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Jehovah Ezer: The LORD our Helper
Psalm 121 Commentary (below)
Greek/Hebrew Word Studies on Help

This psalm is anonymous. The circumstances that led to this psalm and specifically which cause the psalmist to look to the mountains are not clearly stated. The implication of his looking for help is that he may have been in a state of anxiety or distress. On a more pragmatic level, aren't we all in need of the LORD's help to one degree or another every day? As Paul reminds us in Acts God "is not far from each one of us for in Him we live and move and exist." (Acts 17:27-28) We need His help every moment of every day.

Click here for sermon on Psalm 121 entitled The Traveler's Psalm  by Robert Morgan.

"Ascents" = The Songs (Psalms) of Ascent comprised Psalm 120-134 which together appears to have formed a "hymn book" used by pilgrims going up to Jerusalem (which is elevated). Most interpreters feel that these 15 psalms were sung in the context of the great pilgrimage feasts in which the nation of Israel was called to Jerusalem three times a year to celebrate: (1) the Feast of Unleavened Bread (commemorating the Exodus) in the Spring, (2) the Feast of the Harvest or Weeks (Pentecost - the expression of gratitude for the provision of grain) in the early Summer and (3) the Feast of Booths or Ingathering (Tabernacles - expression of thanksgiving for the final harvest) in the Fall. (see Ex 23:14–17; Isa 30:29). It is also very possible that these psalms of ascent were among those sung by the returning exiles from Babylon as they ascended the mountains to Jerusalem and home (Ezra 2:1; 7:7).

Notice that this psalm can be "subdivided" in to

(1) The Anticipation of Divine Help (Psalm 121:1-2) in which the psalmist speaks in the first person  ("I," "my," Psalm 121:1-2) and

(2) The Assurance of Divine Help (Psalm 121:3-8), which is written in the second person singular ("you," "your"), which might have been to allow this segment to be sung antiphonally.

Looking at this psalm another way, the second six verses explain the Divine help mentioned in the first two verses. The explanation in the second could represent a dialogue between two parties (some commentaries suggest the psalmist and a priest). Alternatively the psalmist could be "preaching" or dialoguing with himself (between the godly man and his inner self) as we see in Psalms 42 and 43. where David is also seeking "help"

"I will" indicates the psalmist recognizes that the godly man stands in continual need of and dependence upon Jehovah's help. Keen writes that

 "He waits — he expects — he obtains. The truest vision is soul-vision. Looking up in solicitation, contemplation, expectation. “Up,” from the mud and mire of earth, and the sins and sorrows of self." (Keen, J O: Biblical Illustrator)

"Lift up my eyes to the mountains": This Hebrew phrase ("lift up my eyes") frequently indicates a looking and seeing with anticipation of or disposition toward the object (e.g., a bad example Ge 39:7, a good example Ps 123:1), specifically the mountains.

When the out-look is bleak, remember the up-look. The psalmist looks first at what he can see but recognizes shortly that his real help comes from the One Who is unseen. And so he looks with eyes of faith, even as did Moses who

"by faith... left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured as seeing Him Who is unseen." (Heb 11:27 - note)  

What storm are you in now, dear child of the Living God? Where are your eyes - on the storm or on Jehovah, the One Who is in control of the storm and Who is described as your Helper in this psalm? From television pop psychologists to the unbelievable proliferation of "self-help" books, the world is screaming at us to seek help from deep within ourselves, when all the time (Psalm 121:6 "by day...by night") we have access to Jehovah our Helper. Let us not neglect His help as did Judah. Jehovah, speaking to faithless Judah, declared

"My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water." (Jer 2:13)

Beloved, are you at this very present time in need of help? Then lift your eyes not to the creation but unto your Creator, Who stands ready to run to your cry for help.

Corrie Ten Boom would say to us...

