Psalms in Our Time

Psalm 121: Unto the hills around do I lift up

1aUnto the hills around do I lift up
My longing eyes;
1bO whence for me shall my salvation come,
From whence arise?
2From God the Lord doth come my certain aid,
From God the Lord, who heaven and earth hath made.

3aHe will not suffer that thy foot be moved,
Safe shalt thou be.
3bNo careless slumber shall His eyelids close,
Who keepeth thee.
4Behold, he sleepeth not, he slumb'reth ne'er,
Who keepeth Israel in His holy care.

5aJehovah is Himself thy keeper true,
5bThy changeless shade,
Jehovah evermore on thy right hand
Himself has made;
6aAnd thee no sun by day shall ever smite,
6bNo moon shall harm thee in the silent night.

7From every evil shall He keep thy soul,
from every sin;
8aJehovah shall preserve thy going out,
thy coming in.
Above thee watching, He whom we adore
8b

Shall keep thee henceforth, yea, forevermore.

Text: John Campbell, 1860

Meter:
Rhyme scheme:

Psalm 121 is one of the most popular psalms in the Scottish Psalter. This very close rendition, with its long-breathed meter (10,4,10,4,10,10 Iambic), requires some padding, but better matches the natural pauses in the text. The dialect is a bit archaicizing, but understandable. The stanzas form complete thoughts

John Campbell, Duke of Argyll (1845-1914), Queen Victoria's son-in-law, served as Governor-General of Canada. His study and versification of the psalms was a lifelong avocation.

"Sandon": Charles Henry Purday, 1860

Incipit: ;
Melodic scheme:

Purday (1799-1885) was a singer (he sang at the coronation of Queen Victoria), popular songwriter; and conductor of psalmody at a "Scotch Church" in London. He published music, including popular music as well as tune books and hymnals. This tune was written for Lead, Kindly Light.

Use:

This psalm is in our hymnals, but not widely used. Its theme of the Lord as protector is comparable to Psalm 23, and it deserves to be much more widely used. Especially consider use as a closing song.

Notes:

1By John Henry Newman, but more widely sung today to "Lux Benigna" by John B. Dykes.

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Copyright © 2002,2003,2004, Stephen Hutcheson
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These studies are created by members of the West Allen Church of Christ in Allen, Texas