Linen
Psalm 121, read aloud
Psalm 121: He who keeps you will not slumber
Eight verses for the road, and for the night. Listen to all of Psalm 121, and read along below.
That was Psalm 121.
In Linen, 40 psalms are read like this at bedtime, by Mia or by James, with a sleep timer.
Free to download, iPhone only for now. The bedtime psalms are part of Linen Premium: $6.99 a month or $39.99 a year, and the yearly plan starts with a 7-day free trial. Psalm 23 is free in the app.
Psalm 121 World English Bible
A Song of Ascents.
1I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?
2My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
3He will not allow your foot to be moved. He who keeps you will not slumber.
4Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5The LORD is your keeper. The LORD is your shade on your right hand.
6The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
7The LORD will keep you from all evil. He will keep your soul.
8The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in, from this time forward, and forever more.
About Psalm 121
Psalm 121 is one of the fifteen Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120 to 134), which pilgrims are thought to have sung on the way up to Jerusalem. It opens with a traveller's question, asked while looking at the hills ahead: “Where does my help come from?”
The answer takes the rest of the psalm, and it turns on one word. “Keep” or “keeper” comes six times in eight verses: he who keeps you, he who keeps Israel, the LORD is your keeper, the LORD will keep you from all evil, he will keep your soul, the LORD will keep your going out and your coming in.
It suits bedtime for a plain reason, given in verse 3: “He who keeps you will not slumber.” You can stop keeping watch, because God does not.
When to read Psalm 121
- Before a journey, a move, or a first day somewhere new.
- At bedtime, especially if you lie awake keeping watch over everything.
- When someone you love walks out the door and you can't go with them.
A prayer from Psalm 121
Lord, maker of heaven and earth, my help comes from you. Keep my going out and my coming in. Watch over the people I love tonight, since you neither slumber nor sleep, and let me rest. Amen.