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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
繁體中文
對神的信靠
上行之詩。
¹ 我要向山舉目。我的幫助從何而來？ ² 我的幫助從造天地的耶和華而來。 ³ 他必不叫你的腳搖動；保護你的必不打盹。 ⁴ 保護以色列的，也不打盹也不睡覺。 ⁵ 保護你的是耶和華；耶和華在你右邊蔭庇你。 ⁶ 白日，太陽必不傷你；夜間，月亮必不害你。 ⁷ 耶和華要保護你，免受一切的災害；他要保護你的性命。 ⁸ 你出你入，耶和華要保護你，從今時直到永遠。
本篇教導我們：
一、當倚靠神，以祂為大能的神、為我們完全充足的神。大衛如此行，並經歷了其中的益處。1. 我們不可倚靠受造之物，不可倚靠人與方法、工具與次要原因，也不可將血肉之臂當作我們的力量：「我要向山舉目嗎？」——有人如此解讀——「我的幫助是從那裏來嗎？我要倚靠地上的權勢、群山的堅固、君王與偉人嗎？他們如同群山充滿大地，昂首朝向天上。不；從山嶺從岡陵斷不能得救恩（耶 3:23）。我從不指望從他們那裏得幫助；我的信心唯獨在於神。」我們當舉目超乎群山（有人如此解讀）；當透過工具望向那使他們成為我們幫助的神。2. 我們當看見自己一切幫助都存留在神裏面——在祂的能力與良善、祂的護理與恩典中；並當從祂那裏期待幫助臨到：「我的幫助從耶和華而來；我所渴望的幫助是祂所賜的，我也在祂自己的時候、以祂自己的方式期待這幫助。祂若不幫助，沒有受造物能幫助；祂若幫助，沒有受造物能阻攔、能加害。」3. 我們當藉著對祂應許的信心，並對祂一切設立的正當敬重，從神支取幫助：「我要向山舉目」（大概是指聖殿所建的山——摩利亞山，以及錫安聖山，那裏有約櫃、神諭與祭壇）；「我要留心神在祂教會中、在祂百姓中間特別的同在（就是祂應許的同在），而不僅僅留意祂普遍的同在。」當他遠在他鄉時，他要向聖所仰望（詩 28:2，42:6）；我們的幫助從那裏而來——從神的話語與禱告、從祂帳幕的隱密處而來。「我的幫助從耶和華而來」（原文如此，詩 121:2），「從耶和華面前而來」，或「從耶和華的臉光與同在而來」。「這一點（哈蒙德博士說）可能指道成肉身的基督，神性與祂的人性不可分割地聯合，神總是與祂同在，並藉著祂——那坐在神右邊為我們不斷代求者——與我們同在。」基督被稱為拯救祂百姓之「祂面前的使者」（賽 63:9）。4. 我們當以這一件事堅固自己對神的信靠：祂「造了天和地」，那能作此事的，必能作任何事。祂從無中創造了世界，獨自一神，僅以一言，在短暫時間之內，「一切所造的都甚好」，極其卓越美麗；因此，無論我們的困境與艱難何等巨大，祂的能力都足夠為我們施行救助與解救。那造天地的，是天地萬軍的主權之主，能隨己意調用它們來幫助自己的百姓，也能隨己意限制它們不加害祂的百姓。
二、當我們的艱難與危險最大之時，當在神裏面得著安慰。此處應許，我們若信靠神，並留在當盡本分的道路上，就必在祂的保護之下安然無恙，以致沒有真正的災禍、沒有純粹的災禍會臨到我們，也沒有任何患難不是神看為對我們有益、並要藉之使我們得益處的。1. 神親自承擔作我們的保護者：「保護你的是耶和華」（詩 121:5）。無論祂給天使甚麼吩咐來守護祂的百姓，祂並未因此卸下自己的責任，因此，不論每一位聖徒是否各有一位天使作守護者，我們確知他有神自己作守護者。是無限的智慧設計、是無限的大能成就了那些將自己置於神保護之下的聖徒的安全。以「耶和華」為「保護者」的，必蒙妥善保護。即使因患難而成為祂的囚犯，祂仍是他們的保護者。2. 那保護整體教會的，也同樣承擔每一位個別信徒的保全——同樣的智慧、同樣的大能、同樣的應許。「保護以色列的」（詩 121:4），「是保護你的」（詩 121:5）。羊群的牧者也是每一隻羊的牧者，必看顧使連一個小子也不滅亡。3. 祂是清醒警覺的守護者：「保護以色列的，就是保護你的——以色列人啊！——也不打盹也不睡覺；祂從未打盹，也永遠不會，因為祂從不疲倦；祂不僅不睡覺，甚至不會打盹；祂連絲毫睡意也沒有。」