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英文原文
Some call this the soldier's psalm, and think it was penned in the camp, when David was hazarding his life in the high places of the field, and thus trusted God to cover his head in the day of battle. Others call it the traveller's psalm (for there is nothing in it of military dangers) and think David penned it when he was going abroad, and designed it pro vehiculo—for the carriage, for a good man's convoy and companion in a journey or voyage. But we need not thus appropriate it; wherever we are, at home or abroad, we are exposed to danger more than we are aware of; and this psalm directs and encourages us to repose ourselves and our confidence in God, and by faith to put ourselves under his protection and commit ourselves to his care, which we must do, with an entire resignation and satisfaction, in singing this psalm. I. David here assures himself of help from God, Ps 121:1,2. II. He assures others of it, Ps 121:3-8.
1-8
Confidence in God
信靠神
上行之诗。
¹ 我要向山举目，我的帮助从何而来？
² 我的帮助从造天地的耶和华而来。
³ 他必不叫你的脚摇动，保护你的必不打盹。
⁴ 看哪，保护以色列的，也不打盹，也不睡觉。
⁵ 保护你的是耶和华，耶和华在你右边荫庇你。
⁶ 白日太阳必不伤你，夜间月亮必不害你。
⁷ 耶和华要保护你免受一切的灾害，他要保护你的性命。
⁸ 你出你入，耶和华要保护你，从今时直到永远。
本篇教导我们，
一、以神为有大能的、为我们全足的神，并倚靠他。大卫如此行，便得了益处。1. 我们不可倚靠受造之物，不可倚靠人和方法、器和次要的成因，也不可以血肉为臂膀：「我岂要向山举目？」——有人如此读。「我的帮助是从那里来吗？我当倚靠地上的权势、倚靠山的力量、倚靠君王和伟人吗？他们如同山，充满全地，昂首向天。不；『从山岭从冈陵得拯救，是徒然的』（耶3:23）。我从不想望帮助从他们而来；我所信靠的只是神。」（有人如此读）「我们必须举目越过山」——我们必须越过器去看神，器之所以对我们成为它那样，是因神使它如此。2. 我们必须看见自己一切的帮助都藏在神里面——藏在他的大能与良善、他的护理与恩典之中；并要从他那里指望帮助临到：「我的帮助从耶和华而来」——我所渴慕的帮助是他所赐的，我也要按他自己的方式和时候指望它从他那而来。他若不帮助，没有任何受造物能帮助；他若帮助，没有任何受造物能阻挡、能伤害。3. 我们必须借着对他应许的信心，并对他一切所设立的正当的敬重，从神那里取得帮助：「我要向山举目」（他大概是指圣殿建造其上的诸山——摩利亚山，并锡安圣山，那里有约柜、圣谕、祭坛）；「我要留意神在他教会中、在他百姓中那独特的同在（他按应许的同在），而不仅留意他寻常的同在。」他远离之时便向着圣所举目（诗28:2；42:6）；我们的帮助从那里来——从话语和祷告而来，从他帐幕的隐密处而来。「我的帮助从耶和华而来」（原文如此，诗121:2），「是从耶和华面前而来」，或说「从耶和华的看见和同在而来」。「这话，」哈蒙德博士说，「可指着道成肉身的基督——神性与他的人性不可分离地联合，神总是与他同在，并借着他与我们同在；他坐在神的右边，为我们不住地代求。」基督被称为拯救他百姓的「他面前的使者」（赛63:9）。4. 我们必须以这一件事鼓励我们对神的信靠——他「造了天地」，那造了天地的，凡事都能作。他从无造出世界，独自借一句话，在极短的时间之内，并「都甚好」——极其卓越美丽；因此无论我们的窘迫艰难多大，他都有充足的能力救助我们、解救我们。那造了天地的，是天上地上一切军旅的主，能随意使用他们帮助他的百姓，也能随意 restrain 他们不害他的百姓。
