Psalms
Chapter 121
This is a short psalm about God watching over a traveler. The singer looks up at the hills and asks where help comes from, then answers: help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. The rest of the psalm promises that God guards his people without ever falling asleep, day and night, wherever they go.
Plain reading written for preteens. Clear and complete, at about a fifth grade reading level.
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
1I look up at the hills. Where will my help come from?
2My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
2My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
3He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
3He will not let your foot slip. The one who guards you will not doze off.
In the King James wording, "suffer" means allow, and "moved" here means slipping or losing your footing.
4Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
4Listen: the one who guards Israel never dozes off and never sleeps.
5The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
5The LORD is the one who guards you. The LORD is the shade at your right side.
Standing in someone's shade meant being protected from the burning sun. It is a picture of God staying close and shielding you.
6The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
6The sun will not harm you in the daytime, and the moon will not harm you at night.
7The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
7The LORD will keep you safe from all harm. He will keep your life safe.
8The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
8The LORD will watch over you when you go out and when you come home, from now on and forever.
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