Although the psalmist can see the mountains (or has a memory of actually having seen them) surrounding Jerusalem, here he sees with the eye of faith. As one sage has asked

"Are, to us, the things unseen the solid things, and the things visible the shadows and the phantoms? We see with the bodily eyes the shadows on the wall, as it were, but we have to turn round and see with the eyes of our minds the light that flings the shadows."

"Mountains" - In another psalm of ascent we read that "As the mountains surround Jerusalem, So the LORD surrounds His people From this time forth and forever." (Ps 125:2) Although I feel the mountains have some allusion to Jerusalem, one source rightly notes that

"there is no certainty about the location of these hills. Anderson thinks they are the mountains on the route from Jerusalem to the psalmist’s home, and Taylor takes the journey to be the reverse of this. Some believe that these are the hills of or near Jerusalem, while others see an allusion to the “high places” where the pagan gods were believed to live. (Ed note: and where idolatry was practiced by many of the Israelites)" (Bratcher, R. G., & Reyburn, W. D. A translator's handbook on the book of Psalms. Page 1051. New York: United Bible Societies)

If by "the mountains" the psalmist was referring to places of false worship, Jehovah's warning in Jeremiah would apply:

"Surely, the hills are a deception, a tumult on the mountains. Surely, in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel." (Jer 3:23)

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Lift Up Your Eyes - A woman whose work demanded constant reading began to have difficulty with her eyes, so she consulted a physician. After an examination he said, "Your eyes are just tired; you need to rest them."

"But," she replied, "that is impossible in my type of work."

After a few moments the doctor asked, "Do you have windows at your workplace?"

"Oh, yes," she answered with enthusiasm. "From the front windows I can see the noble peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and from the rear windows I can look out at the glorious Allegheny foothills."

The physician replied, "That is exactly what you need. When your eyes feel tired, go look at your mountains for 10 minutes—20 would be better—and the far look will rest your eyes!"

What is true in the physical realm is true in the spiritual realm. The eyes of the soul are often tired and weary from focusing on our problems and difficulties. The upward look—the far look—will restore our spiritual perspective. At times we feel overwhelmed by life's troubles. If we look to the Lord in His Word and in prayer, however, He will put our problems in perspective and renew our strength. Let's lift up our eyes! (Psalm 121:1). —Henry G. Bosch  (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

From whence shall my help come?: The question does not express doubt, despondency or despair, but is simply asked to introduce the answer which follows. Note that Psalm 121 is often misunderstood especially when read in the KJV.

Keil & Delitzsch in their Commentary on the Old Testament write that

"To render “from which my help cometh” (as Luther does) is inadmissible."

In other words, the KJV renders the verse not an interrogative but as a statement of fact as follows:

"A Song of degrees. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help."

Without going into technical details, suffice it to say that the Hebrew word translated "whence?" or "where?" always conveys the idea of a question. This section should therefore be read as a question:

"From whence cometh my help?"

It is rendered in this manner by most of the modern translations. For example the CSB plainly states

"I look up to the mountains – does my help come from there?"

Which is answered by the declaration

"Not from the hills or the creation, but from the God of creation."
 

HELP
Hebrew: 'Ezer

"Help" is the Hebrew noun 'ezer (root verb = 'azar) (click) referring to assistance or to the one who provides the assistance ("helper"). 'Ezer (actually the verb form 'azar) is used in the OT to refer to military assistance such as God’s help in battle (1Chr 12:18).

'Ezer (actually the verb 'azar) is used of Jehovah’s personal assistance for those who cannot help themselves (Ps 10:14; 72:12). 

David declares

"Jehovah is my strength and my shield. My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him." (Ps 28:7;cf 86:17). Spurgeon comments that "Heart trust is never disappointed. Faith must come before help, but help will never be long behindhand. Divine help is given us every moment, or we would go back into perdition; when clearer help is needed, we have only to put faith into exercise, and it will be given us." (Bolding added. Treasury of David)

Greek: Boetheia

The Septuagint (LXX) has the Greek word boetheia (click here) which is used only twice in the NT, once in a well known passage in Hebrews 4:16 "Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help (boetheia) in time of need."

