Psalms 121 · The Lantern

A song for the ascents. I lift up my eyes to the mountains — from where will my help come?

But he who flees ought to know also the place to which he ought to flee, and to pray also on account of the time, that he flee not at that time which is adverse to flight. The places, then, for those who flee will be the mountains, which Christ points out, saying: "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains".

When he says, "I lifted up," he shows that he had advanced to a certain contemplation. Lifting up is bringing something to higher levels. "My eyes" refers to the sight of the heart.

If you take a straight look at the leaders of the city, the foremost chief is Christ. In terms of the fight, although the angels and the saints help—"I lift up my eyes toward the mountains; whence shall help come to me"—yet the principal contender is Christ.

I Lift Up My Eyes to the Hills

My help is from the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be shaken; your keeper will not slumber.

See, the keeper of Israel will not slumber and will not sleep.

We attribute to God, as it were, every state that corresponds to our circumstances. For this reason, when we are half asleep and behaving slothfully, God, since he judges us unworthy of his observant watchfulness over us, is said to be asleep.

Choose for yourself Him, who will neither sleep nor slumber, and your foot shall not be moved. God is never asleep: if you dost wish to have a keeper who never sleeps, choose God for your keeper.

Regarding the divine nature the prophet David says, "Behold, he who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." But the narrative of the Evangelist describes the Master Christ as sleeping in the boat. Now not sleeping and being asleep are two contrary ideas, so the prophet contradicts the Gospels if, as they argue, the Master Christ was God alone.

The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade at your right hand.

By day the sun will not strike you, nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your soul.

The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in, from now and forever.

Psalms121

I Lift Up My Eyes to the Hills