二、当我们的艰难和危险最大时，要在神里面得安慰。此处应许：我们若信靠神，行在我们当尽本分的路上，就必在他的保护之下安然无虞——没有任何真正的灾祸、没有任何「纯然」的灾祸会临到我们，也没有任何不在神看为好、不使我们得益处的患难。1. 神自己已承担作我们的保护者：「保护你的是耶和华」（诗121:5）。无论他给天使什么吩咐来保护他的百姓，他都没有因此卸下自己的责任；因此，每一个个别的圣徒是否有 guardian 天使，我们无从确知，却确知他有神自己作保护者。是无限的智慧设谋，是无限的大能成就那将自己交在神保护之人的安全。以「耶和华」为「保护者」的，必蒙保全。他们若因患难作了他的囚犯，他仍是他们的保护者。2. 那保护普世教会的，也照样承担每一个个别信徒的保守之责——同样的智慧、同样的大能、同样的应许。「保护以色列的」（诗121:4），「也保护你」（诗121:5）。羊群的牧者，也是每一只羊的牧者，并要留心使一个最小的也不灭亡。3. 他是儆醒守护的保护者：「保护以色列的，保护你这以色列人的，既不打盹，也不睡觉；他从未如此，也永不如此，因为他从不疲乏；他不仅不睡，连瞌睡也不打盹；他丝毫没有睡意。」4. 他不仅保护他所保护的人，更使他们复苏：他是他们的「荫庇」。这比喻有极大的恩典降卑在其中——那具有无限实体的永恒之存在，为要对他的百姓说出能感觉到的安慰，应许作他们的「umbra」——他们的「影子」，紧贴他们如同影子紧贴身体，并遮蔽他们免受炙热，如同「疲乏人之地、震荡中之大磐石的影子」（赛32:2）。他们可以在这荫下安然坐着，心满意足（歌2:3）。5. 他总是临近他的百姓，保护他们、使他们复苏，从不远离；他是他们的「保护者」，是他们「右边的荫庇」——所以他从不难寻。右手是工作之手；他们只要灵巧地转身尽自己的本分，就必发现神向他们是预备好的，要帮助他们、使他们亨通（诗16:8）。6. 他不仅在他们右边，并要「保护他圣民的脚步」（撒上2:9）。他在他们的动静中眷顾他们：「他必不叫你的脚摇动」。神必安排他的百姓不受试探过于所能受的，必不致陷入罪中——虽然他们可能离罪很近（诗73:2,23）——必不致陷入患难中——虽然有许多人图谋用欺诈暗中颠覆他们，或用武力推翻他们。他要保护他们免受惊吓，正如我们滑跌或绊倒快要跌倒时所受的惊吓。7. 他要保护他们免受天上万象一切恶性的影响（诗121:6）：「白日太阳必不伤你」，用他的炎热，「夜间月亮必不害你」，用她的寒冷和潮湿。太阳和月亮对人类是极大的祝福，然而（罪在受造中所造成的改变何等可悲）连受人敬拜的太阳和月亮，也常常成为人体伤害和疾病的器具；神常常借它们击打我们；但他的恩惠必要介入，使它们不致损害他的百姓。他要「昼夜」保护他们（赛27:3），如同他在旷野保护以色列人——白日用云柱遮蔽他们免受日头的炎热，夜间用火柱，火柱大概在全营散发出温和的暖气，免得他们受夜间寒冷潮湿之害——他们的先祖雅各曾抱怨（创31:40），「白日受尽干热，黑夜受尽霜寒」。这话也可喻意解：「你或不见伤于仇敌公然的攻击——它们如太阳炙人的光那样显眼；或不见伤于他们暗中的诡计——它们如同夜间寒气不知不觉的渗入。」8. 他的保护使他们各方面都安全：「耶和华要保护你免受一切的灾害」——罪的恶和患难的恶。他要拦阻你所惧怕的恶，并使你所感受的恶分别为圣、挪去或减轻。他要保护你不犯罪（林后13:7），并且不仅使你不遭恶事，凡临到你的患难，其中也必无恶。即使是杀身体的事，也不能害你。9. 属灵的生命，特别在神的保护之下：「他要保护你的性命」。一切灵魂都是他的；灵魂就是那人，因此他要格外留心保守他们，使他们不被罪玷污，不被患难搅扰。他借保守我们一直拥有灵魂来保护他们；他也要保护他们免于永亡。10. 他在我们一切所行的道上保护我们：「你出你入，耶和华要保护你」。你一切出外的旅途和航程，无论出海或归航，他都必保护你——正如他在旷野中保护以色列人，在他们的迁移和安歇中。你一切在家中、在海外的事务，从起头到末了，他都要使你亨通。他在生与死中保护你——你活着时的出入，和你死时的归回；早晨出去作工，年老晚境召你归回安息（诗104:23）。11. 他要继续看顾我们，「从今时直到永远」。这是终生的保护，永不过时。「他要作你的引导，直到死时」，然后把你藏在坟墓中，或藏在天上。「他要在他的天国里保守你。」神要保护他的教会和他的圣徒，直到「世界的末了」。那作他们保惠师和安慰者的圣灵，要与他们同在，直到永远。
英文原文
Confidence in God
A song of degrees.
