The Lord Our Keeper
Psalms 120
A Song of Degrees declaring that the psalmist's help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth, describing him as the keeper of Israel who never slumbers or sleeps. He shields his people from the sun by day and the moon by night, and keeps their going out and their coming in forever.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonI HAVE lifted up mine eyes to the mountains, from which my help is to come.
BrentonA Song of Degrees. I lifted up mine eyes to the mountains, whence my help shall come.
GreekὨδὴ τῶν ἀναβαθμῶν. Ἦρα τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου εἰς τὰ ὄρη, ὅθεν ἥξει ἡ βοήθειά μου.
KJVI will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
JPSA Song of Ascents. I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: From whence shall my help come?
2
ThomsonMy help is from the Lord, who made the heaven and the earth.
BrentonMy help shall come from the Lord, who made the heaven and the earth.
GreekἩ βοήθειά μου παρὰ Κυρίου τοῦ ποιήσαντος τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν.
KJVMy help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
JPSMy help cometh from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.
3
ThomsonO let Him not suffer my feet to stumble: nor let Him, who keepeth me, slumber.
BrentonLet not thy foot be moved; and let not thy keeper slumber.
GreekΜὴ δῴης εἰς σάλον τὸν πόδα σου, μηδὲ νυστάξῃ ὁ φυλάσσων σε.
KJVHe will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
JPSHe will not suffer thy foot to be moved; He that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4
ThomsonLo! He who keepeth Israel, will neither slumber nor sleep.
BrentonBehold, he that keeps Israel shall not slumber nor sleep.
GreekἸδοὺ οὐ νυστάξει οὐδὲ ὑπνώσει ὁ φυλάσσων τὸν Ἰσραήλ.
KJVBehold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
JPSBehold, He that keepeth Israel Doth neither slumber nor sleep.
5
ThomsonThe Lord will keep thee! The Lord at thy right hand will be thy shelter:
BrentonThe Lord shall keep thee: the Lord is thy shelter upon thy right hand.
GreekΚύριος φυλάξει σε, Κύριος σκέπη σου ἐπὶ χεῖρα δεξιάν σου.
KJVThe LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
JPSThe LORD is thy keeper; The LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6
Thomsonthe sun by day shall not scorch thee; nor shall the moon hurt thee by night.
BrentonThe sun shall not burn thee by day, neither the moon by night.
GreekἩμέρας ὁ ἥλιος οὐ συγκαύσει σε, οὐδὲ ἡ σελήνη τὴν νύκτα.
KJVThe sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
JPSThe sun shall not smite thee by day, Nor the moon by night.
7
ThomsonMay the Lord preserve thee from all evil! the Lord will keep thy soul.
BrentonMay the Lord preserve thee from all evil: the Lord shall keep thy soul.
GreekΚύριος φυλάξαι σε ἀπὸ παντὸς κακοῦ, φυλάξει τὴν ψυχήν σου ὁ Κύριος.
KJVThe LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
JPSThe LORD shall keep thee from all evil; He shall keep thy soul.
8
ThomsonThe Lord will guard thy coming in and going out, henceforth and forever.
BrentonThe Lord shall keep thy coming in, and thy going out, from henceforth and even for ever.
GreekΚύριος φυλάξει τὴν εἴσοδόν σου, καὶ τὴν ἔξοδόν σου, ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν καὶ ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος.
KJVThe LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
JPSThe LORD shall guard thy going out and thy coming in, From this time forth and for ever.