The second use of boetheia by Luke gives us a great word picture of "help", describing the storm tossed ship in (Acts 27:17, click to read the full account), writing that

"after they had hoisted (the lifeboat) up, they used supporting cables (boetheia) in undergirding the ship and fearing that they might run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they let down the sea anchor, and so let themselves be driven along." 

This procedure of passing supporting cables under the ship to hold it together and keep the beams from separating is known as frapping, (frap is a nautical term that means to draw tight, to lash down or together). So in the midst of the storm the sailors wrapped cables around the ship’s hull and winched them tight. Thus supported, the ship would be better able to withstand the severe pounding of wind and sea.

Beloved, do you see the word picture inherent in the Biblical use of (boetheia) in Psalm 121? From time to time all of saints encounter unexpected storms and are in need of the Captain of the vessel to batten down the hatches, sending His help that we might be able to endure the stormy trial or temptation. Here in Psalm 121 the psalmist is seeking help...he doesn't give us his name nor the reason he is seeking help (unless Psalm 120 can be taken as the immediate context).

Alexander Maclaren writes that

"There will be no reception of the Divine help unless there is a sense of the need of the Divine help. God cannot help me before I am brought to despair of any other help. If we conceit ourselves to be strong we are weak; if we know ourselves to be impotent, Omnipotence pours itself into us." (Biblical Illustrator)

Spurgeon reminds us that

No help comes from anywhere else but from the eternal hills. Let us lift up our eyes, therefore, hopefully expecting help from the hills; it is on the road, it "cometh." The psalmist with the eye of faith could see it coming, so he watched its approach.

Yesterday’s promise secured strength for what we have to do today, but this promise guarantees help when we cannot act alone. The Lord says, “I will help you.” Strength within is supplemented by help from without. God can raise up allies in our warfare if it seems good in His sight. Even if He doesn’t send human assistance, He Himself will be at our side, and this is even better. “Our august Ally” is superior to thousands of human helpers.

My help comes from Jehovah (note) (yhwh) - The Helper is none other than Yahweh, the great "I Am", the unchanging, eternal, self-existent, living God, the “I am that I am,” the covenant-keeping God.

"The meaning of the name yhwh may best be summarized as “present to act (usually, but not only) in salvation.” The revelation of the name is given to Moses, “I am who I am” (Ex 3:14), and later in a self-presentation, “I am the Lord” (Ex 6:2–8). The name yhwh specifies an immediacy, a presence." (Elwell, W. A: Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House)

In NT terms one could just as readily say "My help comes from Jesus" for He proclaimed Himself identical with Jehovah when He said to the Jews

"Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I Am.” (Jn 8:58) (Click study of Name "Jehovah")

Who made heaven and earth - He is able.  He has all the power needed to protect the psalmist. This assurance is repeated in Ps 124:8 ( "Our help is in the Name of Jehovah, Who made heaven and earth."). Only the Creator can be the Helper of His creation. His attributes such as His omnipresence and omnipotence assure us that He has the ability to follow through on His promise to help us. He Who spoke the heavens is to be "my" personal Helper! Is this not an awesome, humbling thought? The next time you are in a tight spot, recall this verse to your mind. The transcendent (exceeding usual limits) Creator is also the ever-present Watcher of each of His children! Ponder this truth.

Psalm 146 echoes this truth about God declaring "How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God; Who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them, Who keeps faith forever." (Ps 146:5-6)

Spurgeon writes that...

