PSALM 121

During the winter months, there is a Jewish tradition of studying a special set of psalms - "tehilim" - on Shabbat afternoons. These psalms, #120-#134, are known as the Shir HaMaalot/Songs of Ascent psalms, as that is the first phrase in each psalm.  Each week, one of these psalms will be presented here.  We have so far covered Psalm 104, the Psalm for the New Month, and Psalm 120. This week, we look at Psalm 121, which is located on page 450 in your Siddur Lev Shalem, and you can also find it at https://www.sefaria.org/Psalms.121?lang=bi .

When travelling in the wilderness of biblical Eretz Yisrael, you did not have a cell phone with which to call for help. You, and your companions if any, were subject to disease, accident and banditry. Psalm 121 begins with such a traveller facing such a problem. Amos Hakham, a biblical scholar of the past century, thought of this psalm as a conversation between a traveller about to depart and a friend seeing him off. The traveller raises the question: from where will help come when I'm out there alone? The Radak, Rabbi David Kimchi (circa 1200 CE in Narbonne, France) thought it was part of the "big picture", with the traveller being the Jewish people in exile and the "mountains" around them as mighty kingdoms and empires. Who can you trust for assistance, and what will be the price?

The answer is given by the traveller himself: "My help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth." The friend confirms this with a blessing: "He will not yet your foot give way; your guardian will not slumber." Each line of the psalm details how this is done. Human watchers can grow tired and make mistake, but Adoshem will do neither. The power of creation (heaven and earth) is both in the past and present. We are protected from the threats of both the sun (heatstroke, dehydration) and the moon (the cold of night). Even our soul, the nefesh, is protected spiritually.

The protection is for now and forever. For Hakham, this is the final blessing from the friend, that the traveller will succeed and ultimately make his way home. For the Radak, G-d will be with us until the exile is over and we all return to Jerusalem. The dangers of the world are not minimized, but we are assured that divine aid is at hand and we should not lose faith. We still make the trip; we still climb the mountain (as this is a Song of Ascent), as we know who guards our steps.

(text from Siddur Lev Shalem)

A Song of Ascents.

I lift my eyes to the mountains; from where will my help come?

My help is from Adoshem, who made the heavens and the earth.

Adoshem will not let your foot slip, your guardian does not slumber;

for the guardian of Israel neither sleeps nor slumbers.

Adoshem is your protector:

Adoshem is the shield on your right hand.

The will not strike you down by day nor the moon by night.

Adoshem will protect you from every evil and watch over you.

Adoshem will watch over your coming and your going from this time forth, and ever and ever.