Psalms Chapter 121

“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, etc.] Not to the hills and mountains in Judea, looking about to see if the inhabitants of them, or any bodies of men, appeared upon them to his help in distress; rather to the hills of Moriah and Zion, where the ark of God, the symbol of his presence, was, and to whom he looked for assistance and deliverance: or to heaven, the holy hill of the Lord, and to him that dwelleth there; (see <190302>Psalm 3:2 123:1). The lifting up of the eyes is a prayer gesture, (<431141>John 11:41 17:1); and is expressive of boldness and confidence in prayer, and of hope and expectation of…”

“An earnest and expecting prayer for divine aid in distress. (Psa 123:1-4) (Compare Psa 121:1). thou that dwellest--literally, "sittest as enthroned" (compare Psa 2:4; Psa 113:4-5).”

“I will lift up mine eyes - Margin, “Shall I lift up mine eyes to the hills? Whence should my help come?” The expression would properly denote a condition where there was danger; when no help or aid was visible; and when the eyes were turned to the quarter from which help might be expected to come. What the danger was cannot now be ascertained. Unto the hills - Hebrew, the mountains. To the quarter from where I look for assistance. This (as has been shown in the Introduction) may refer (1) to the mountains from where one in danger expected help; or (2) to heaven, considered as high, and as the abode of God; or (3)…”

“Hills - To Sion and Moriah, which are called the holy mountains. Psalms 121:5”

“Ps 121 The leader of the group of pilgrims uses word pictures to assure the group of the Lord’s presence during the journey. 121:1 The mountains were known for their idolatrous worship (Deut 12:2), and Israel was enticed to the hilltop shrines (Hos 4:13). This verse can be understood as a rhetorical question expecting a negative answer: The gods of the hilltop shrines cannot rescue anyone. Others understand the mountains to be a symbol of the Lord’s strength (Ps 95:4). In that case, the question would be interpreted literally (Where does my help come from?), with the answer given in the next verse”

“I will: etc. or, Shall I lift up my eyes to the hills, whence should my help come? Jer 3:23 lift up: Psa 2:6, Psa 68:15, Psa 68:16, Psa 78:68, Psa 87:1, Psa 123:1; Isa 2:3 Psalms 121:2”

“Apollinaris renders as meaninglessly as possible: ὄμματα δενδροκόμων ὀρέων ὑπερεξετάνυσσα - with a reproduction of the misapprehended ἦρα of the lxx. The expression in fact is אשּׂא, and not נשׂאתי. And the mountains towards which the psalmist raises his eyes are not any mountains whatsoever. In Ezekiel the designation of his native land from the standpoint of the Mesopotamian plain is "the mountains of Israel." His longing gaze is directed towards the district of these mountains, they are his ḳibla, i.e., the sight-point of his prayer, as of Daniel's, Dan 6:11. To render "from which my help cometh"…”