He would sooner unmake them than desert his people. He that made heaven and earth could certainly find shelter for us either in heaven or in earth. He cannot, he will not leave us, he will make room for us in heaven when there is no room for us here. What a blessed thing it is to look right away from the creature to the Creator! The creature may fail you; but the Creator is an ever-springing well of all-sufficient grace

Expositor's Bible Commentary notes that

"This confession (Yahweh is "the Maker of heaven and earth.") goes beyond the modern controversy of evolution and creationism. The creedal statement, also taken up in the Apostles' Creed, originally signified an apologetic statement on Yahweh's sovereignty over all realms: heaven and earth, thereby excluding any claims by pagan deities. Yahweh Alone is God (cf. Psalm 115: 4-7; Psalm 124:8; Psalm 134:3; Psalm 146:6; Jer 10:11)! The sole source of "help" comes from Yahweh, Who, as Creator, has unlimited power."

Meditate on the truth that the same awesome, majestic God takes a personal interest in His children, so that you too will be led to proclaim Him in your experience as Jehovah "my help" ("I Am your help")! Then take a moment to worship Him by singing the familiar words of Martin Luther's hymn, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God...
 

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our Helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Spurgeon comments

What we need is help, -- help powerful, efficient, constant: we need a very present help in trouble. What a mercy that we have it in our God. Our hope is in Jehovah, for our help comes from him. Help is on the road, and will not fail to reach us in due time, for He Who sends it to us was never known to be too late. Jehovah Who created all things is equal to every emergency; heaven and earth are at the disposal of Him who made them, therefore let us be very joyful in our infinite Helper. He will sooner destroy heaven and earth than permit His people to be destroyed, and the perpetual hills themselves shall bow rather than He shall fail whose ways are everlasting. We are bound to look beyond heaven and earth to Him Who made them both: it is vain to trust the creatures: it is wise to trust the Creator. (Treasury of David Psalm 121:2)

Warren Wiersbe writes that

"This psalm is special to my family. When our children were young and we were all in the car ready to leave on a trip or a vacation, we often read Psalm 121 and then prayed. The children became accustomed to hearing the words, "I will lift up my eyes to the hills--from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth" (v1,2). God is our Helper. You don't have to go on a vacation or drive on a busy highway to know that. Where does your help come from? The psalmist lifted his eyes to the hills. The most stable, secure thing the Jews knew were the mountains around Jerusalem. Then the psalmist lifted his eyes higher and said, "No, I don't get my help from the hills. I get my help from the heavens. God is my Helper." Whatever your need or task is today, your help will come from the Lord, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. A God big enough to make this world and keep it going is big enough to help you with your problems today." (Wiersbe, W in his devotional: Prayer, Praise and Promises)

"I requite to remember that my, help cometh from the LORD, not only when seemingly there is no outward help from men or otherwise, but also and especially when all seems to go well with me, -- when abundance of friends and help are at hand. For then, surely, I am most in danger of making an arm of flesh my trust, and thus reaping its curse; or else of saying to my soul, "Take thine ease", and finding the destruction which attends such folly." (Alfred Edersheim)

"God’s strongest saints realize their weaknesses, and appeal to Him for strength. One Sunday morning, as Charles H. Spurgeon passed through the door back of the pulpit in the Tabernacle, and saw the great crowd of people, he was overheard saying, “O God, help!” Strong as he was, he realized that he was insufficient for so great a task as preaching the Gospel in power, unless God should be his Helper."  (from Tan, P. L. Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations)

Perhaps you might pause for a moment and sing the following hymn (click link) as your prayer...

Abide with Me
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

In the original Hebrew, verse 3 can also be rendered as a prayer. And so it could read be read

"May he not allow your foot to slip. May your keeper not slumber."

The 1899 Douay-Rheims version for example translates this verse as

"May he not suffer thy foot to be moved: neither let him slumber that keepeth thee."

The English translation of the Septuagint (LXX) has

"Let not thy foot be moved; and let not thy keeper slumber."

The recently released, scholarly NET Bible also has

"May He not allow your foot to slip! May your Protector not sleep!"

So all of these versions would be read as a prayer. Then verse 4 would read like a response, the NET Version reading

"Look! Israel's protector does not sleep or slumber!"
 

