The Lord is thy Keeper; the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand . "Thy shade" means "thy protection." "thy defense." Protection was especially needed on the right hand, as the side which no shield guarded. Latin writers call the right side "latus aperture." read more
The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. These were the chief dangers of travelers, whether pilgrims or others. Coup de soleil was feared by day, and the deleterious influence of the moon's rays by night. This last has sometimes been doubted, but the observation of modern travelers seems to show that bad effects actually fellow on sleeping in the moonlight in hot countries. read more
Types of peril by day and by night. The sun and the moon. To understand these figures, it is necessary to keep in mind, not only what the sun and moon actually are in Eastern countries, but also the sentiments which have gathered about them in those lands. I. THE SUN IS THE TYPE OF THE OPEN PERILS OF THE GODLY LIFE . The sun strikes openly, and is especially perilous when it strikes on the lower part of the back of the head. Men know this, and are duly warned... read more
The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil ; or, "keep thee." The same verb is used throughout. He shall preserve thy soul; or, keep thy soul. read more
Evil as God sees it. "All evil." All kinds of evil. We may not think that God estimates evil precisely as we do. In this "God's thoughts are not as our thoughts." One important distinction may be Pointed out here. We think evil to be that which injuriously affects our circumstances; God sees evil as that which injuriously affects us. Consequently, some of the things which we call evil God does not so call, because their influence on us is good . And if this be so, the mere change... read more
The safety of our life. "He shall keep thy soul." The term " soul " stands often in the Scriptures of both the Old and New Testaments for the animal life; but we use it for that spiritual being which man is , as distinguished from that bodily form which man has. Taking the first idea, it may be shown that God's care of our natural life involves and includes all due provision for the thousandfold needs of that life. The greater includes the less. The daily renewed gift of life... read more
The Lord is thy keeper - Thy Preserver; thy Defender. He will keep time from danger; he will keep thee from sin; he will keep thee unto salvation.The Lord is thy shade - The Lord is as a shadow: as the shadow of a rock, a house, or a tree, in the intense rays of the burning sun. See the notes at Isaiah 25:4.Upon thy right hand - See Psalms 16:8; Psalms 109:31. Perhaps the particular allusion to the right hand here may be that that was the place of a protector. He would thus be at hand, or would... read more
The sun shall not smite thee by day - The Septuagint renders this, “shall not burn thee” - συγκαύσει sungkausei. So the Latin Vulgate. The Hebrew word means to smite, to strike, as with a rod or staff, or with the plague or pestilence; and then, to kill, to slay. The allusion here is to what is now called a “sun-stroke” - the effect of the burning sun on the brain. Such effects of the sun are often fatal now, as doubtless they were in the time of the psalmist.Nor the moon by night - The... read more
The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil - This is an advance of the thought. The psalmist had in the previous verses specified some particular evils from which he says God would keep those who put their trust in him. He now makes the remark general, and says that God would not only preserve from these particular evils, but would keep those who trusted in him from all evil: he would be their Protector in all the perils of life.He shall preserve thy soul - Thy life. See Psalms 41:2; Psalms... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 121:1-8
The Source of help. "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills," etc. I. A STRONG , DEEP SENSE OF DEPENDENCE ON GOD IMPLANTED IN US . II. WE MUST LIFT OURSELVES UP IN THE WHOLE POWER OF OUR BEING TO REALIZE GOD 'S NEARNESS TO HELP US . He dwelt in the mountain-group of Zion at Jerusalem, and in the other mountains of Israel. We have been taught to realize that God is Spirit, and dwells near us, as well as in the far-off... read more