Psalm 120
The Keeper of Israel
The psalmist looks to the Creator for help, confident in the watchful care of the One who never sleeps.
I lift my eyes to the hills; in my sorrow, that is where my help and support will come from. God is my help, the one who made heaven and earth. I hold his help in the highest regard at all times. The Lord will keep your foot from stumbling. The Most High is your faithful guardian—you can be sure of this. He who watches over Israel never sleeps. Look—he will never fall asleep.
Shelter from the Elements
God provides a protective shadow, shielding the faithful from the dangers of day and night through his mighty power.
The Lord will keep you safe; the Lord our mighty God will shelter you at your right hand. The sun won't burn you by day, nor the moon by night. For God comes to your aid and helps you by his power.1
A Prayer for Eternal Guidance
A concluding petition for God's mercy and guidance to accompany the believer throughout their life and into eternity.
The Lord will protect you and keep you from all harm. May He have mercy on your soul and watch over you from morning to night. Wherever you go, may the Lord guide you well and keep you safe from now through eternity.2
Read the original Latin
Mijn oogen wou ick stueren Al tot die berghen fijn Vandaen sal in mijn trueren Mijn hulp en bistant zijn God is die hulpe mijn Die maecte hemel en aerde Ick hou tallen termijn Sijn hulp in groter waerde.
Die Heere sonder sneuen Sal stieren dinen voet Hy die is seer verheuen Is v bewaerder goet Dit moechdy wesen vroet Hy slaept tot ghenen tiden Die Israhel behoet. Siet hy sal slapens miden.
Die Heer wil v bewaren Die Heer ons God vaelyant V bedecsel sonder sparen Ouer dijn rechter hant Die son v niet en verbrant Noch ooc die Maen bi nachte. Als God met zijn bystant V helpt doer zijn crachte
Die Heer wil v beschermen Bewaren van alle quaet. Uwer siel moet hy ontfermen Behoeden vroech en laet. Die Heer, waer dat ghi gaet Die moet v wel gheleyden Bewaren uwen staet Van nv tot eewicheyden.
Notes
Souterliedekens (Psalm Songs) companion
Never lose the rhythm again
Chosen Portion delivers your morning, midday and night office to your phone — the Hours, without the bells.
Chosen Portion is a modern Book of Hours: it turns the fixed-hour structure this collection preserves into scheduled, tappable daily prayer on your phone.
- Three daily prayer moments scheduled around your real calendar, not a monastery's
- Psalms and historic prayers sequenced for you — no page-flipping or decision fatigue
- A visible streak of completed offices, so the rhythm compounds instead of collapsing