"He will not allow your foot to slip" The psalmist then describes Jehovah's help, first in negative terms (Psalm 121:3-4) and then in positive terms (Psalm 121:5, 7-8).

"Slip" (mot) is a Hebrew verb indicating to be moved, removed, to fall. Mot is used of a wavering, wobbling action, response, or condition in various situations:  and occurs as figure of speech referring to great insecurity. It is used figuratively of a foot slipping and in Deuteronomy speaks of failure of God's people, Moses recording

"Vengeance is Mine, and retribution, in due time their foot will slip (mot); for the day of their calamity is near, and the impending things are hastening upon them." (Dt 32:35)

David echoes this truth exhorting saints to

"Cast your burden (Hebrew = yehab = an interesting Hebrew word which literally means "what is given" lot, burden, what is given as a gift (the implication being that it is a gift given in & by the Providence of God! The Greek word in the (LXX) = merimna from merizo = draw in different directions = word picture of the effect that "cares" can have. Note that the related word "worry" conveys a powerful word picture: English word "worry" is derived from Old High German "wurgen" = to strangle and in British dialect means "choke" or "strangle" - what can "cares" and "worries" do? Draw you in different directions! Strangle you, so to speak!) upon Jehovah (Whose name means "I Am..." I Am able to sustain you in all your cares and worries!), and He will sustain (Hebrew word "kul" verb = to hold, to contain feed, to supply. It indicates clasping or holding in something. Beloved you are in your Helper's grip and He is able to keep you from slipping irrevocably. The (LXX) has the Greek verb diatrepho = support, maintain, sustain continually, to feed or nourish. One use of diatrepho describes to "keep the patient well nourished"! Now "plug" that thought back into the verse and praise Jehovah, the Great Physician!) you. He will never allow the righteous to be shaken (Amplified adds "made to slip, fall, or fail")." (Psalm 55:22) (Devotional)

"What your God lays upon you, lay upon the Lord.  His wisdom casts it on you; it is your wisdom to cast it on him. He gives you your portion of suffering; accept it with cheerful resignation, and then take it back to him by your assured confidence. He shall sustain thee. Your bread will be given you; your waters will be sure. Abundant nourishment will fit you to bear all your labors and trials. As your days, so shall your strength be. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. He may move like the boughs of a tree in the tempest, but he will never be moved like a tree torn up by the roots. Many wish to destroy the saints, but God has not suffered it, and never will." (Spurgeon, C. H. The Treasury of David)

To reiterate, "never...shaken" is God's promise in the trial, but note that He does not promise the trial won't feel like waves rocking us to and fro but He does promise that we will not slip and fall. Let us cling to His Truth in the midst of the storm so that our souls are firmly anchored.

Edward Everett Hale (1822-1909), former US Senate chaplain:

"Never attempt to bear more than one kind of trouble at once. Some people bear three kinds--all they have had, all they have now, and all they expect to have."

Spurgeon once wrote that

"You may expect that between here and heaven, if you have not met with it yet, you will have enough trouble to destroy you unless the Lord is your Helper."

The psalmist writes

"Bless our God, O peoples, and sound His praise abroad, Who keeps us in life, and does not allow our feet to slip." (Psalm 66:8-9)

When the verb ‘slip’ is used with ‘foot’ or ‘feet’, it denotes slipping in a time of trouble. The Lord is the one who is immovable (Psalm 30:6; 62:2; 112:6) and he holds his children so that their feet do not slip (Psalm 17:5).

