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Which hills are the psalmist referring to in Psalm 121:1?



      

Psalms 121:1

NKJV - 1 I WILL lift up my eyes to the hills - From whence comes my help?

Clarify Share Report Asked June 18 2015 Mini Anonymous

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B8c746f3 63c7 43eb 9665 ef7fba8e191b Kelli Trujillo Supporter Loving Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Teacher, Musician
Since no specific "hills" are mentioned in this psalm, it's unclear to which hills the author, David, was referring. Some scholars believe the hills were a figurative reference, indicating that we can't cast our cares on even the greatest and majestic of God's creation; rather, we must cast our cares on the Person Who is able to create hills, mountains, planets, and everything else.

Since David is the author of this psalm, it is also possible that he was referring to the hills that were significant to him and others at the time. Matthew Henry has this to say about the subject:

"We must fetch in help from God, by faith in his promises, and a due regard to all his institutions: "I will lift up my eyes to the hills' (probably he meant the hills on which the temple was built, Mount Moriah, and the holy hill of Zion, where the ark of the covenant, the oracle, and the altars were); "I will have an eye to the special presence of God in his church, and with his people (his presence by promise) and not only to his common presence.' When he was at a distance he would look towards the sanctuary (Ps. 28:2; 42:6); thence comes our help, from the word and prayer, from the secret of his tabernacle. My help cometh from the Lord (so the word is, v. 2), from before the Lord, or from the sight and presence of the Lord. "This (says Dr. Hammond) may refer to Christ incarnate, with whose humanity the Deity being inseparably united, God is always present with him, and, through him, with us, for whom, sitting at God's right hand, he constantly maketh intercession.' Christ is called the angel of his presence, that saved his people, Isa. 63:9." [Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 121]

This would make sense in that David could have been referring to the place that was associated with the presence of God and the gathering of the people of God at the time of the writing of psalm 121.

Here's the bottom line of this psalm: No matter where we find ourselves, God is ultimately the one and only source for our help. We can't look to any created thing or any manmade thing or institution to provide what we need. God truly is the answer to all questions and the provider of all our needs.

June 23 2015 0 responses Vote Up Share Report


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My picture Jack Gutknecht Supporter ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church
BDB (where I looked for and found Psalm 121:1 referring to "HILL") has "Hill" or "Mountain" is probably built upon the Hebrew radical (usually 3 letters), הרר from which הר is derived. A Hebrew radical is composed of consonants only.

558 n. m. Gn 7:19 mountain, hill, hill country
558 n. m. Gn 7:19 mountain, hill, hill country
1. mountain, hill (these often not
sharply distinguished, but):
l. as places of illicit worship Is 65:7 (|| עוֹתָבְגּ (cf. Je
||) 2:12 Dt הֶהָרִים הָרָמִים, 7:57 Is הַר־גּ ַ ָבֹהּ וְנִשָּׂ א so.) id (|| 25 v. appar & 6:3
עוֹתָבְגַּה;(but Ez 18:6, 15 read perhaps םָהדּ ַfor הרים cf. RS K 310 & 33:25. See also where "Jews worshipped other gods at the shrines ('high places') in the hills (2 Kings 16:4; Jer. 3:23; 13:27; 17:2; Hos. 4:11-13)". -- Warren Wiersbe

I interpret Psalm 121:1 along with the trusted Bible translations,

ERV

A song for going up to the Temple. I look up to the

hills, but where will my help really come from?

EXB

A song ·for going up to worship [of ascents; C perhaps sung while

traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate an annual religious festival like Passover]. I ·look up [L raise my eyes] to the hills [C the hills surrounding

Zion, the location of the Temple], but where does my help come from?

ICB

A song for going up to worship. I look up to the

hills. But where does my help come from?

NCV

A song for going up to worship. I look up to the

hills, but where does my help come from?

TPT

A song of the stairway I look up to the

mountains and hills, longing for God’s help. But then I realize that our true

help and protection come only from the Lord, our Creator who made the heavens

and the earth.

March 09 2020 0 responses Vote Up Share Report


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