¹ I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
² My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
³ He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
⁴ Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
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.
⁸ The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
This psalm teaches us,
I. To stay ourselves upon God as a God of power and a God all-sufficient for us. David did so and found the benefit of it. 1. We must not rely upon creatures, upon men and means, instruments and second causes, nor make flesh our arm: "Shall I lift up my eyes to the hills?"—so some read it. "Does my help come thence? Shall I depend upon the powers of the earth, upon the strength of the hills, upon princes and great men, who, like hills, fill the earth, and hold up their heads towards heaven? No; in vain is salvation hoped for from hills and mountains, Jer 3:23. I never expect help to come from them; my confidence is in God only." We must lift up our eyes above the hills (so some read it); we must look beyond instruments to God, who makes them that to us which they are. 2. We must see all our help laid up in God, in his power and goodness, his providence and grace; and from him we must expect it to come: "My help comes from the Lord; the help I desire is what he sends, and from him I expect it in his own way and time. If he do not help, no creature can help; if he do, no creature can hinder, can hurt." 3. 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, Ps 121:2), 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. 4. We must encourage our confidence in God with this that he made heaven and earth, and he who did that can do any thing. He made the world out of nothing, himself alone, by a word's speaking, in a little time, and all very good, very excellent and beautiful; and therefore, how great soever our straits and difficulties are, he has power sufficient for our succour and relief. He that made heaven and earth is sovereign Lord of all the hosts of both, and can make use of them as he pleases for the help of his people, and restrain them when he pleases from hurting his people.
II. To comfort ourselves in God when our difficulties and dangers are greatest. It is here promised that if we put our trust in God, and keep in the way of our duty, we shall be safe under his protection, so that no real evil, no mere evil, shall happen to us, nor any affliction but what God sees good for us and will do us good by. 1. God himself has undertaken to be our protector: The Lord is thy keeper, Ps 121:5. Whatever charge he gives his angels to keep his people, he has not thereby discharged himself, so that, whether every particular saint has an angel for his guardian or no, we are sure he has God himself for his guardian. It is infinite wisdom that contrives, and infinite power that works, the safety of those that have put themselves under God's protection. Those must needs be well kept that have the Lord for their keeper. If, by affliction, they be made his prisoners, yet still he is their keeper. 2. The same that is the protector of the church in general is engaged for the preservation of every particular believer, the same wisdom, the same power, the same promises. He that keepeth Israel (Ps 121:4) is thy keeper, Ps 121:5. The shepherd of the flock is the shepherd of every sheep, and will take care that not one, even of the little ones, shall perish. 3. He is a wakeful watchful keeper: "He that keepeth Israel, that keepeth thee, O Israelite! shall neither slumber nor sleep; he never did, nor ever will, for he is never weary; he not only does not sleep, but he does not so much as slumber; he has not the least inclination to sleep." 4. He not only protects those whom he is the keeper of, but he refreshes them: He is their shade. The comparison has a great deal of gracious condescension in it; the eternal Being who is infinite substance is what he is in order that he may speak sensible comfort to his people, promises to be their umbra—their shadow, to keep as close to them as the shadow does to the body, and to shelter them from the scorching heat, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land, Isa 32:2. Under this shadow they may sit with delight and assurance, So 2:3. 