Matthew Poole and continuators on Psalms 121

1 I Will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help.

Either to Sion and Moriah, which are called the holy mountains, Psal. 87. 1. or rather, 2. to the hills in general, whereof there were many in the land of Canaan, and upon which the forces, which he hoped would come to his aid, might be seen at a great distance.

Or, may come, Heb. will come.

Marginal references: Or, shall I lift up mine eyes to the hills? whence should my help come?; Psal. 87. 1. & 133. 3.

2 My help cometh from the LORD which made heaven and earth.

From God alone, and therefore to him alone will I turn mine eyes.

Marginal references: Psal. 124. 8.

3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved : he that keepeth thee will not slumber .

He speaketh as it were from God to himself, but withal to the encouragement of his followers and of all good men.

To wit, so as to fall into mischief.

Will not overlook nor neglect any thing which is necessary for thy preservation.

5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand .

Both to refresh thee and keep thee from the burning heat of the Sun, as it is expressed in the next verse, and to protect thee by his power from all thine enemies; for which reason God is oft called a shadow in Scripture.

Partly to uphold thy right hand, which is the chief instrument of action; and partly to defend thee in that place where thine enemies oppose thee: of which see on Psal. 109. 6. And compare Psal. 16. 8. & 109. 31.

6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

With excessive heat.

With that cold and moisture which comes into the air by it and with it. Intemperate heats and colds are the two springs of many diseases. He alludes both to the condition of Souldiers or Travellers, who are exposed to the open air by day and by night, and also to the cloudy Pillar which defended the Israelites both by day and by night. The sence is, He shall protect thee from all evils both by day and night.

8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in , from this time forth; and even for evermore.

Shall guard and assist thee in all thy expeditions and affairs and actions either at home or abroad. So this phrase is used Numb. 27. 17. Deut. 28. 6.