1.
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
Title. A Song. Hebrew. shir . See App-65 .
of degrees = for, or relating to the degrees. Only here thus. Hebrew. lamma'aloth. See note on Title of 120.
hills = mountains. Add a full stop.
From whence, &c? Punctuate this line as a question. Compare Jeremiah 3:23 .
cometh = is to come.
2.
My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
My help. Figure of speech, Anadiplosis , repeated from end of Psalms 121:1 .
the LORD = Jehovah ( App-4 .), not the hills.
Which made heaven and earth. The reference is to the burden of Hezekiah's prayer (2 Kings 19:15 ; Isaiah 37:16 ). Idols were only the work of men's hands ( 2Ki 19:18 ; 2 Chronicles 32:19 ; Isaiah 37:19 ). Rab-shakeh had reproached "the living God". See further references to this in Psalms 124:8 ; Psalms 134:3 ; and App-67
3.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
not = May He not. Hebrew 'al (like Greek. me) . (Subjective, and conditional).
keepeth . . . (Psalms 121:4 ) keepeth . . . (Psalms 121:5 ) keeper. Note the Figure of speech Polyptoton ( App-6 ). Hebrew. shomreka . . . shomer . . . shomreka. Repeated in verses: Psalms 121:7-8 .
4.
Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
neither. Hebrew. l'o (like Greek. ou) . He will not. Absolute.
5.
The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6.
The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7.
The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
shall preserve thee. The repeated promise of Jehovah by Isaiah (2 Kings 19:20-34 .Isaiah 37:6 , Isaiah 37:7 , Isaiah 37:22-25
8.
The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
thy going out, &c. Idiom for life in general. The promise was fulfilled in 2 Chronicles 32:22 .