
smite thee by day — With
excessive heat; nor the moon by
night — With that cold and damp
which come into the air by it.
Intemperate heats and colds are
the springs of many diseases.
And, “as the heat of the sun by
day, so the copious dews, which
fall most abundantly in the
moonshine, were very pernicious
in those countries.” The sense
is, He shall protect thee from
all evils, both day and night.
The Lord shall preserve thy
going out and coming in — Shall
guard and assist thee in all thy
expeditions, journeys, and
affairs, both at home and
abroad; from this time forth,
and even for evermore — He will
be thy guide even unto death,
and then bring thee to his
heavenly kingdom. God will
protect his church and his
saints always, even to the end
of the world; the Spirit, which
is their preserver and
comforter, shall abide with them
for ever. |