The Meaning of Psalms 121:1 Explained

Psalms 121:1

KJV: {A Song of degrees.} I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

YLT: A Song of the Ascents. I lift up mine eyes unto the hills, Whence doth my help come?

Darby: {A Song of degrees.} I lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: whence shall my help come?

ASV: I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: From whence shall my help come?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

{{A Song  of degrees.  }} I will lift up  mine eyes  unto the hills,  from whence  cometh  my help. 

What does Psalms 121:1 Mean?

Study Notes

A Song of degrees
Literally, "of ascents." Perhaps chanted by the people as they went up to Jerusalem to the feasts. Psalms 122:1 ; Psalms 122:2 .

Context Summary

Psalm 121:1-8 - Where To Find Help
This is the first of the "Songs of Degrees." It has been suggested that they were pilgrim-songs to beguile the journeys from all parts of the country to the great annual feasts. They have been associated with the reign of the good Hezekiah. Mesech and Kedar are typical enemies, who forced their way into the kingdom of Judah and vexed the people of God. They are compared to sharp swords and arrows in Psalms 57:4; Psalms 64:3, but now in turn they shall be pierced and scorched. How many who start on a pilgrimage to the Celestial City must run a similar gauntlet! Their enemies arise from their own household. In such distress of soul, prayer is our only hope, Psalms 120:1.
Psalms 121:1-8
The keynote of this psalm is the word keep, which occurs in one form or another six times. In Psalms 121:1 and Psalms 121:2 the soloist suggests that in hours of trial we should look beyond mountains and hills to the Lord who made them all. In Psalms 121:3-8 the chorus endorses and commends the choice. All the saints of every dispensation add their cumulative testimony to the wisdom of entrusting the keeping of soul and body to our faithful Creator. Notice the exquisite sequence of phrases: neither slumber nor sleep; by day, by night; thy going out, and thy coming in; thee and. thy soul; this time forth and for evermore. The meshes are woven very closely. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 121

1  The great safety of the godly, who put their trust in God's protection

What do the individual words in Psalms 121:1 mean?

A Song of Ascents I will lift up my eyes to the hills from where comes my help
שִׁ֗יר לַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת אֶשָּׂ֣א עֵ֭ינַי אֶל־ הֶהָרִ֑ים מֵ֝אַ֗יִן יָבֹ֥א עֶזְרִֽי

שִׁ֗יר  A  Song 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שִׁיר 
Sense: song.
לַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת  of  Ascents 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: מַעֲלָה 
Sense: what comes up, thoughts.
אֶשָּׂ֣א  I  will  lift  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
עֵ֭ינַי  my  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc, first person common singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
הֶהָרִ֑ים  the  hills 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
מֵ֝אַ֗יִן  from  where 
Parse: Preposition-m, Adverb
Root: אַיִן  
Sense: where?, whence?.
יָבֹ֥א  comes 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
עֶזְרִֽי  my  help 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עֵזֶר  
Sense: help, succour.