One of the other psalms of ascent helps understand "their foot shall not slip", the psalmist writing that

Those who trust in Jehovah are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. (Ps 125:1)

Spurgeon writes that

Zion was the image of eternal steadfastness—this hill which, according to the Hebrew, “sits to eternity,” neither bowing down nor moving to and fro. Thus doth the trusting worshiper of Jehovah enjoy a restfulness which is the mirror of tranquility; his hope is sure. As the LORD sitteth as King forever, so do His people sit enthroned in perfect peace when their trust in Him is firm. We are, we have been, we shall be as steadfast as the hill of God. Zion cannot be removed, and does not move; so the people of God can neither be moved by force from without or fickleness from within. (The Treasury of David)

Commenting on Psalm 121:3 (he will not allow your foot to slip) Spurgeon writes that

"Though the paths of life are dangerous and difficult, yet we shall stand fast, for Jehovah will not permit our feet to slide; and if He will not suffer it we shall not suffer it. If our feet will be thus kept we may be sure that our head and heart will be preserved also. In the original the words express a wish or prayer—“May He not suffer thy foot to be moved.”

Promised preservation
should be the subject of perpetual prayer;
and we may pray believingly,
for those who have God for their Keeper
will be safe from all the perils of the way.

Among the hills and ravines of Palestine the literal keeping of the feet is a great mercy; but in the slippery ways of a tried and afflicted life, the boon (timely benefit especially one given in answer to a request) of upholding is of priceless value, for a single false step might cause us a fall fraught with awful danger. To stand erect and pursue the even tenor of our way is a blessing which only God can give, which is worthy of the divine hand, and worthy also of perennial gratitude. Our feet will move in progress, but they will not be moved to their overthrow." (Bolding added. The Treasury of David Psalm 121:3)
 

David echoes this true adding in (Psalm 37:23-24) that

The steps of a man are established by the LORD and He delights in his way. When he falls, he shall not be hurled headlong; because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.

Spurgeon comments that

"Disasters and reverses may lay him low; he may, like Job, be stripped of everything; like Joseph, be put in prison; like Jonah, be cast into the deep. He shall not be utterly cast down. He will be brought on his knees, but not on his face; or, if laid prone for a moment he shall be up again ere long. No saint will fall finally or fatally. Sorrow may bring us to the earth, and death may bring us to the grave, but lower we cannot sink, and out of the lowest of all we shall arise to the highest of all. For the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. He does not leave his saints to mere delegated agency; He affords personal assistance. Where grace does not keep us from going down, it will save from keeping down. Job had double wealth at last, Joseph reigned over Egypt, Jonah was safely landed. It is not that the saints are strong, or wise, or meritorious, that therefore they rise after every fall, but because God is their Helper and therefore none can prevail against them." (Spurgeon, C. H: The Treasury of David)

The slipping of one's foot is a frequent description of misfortune, for example, Psalm 38:16; 66:9, and would be especially meaningful in the rocky, treacherous terrain of the mountains surrounding Jerusalem, where a single slip of the foot could bring quick slippage and great injury.

He Who keeps you will not slumber (GWT: "Your guardian will not fall asleep") Jehovah your Helper will not sleep lightly or doze and (figuratively) will not be in a torpid, slothful or negligent state. How sure can we be? Look at v4.

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His Mind Never Wanders - Has this ever happened to you? I was driving down the highway on a pleasant evening after a full day. I was paying attention to traffic and driving defensively. The next thing I knew, I heard the crunch of tires on gravel. They were mine! I snapped to attention. My mind had wandered and I had strayed to the edge of the road. Either I was daydreaming or I was enjoying the beauty of the evening and forgot what I was doing.

What would happen if God's mind wandered? Consider Colossians 1:17, which says that in Christ "all things consist." This means that in His providence, the Son of God holds all things together and keeps our world in motion. So if His mind wandered, trees would crash to the ground. Water would pour out of the oceans. The planets would go spinning off through space. Prayers would be unheard and unanswered. And those He protects would be left vulnerable to the attack of the enemy. But that could never happen. Why? Because the God who never sleeps is watching over our world--and us--all the time (Psalm 121:3-4). We are ever at the center of His attention and His care. We are secure because we love and serve a God whose mind never wanders. --D C Egner (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)