Psalms 121

1 A song for pilgrims going up to Jerusalem. I look to the hills—but is that where my help comes from?

[When we travel toward Jerusalem], I look up toward the hills [and I ask myself], “Who will help me?”

2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

[And my answer is] that Yahweh is the one who helps me; he is the one who made heaven and the earth.

3 He will not let you fall; he who watches over you won't fall asleep.

He will not allow us to fall/stumble; God, who protects us, will not fall asleep.

4 In fact he who watches over you doesn't take naps or fall asleep.

The one who protects us Israeli people never gets sleepy, nor does he sleep [LIT].

5 The Lord keeps watch over you; the Lord protects you; he stands right beside you.

Yahweh watches over us; he is like the shade [MET] [that protects us from the sun].

6 The sun won't hurt you during the day, nor the moon at night.

[He will not allow] the sun to harm us during the day, and [he will not allow] the moon to harm us during the night.

7 The Lord will protect you from all kinds of evil; he will keep you safe and sound.

Yahweh will protect us from being harmed in any manner; he will keep us safe.

8 The Lord will look after you when you leave, and when you return, now and forever.

He will protect us from the time that we leave [our houses in the morning] until we return [in the evening]; he will protect us now, and he will protect us forever.