4. 祂不僅保護那些祂所守護的人，也使他們得著更新：祂「是他們的蔭庇」。這個比擬蘊含著極大的恩典降卑；那自有永有、無限本體的存有，為要向祂的百姓傳遞可感受的安慰，應許作他們的「蔭影」——如同蔭影緊貼身體一般貼近他們，並如「疲乏人之地的大磐石之蔭」（賽 32:2）遮蔽他們免受烈日的灼曬。他們可在這蔭下以喜樂與確據安然居住（歌 2:3）。5. 祂總是就近祂的百姓保護他們、更新他們，從不遠離；祂「是保護你的，是在你右邊蔭庇你的」；因此不必向遠處尋求。右手是作工的手；只要他們靈巧地轉向自己的本分，就必發現神已為他們預備，要幫助他們、使他們亨通（詩 16:8）。6. 祂不僅在他們右邊，還要「保護聖民的腳步」（撒上 2:9）。祂必留意他們的行動：「祂必不叫你的腳搖動。」神必安排使祂的百姓不受試探過於所能受的，不陷於罪中——儘管他們可能離罪極近（詩 73:2, 23）——也不陷於患難中——儘管有許多人企圖以詭計暗害或以武力傾覆他們。祂也保守他們免受驚嚇，正如我們滑跌絆倒、將要跌倒時所受的驚嚇一樣。7. 祂必保護他們免受天上星辰一切惡性的影響（詩 121:6）：「白日，太陽必不傷你；夜間，月亮必不害你。」太陽與月亮對人類本是極大的福氣，然而（罪在受造界中造成了如此可悲的改變）連受人類大部分所敬拜的日月，也常成為傷害人身體、使之患病的工具；神常藉它們擊打我們；但祂的恩惠必介入，使它們不致損害祂的百姓。祂必「晝夜」保護他們（賽 27:3），正如祂在曠野中保護以色列人——「日間雲柱」遮蔽他們免受日頭的炎熱，「夜間火柱」或許為整個營散發溫和的暖意，使他們不致因夜間的寒冷與潮濕受損；他們的祖宗雅各曾訴苦說（創 31:40），「白日受盡乾旱，黑夜受盡霜寒」。這也可按寓意理解：「你必不受仇敵明顯的攻擊所傷——那如同烈日灼人的光線一般顯而易見；也不受他們暗中的詭計所害——那如同夜間寒氣不知不覺的滲透。」8. 祂的保護使他們在各樣景況中都安全：「耶和華要保護你，免受一切的災害」——罪的災害與患難的災害。祂必攔阻你所懼怕的災害，並使你所感受的災害成聖、挪去或減輕。祂必保守你不犯罪（林後 13:7），並使你不致受真正的災害，以至於無論有何患難臨到你，其中必無災害。即使那能殺身體的，也不能害你。9. 特別是屬靈的生命，神要特別加以保護：「祂要保護你的性命。」所有的靈魂都是祂的；而靈魂就是人之所以為人，因此祂要以特別的眷顧保護他們，使他們不致被罪玷污、被患難擾亂。祂要藉著保守我們對靈魂的擁有來保護靈魂；祂也要保護靈魂免於永遠滅亡。10. 祂必在我們一切的道路上保守我們：「祂要保護你出你入。」無論你行路遠行或航海，出洋或歸家，你都在祂的保護之下，正如祂在曠野中保護以色列人，在他們的遷移與安營之中都看顧他們。祂必使你無論在家在外、在事情開始與結束之時都亨通。祂必在生與死中保守你——你活著時的出入與前行，你離世時的歸回；清早出去作工，晚年黃昏被召回家安息（詩 104:23）。11. 祂必「從今時直到永遠」持續看顧我們。這是終生的保護，永不過時。「祂必作你的引導，直到死時」，那時必將你藏於墳墓，藏於天堂。「祂必在自己天國裏保守你。」神必永遠保護祂的教會與祂的聖徒，直到世代的末了。那作他們保護者與安慰者的聖靈，必永遠與他們同在。
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.
有人稱本篇為軍兵之詩，認為它是大衛在營中所寫，那時他正在戰場高處冒生命之險，如此信靠神在戰爭之日護庇他的頭。也有人稱之為旅客之詩（因其中並無任何軍事危險的痕跡），認為是大衛出門遠行時所寫，定意作為 pro vehiculo——旅途之用，作為敬虔之人旅途或航程中的護衛與伴侶。但我們不必如此限定其用途；無論我們身處何地，在家或在外，所面臨的危險遠超我們所知；本篇指引並鼓勵我們將自己和信靠安息於神，憑信心將自己置於祂的保護之下，交託在祂的看顧之中——我們歌唱本篇時，當存完全的順服與滿足如此行。一、大衛在此向自己保證必得著神的幫助（詩 121:1-2）。二、他向他人保證此事（詩 121:3-8）。