5. He is always near to his people for their protection and refreshment, and never at a distance; he is their keeper and shade on their right hand; so that he is never far to seek. The right hand is the working hand; let them but turn themselves dexterously to their duty, and they shall find God ready to them, to assist them and give them success, Ps 16:8. 6. He is not only at their right hand, but he will also keep the feet of his saints, 1Sa 2:9. He will have an eye upon them in their motions: He will not suffer thy foot to be moved. God will provide that his people shall not be tempted above what they are able, shall not fall into sin, though they may be very near it (Ps 73:2,23), shall not fall into trouble, though there be many endeavouring to undermine them by fraud or over throw them by force. He will keep them from being frightened, as we are when we slip or stumble and are ready to fall. 7. He will protect them from all the malignant influences of the heavenly bodies (Ps 121:6): The sun shall not smite thee with his heat by day nor the moon with her cold and moisture by night. The sun and moon are great blessings to mankind, and yet (such a sad change has sin made in the creation) even the sun and moon, though worshipped by a great part of mankind, are often instruments of hurt and distemper to human bodies; God by them often smites us; but his favour shall interpose so that they shall not damage his people. He will keep them night and day (Isa 27:3), as he kept Israel in the wilderness by a pillar of cloud by day, which screened them from the heat of the sun, and of fire by night, which probably diffused a genial warmth over the whole camp, that they might not be prejudiced by the cold and damp of the night, their father Jacob having complained (Ge 31:40) that by day the drought consumed him and the frost by night. It may be understood figuratively: "Thou shalt not be hurt either by the open assaults of thy enemies, which are as visible as the scorching beams of the sun, or by their secret treacherous attempts, which are like the insensible insinuations of the cold by night." 8. His protection will make them safe in every respect: "The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil, the evil of sin and the evil of trouble. He shall prevent the evil thou fearest, and shall sanctify, remove, or lighten, the evil thou feelest. He will keep thee from doing evil (2Co 13:7), and so far from suffering evil that whatever affliction happens to thee there shall be no evil in it. Even that which kills shall not hurt." 9. It is the spiritual life, especially, that God will take under his protection: He shall preserve thy soul. All souls are his; and the soul is the man, and therefore he will with a peculiar care preserve them, that they be not defiled by sin and disturbed by affliction. He will keep them by keeping us in the possession of them; and he will preserve them from perishing eternally. 10. He will keep us in all our ways: "He shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in. Thou shalt be under his protection in all thy journeys and voyages, outward-bound or homeward-bound, as he kept Israel in the wilderness, in their removes and rests. He will prosper thee in all thy affairs at home and abroad, in the beginning and in the conclusion of them. He will keep thee in life and death, thy going out and going on while thou livest and thy coming in when thou diest, going out to thy labour in the morning of thy days and coming home to thy rest when the evening of old age calls thee in," Ps 104:23. 11. He will continue his care over us from this time forth and even for evermore. It is a protection for life, never out of date. "He will be thy guide even unto death, and will then hide thee in the grave, hide thee in heaven. He will preserve thee in his heavenly kingdom." God will protect his church and his saints always, even to the end of the world. The Spirit, who is their preserver and comforter, shall abide with them for ever.
有人称本篇为「兵丁之诗」,以为是在营中所作——那时大卫在田野的高处冒性命之险,如此信靠神在战阵之日遮护他的头。另有人称之为「行旅之诗」(因其中毫无军事危险),以为是大卫出门时所作,特为车马之用——为善人旅途或航行中的护卫与伴侣。但我们不必如此局限其用;我们无论在家在外,所面临的危险都过于我们所知;本篇指引并鼓励我们将自己与我们的信靠安息于神,凭信将自己置于他的保护之下,交托他的看顾——这正是我们唱这首诗时所当行的,以完全的顺服与满意而行。本篇结构如下:一、大卫在此自证必从神得帮助(诗121:1,2);二、他向他人保证此事(诗121:3-8)。