1 A Canticle in steps. I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains; from thence help will come to me. 2 My help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 3 May he not allow your foot to be moved, and may he not slumber, who guards you. 4 Behold, he who guards Israel will neither sleep, nor slumber. 5 The Lord is your keeper, the Lord is your protection, above your right hand. 6 The sun will not burn you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord guards you from all evil. May the Lord guard your soul. 8 May the Lord guard your entrance and your exit, from this time forward and even forever.
Psalms · Catholic Public Domain Version
Psalm 120 (121) Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · Psalm 121 · About the recordings
Notes on this text (4)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
- Psalms follow the Greek/Latin numbering, with the psalm titles counted as verse 1 (as in the Vulgate).
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
Cross references (8)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info. References use English (Hebrew-based) verse numbers; links open the passage in CPDV.
- 1 Psalm 120:1; Psalm 123:1; Jeremiah 3:23; Isaiah 2:3; Psalm 2:6
- 2 Isaiah 41:13; Psalm 124:8; Hebrews 13:6; Isaiah 40:28–29; Psalm 146:5–6
- 3 Proverbs 3:26; Proverbs 3:23; 1 Samuel 2:9; Psalm 91:12; Psalm 66:9
- 4 Psalm 127:1; Isaiah 27:3; Psalm 32:7–8; 1 Kings 18:27; Ecclesiastes 8:16
- 5 Isaiah 25:4; Psalm 91:1; Exodus 13:21; Psalm 16:8; Isaiah 4:5–6
- 6 Revelation 7:16; Isaiah 49:10; Psalm 91:5–10; Jonah 4:8
- 7 2 Timothy 4:18; Psalm 91:9–12; Psalm 41:2; Proverbs 12:21; Psalm 145:20
- 8 Deuteronomy 28:6; Proverbs 2:8; Proverbs 3:6; Psalm 113:2; Ezra 8:31
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations). Verse numbers below follow the Hebrew/English numbering: 121.
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
The Psalm which we have just heard chanted, and have responded to with our voices, is short, and very profitable. Ye will not long toil in hearing, nor will ye toil fruitlessly in working. For it is, according to the title prefixed to it, "A song of degrees." Degrees are either of ascent or of descent.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
Thou never ceasest to pluck them out, but I, constantly remain fast in the snares set all around me; because Thou "that keepest Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep."
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
cxxi. 4 ), and "Do not suffer thy foot to be moved." ( Ps.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 14 (1889)
"Except the Lord keep the city, he that keepeth it waketh but in vain." And what "city"? "He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." What is Israel, but the seed of Abraham?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
He knew that He was our keeper. For "He that keepeth Israel neither slumbereth nor sleepeth;" and, "Except the Lord keep the city, they wake in vain who keep it." He then is our Keeper who is our Creator.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)