Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Psalms 121:1
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
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 help and salvation, (<181115>Job 11:15 <261806>Ezekiel 18:6); when, on the contrary, persons abashed and ashamed, hopeless and helpless, cannot look up, or lift up their eyes or face to God, (<150906>Ezra 9:6 <194012>Psalm 40:12 <421813>Luke 18:13). Some read the words, “I will lift up mine eyes upon the hills”f1730; standing there and looking up to the heavens, and God in the heavens; who is the most High over all the earth, higher than the highest, and above all gods. Others render them interrogatively, “shall I lift up mine eyes to the hills?”f1731 to the idols worshipped on hills and mountains, and pray unto them, and expect help from them? No, I will not; salvation is not to be had from them, (<240323>Jeremiah 3:23); or to the kings of the nations, as R. Obadiah interprets it; and to powerful kingdoms and states he was in alliance with, comparable to mountains and hills, (<194602>Psalm 46:2 <380407> Zechariah 4:7)? No, I will not; “it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes”, (<19B809>Psalm 118:9). And so the following clause may be read, from whence shall my help come?f1732 not from hills and mountains; not from men, for vain is the help of man; not from kings and princes, the great men of the earth, nor from the most powerful nations; but from the Lord, as in (<19C102>Psalm 121:2), which may be an answer to this.
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