Corpus Psalterium · Vol. V
Psalm CXXI (121)
Cantillated — Dialogical Ascent
Paul Whitehorn
Study the Word
Psalm 121 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.
A Song of Ascents.
I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?
שִׁ֗יר לַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת אֶשָּׂ֣א עֵ֭ינַי אֶל־הֶהָרִ֑ים מֵ֝אַ֗יִן יָבֹ֥א עֶזְרִֽי׃
My help comes from Yahweh, who made heaven and earth.
עֶ֭זְרִי מֵעִ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה עֹ֝שֵׂ֗ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃
He will not allow your foot to be moved. He who keeps you will not slumber.
אַל־יִתֵּ֣ן לַמּ֣וֹט רַגְלֶ֑ךָ אַל־יָ֝נ֗וּם שֹֽׁמְרֶֽךָ׃
Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
הִנֵּ֣ה לֹֽא־יָ֭נוּם וְלֹ֣א יִישָׁ֑ן שׁ֝וֹמֵ֗ר יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Yahweh is your keeper. Yahweh is your shade on your right hand.
יְהוָ֥ה שֹׁמְרֶ֑ךָ יְהוָ֥ה צִ֝לְּךָ֗ עַל־יַ֥ד יְמִינֶֽךָ׃
The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
יוֹמָ֗ם הַשֶּׁ֥מֶשׁ לֹֽא־יַכֶּ֗כָּה וְיָרֵ֥חַ בַּלָּֽיְלָה׃
Yahweh will keep you from all evil. He will keep your soul.
יְֽהוָ֗ה יִשְׁמָרְךָ֥ מִכָּל־רָ֑ע יִ֝שְׁמֹ֗ר אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃
Yahweh will keep your going out and your coming in, from this time forward, and forever more.
יְֽהוָ֗ה יִשְׁמָר־צֵאתְךָ֥ וּבוֹאֶ֑ךָ מֵֽ֝עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם׃
Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.
I turn my eyes
up to the hills
where will my help
come from
My help arrives
from the LORD
who made the sky
and the land
He will not let
your foot give way
your Keeper
will not drift off
Look
He does not drift off
He does not sleep
the Keeper of Israel
The LORD is your Keeper
the LORD is your shade
at your right hand
The sun will not strike you
by day
nor the moon
by night
Look
He does not drift off
He does not sleep
the Keeper of Israel
The LORD will keep you
from every harm
He will keep
your life
Look
He does not drift off
He does not sleep
the Keeper of Israel
The LORD will keep
your going out
and your coming in
from now
and forever
Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.
Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 125 psalms free.