TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 121

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1A song for ascents. I turn my eyes to the mountains; from where will my help come?

SHEER la-ma-a-LOT e-SA ay-NAI el he-ha-REEM may-A-yin ya-VO ez-REE

אשִׁיר לַמַּעֲלוֹת אֶשָּׂא עֵינַי אֶל־הֶהָרִים מֵאַיִן יָבֹא עֶזְרִי׃

 121:1   I turn my eyes to the mountains

Mount Chermon

When he composed this psalm, the psalmist might have been standing at the foot of a large mountain, perhaps the Chermon mountain range, about to embark on a long journey. As he looks up to the mountains, he stands in awe of their beauty, their massiveness, their sheer greatness. It makes him feel meek, and he wonders: From where did they come? Who is behind them? Who will protect him on his journey through them? When looking at the diverse natural wonders found in Israel, such as the majestic Chermon mountain, the Banyas waterfalls or the great Carmel forest, how many times do we stop and acknowledge the Creator who sustains it all? When travelling throughout the beautiful Land of Israel, how often do we call out, “My help comes from Hashem, Maker of heaven and earth”?

2My help comes from Hashem, maker of heaven and earth.

בעֶזְרִי מֵעִם יְהֹוָה עֹשֵׂה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ׃

3He will not let your foot give way; your guardian will not slumber;

גאַל־יִתֵּן לַמּוֹט רַגְלֶךָ אַל־יָנוּם שֹׁמְרֶךָ׃

4See, the guardian of Yisrael neither slumbers nor sleeps!

דהִנֵּה לֹא־יָנוּם וְלֹא יִישָׁן שׁוֹמֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

5Hashem is your guardian, Hashem is your protection at your right hand.

היְהֹוָה שֹׁמְרֶךָ יְהֹוָה צִלְּךָ עַל־יַד יְמִינֶךָ׃

6By day the sun will not strike you, nor the moon by night.

ויוֹמָם הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לֹא־יַכֶּכָּה וְיָרֵחַ בַּלָּיְלָה׃

7Hashem will guard you from all harm; He will guard your life.

זיְהֹוָה יִשְׁמָרְךָ מִכָּל־רָע יִשְׁמֹר אֶת־נַפְשֶׁךָ׃

8Hashem will guard your going and coming now and forever.

חיְהֹוָה יִשְׁמָר־צֵאתְךָ וּבוֹאֶךָ מֵעַתָּה וְעַד־עוֹלָם׃