Psalms · Chapter 121 · Faith

Psalms 121:1 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context

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Topics #faith #hope

Read in chapter context · Psalms 121

Both translations, side by side

WEB · World English Bible

"A Song of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?"

KJV · King James Version

"A Song7892 of degrees4609. I will lift up5375 mine eyes5869 unto the hills2022, from whence370 cometh935 my help5828. I will: or, Shall I lift up mine eyes to the hills? whence should my help come?"

How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses degrees, mine, unto, whence, while the WEB renders these as ascents, where, does. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.

In context

Psalms 121:1 in Psalms 121

A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Psalms 121:1 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Psalms 121. Read the full chapter →

v.1 A Song of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?
v.2 My help comes from Yahweh, who made heaven and earth.
v.3 He will not allow your foot to be moved. He who keeps you will not slumber.

Book background

About the Book of Psalms

Testament: Old Testament
Genre: Hebrew poetry
Author: David (73 psalms), Asaph, Sons of Korah, Solomon, Moses, others
Date written: c. 1410–430 BC (compiled over a millennium)
Audience: All of Israel's worshipping community — and the church
Chapters: 150

The Psalms are 150 inspired songs and prayers covering every emotion the human heart knows — praise, lament, confession, thanksgiving, anger, longing. About half are attributed to David. The book is divided into five "books," each ending with a doxology. The Psalms shape Christian prayer more than any other Old Testament book and are quoted in the New Testament more than any other.

Setting: 150 sacred songs used in temple worship; the Bible's songbook.

Key themes: worship · lament · trust · kingship · thanksgiving

Read Psalms from the beginning →

Memorisation aid

How to memorise Psalms 121:1

Psalms 121:1 contains 19 words in 3 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.

1

A Song of Ascents

ASOA
2

I will lift up my eyes to the hills

IWLUME
3

Where does my help come from?

WDMHCF

Frequently asked

FAQ about Psalms 121:1

What does Psalms 121:1 say?

Psalms 121:1 reads: "A Song of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?" — from the Old Testament, Psalms (Hebrew poetry). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.

What book of the Bible is Psalms 121:1 in?

Psalms 121:1 is in the book of Psalms, traditionally attributed to David (73 psalms), Asaph, Sons of Korah, Solomon, Moses, others and written around c. 1410–430 BC (compiled over a millennium). Psalms is hebrew poetry in the Old Testament, originally addressed to All of Israel's worshipping community — and the church. Best known for Psalm 23 ("The LORD is my shepherd") and Psalm 51.

What is Psalms 121:1 about?

Psalms 121:1 is primarily a Bible verse about Faith, with related themes including Hope. Within Psalms, The Psalms are 150 inspired songs and prayers covering every emotion the human heart knows — praise, lament, confession, thanksgiving, anger, longing. Read the full passage above with surrounding context.

What is the difference between Psalms 121:1 in WEB and KJV?

Psalms 121:1 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "A Song of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "A Song7892 of degrees4609. I will lift up5375 mine eyes5869 unto the hills2022, from whence370 cometh935 my help5828. I will: or, Shall I lift up mine eyes to the hills? whence should my help come?". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.

How long is Psalms 121:1?

Psalms 121:1 is 19 words in the WEB translation (85 characters), broken into 3 clauses. It is short and well-suited to memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 6 seconds.

How can I memorise Psalms 121:1?

To memorise Psalms 121:1, split it into its 3 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.

Why does Psalms 121:1 matter in Psalms?

How can I apply Psalms 121:1 today?

Many readers use Psalms 121:1 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download Psalms 121:1 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.

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