The Voice(s) in Psalm 121

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Exegetical issues for Psalm 121:

Introduction

The Hebrew text of Psalm 121:2–3 reads as follows:

עֶ֭זְרִי מֵעִ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה עֹ֝שֵׂ֗ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃
אַל־יִתֵּ֣ן לַמּ֣וֹט רַגְלֶ֑ךָ אַל־יָ֝נ֗וּם שֹֽׁמְרֶֽךָ׃

We translate these verses as follows:

My help is from YHWH, the one who made heaven and earth.
May he not let your foot slip! May the one who guards you not doze off![1]

These verses highlight an important issue in this psalm: the question of the speaker (or speakers [plural]). Within the psalm, there is a shift from first-person language in vv. 1–2 to second-person language in vv. 3–8. The verses cited above represent the point at which the shift occurs.

This person shift raises questions about the psalm's speech situation. As one scholar writes, "The speech situation [in Psalm 121] is not entirely clear."[2] Numerous interpretations of the speech situation have been proposed.[3] At the most basic level, however, is the question of whether Psalm 121 is a monologue (i.e., a discourse with one speaker) or a dialogue (i.e., a discourse with two different speakers).[4] The following argument maps will explore these two options.[5]

Argument Maps

Dialogue

Most scholars interpret Psalm 121 as a dialogue, with multiple speakers. There are numerous variations on this interpretation, but the most common (and most compelling) version sees two speakers in the psalm, with the shift occurring between vv. 1–2 and vv. 3–8.[6] 


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[Dialogue]: Psalm 121 is a dialogue; one person speaks in vv. 1–2, and another person speaks to him in vv. 3–8 (so e.g., Willmes 1998, 20–21, 29–31, 33 \["a dialogue between two men"\] :M:).#dispreferred
 + <Shift in person>: There is a shift in person between vv. 1–2 and vv. 3–8. The voice in vv. 1–2 speaks consistently in the first-person singular, and the voice in vv. 3–8 speaks consistently in the second-person singular.#dispreferred
  + [First person (vv. 1–2)]: "I lift my eyes... my help" (v. 1); "my help" (v. 2).#dispreferred
  + [Second person (vv. 3–8)]: "your foot... the one who guards you" (v. 3); "the one who guards you... your shade over your right hand" (v. 5); "will not strike you" (v. 6); "will guard you... your life" (v. 7); "your going out and your coming in" (v. 8).#dispreferred
  <_ <Other explanations>: The shift in grammatical person does not necessarily imply a change in speaker. There are other explanations for this shift (see following argument map).
 + <Psalm 91>: Psalm 121 bears striking similarity to Psalm 91, and Psalm 91 is a dialogue with multiple voices (cf. Goldingay 2008, 455 :C:).#dispreferred
  + <Psalm 91 as dialogue>: Psalm 91 has multiple voices: a king speaking in the first-person singular (vv. 2, 9a), a prophet-like figure speaking to the king in the second-person singular (vv. 3–8, 9b–13) and YHWH speaking about the king in vv. 14–16.#dispreferred
   + [Psalm 91 as dialogue]: E.g., vv. 1–3: "The one living in the shelter of the Most High, who rests in the shade of the Almighty, says to YHWH: 'You are my refuge and fortress, my God, in whom I trust.' For he will rescue you (ךָ) from a hunter's trap..."; v. 9: "For \[you say\] 'YHWH, you are my refuge.' You have made the Most High your home."#dispreferred
  <_ <Clear signals in Ps 91>: The speaker shifts in Ps 91 are either explicitly marked or necessarily implied. Verse 2 clearly signals the presence of multiple speakers ("\[He\] says..."), and the speaker shift in vv. 14–16, although unmarked, is necessarily implied by the divine perspective in these verses.
  + <Similarities with Psalm 91>: Psalm 121 is lexically and thematically similar to Psalm 91.#dispreferred
   + [Similarities with Psalm 91]: "shade" (צֵל) (Ps 91:1; cf. Ps 121:5); "night... day" (Ps 91:5; cf. Ps 121:6); protection from "harm" (Ps 91:10; cf. Ps 121:7); "guard" (שׁמר) (Ps 91:11; cf. Ps 121:3–8); "your foot" stumbling (Ps 91:12; cf. Ps 121:3); cf. also the general thematic similarity: assurance of divine protection.#dispreferred
 + <Setting in life>: A dialogic structure for Psalm 121 would work well in multiple plausible settings.#dispreferred
  + <Pilgrim Dialogue>: A dialogic structure would make sense in a context of pilgrimage to Zion (cf. superscription: "Song of the Ascents"), e.g., as "a dialogue between departing worshipers and those staying behind" (Willis 1987, 438 :A:), "a dialogue between a group of pilgrims and their leader" (Willis 1987, 439 :A:), or "a dialogue between two pilgrims" (Willis 1987, 440 :A:; cf. Creach 1996, 48 :A:; Nielson 2009, 302, 304 :A:).#dispreferred
  + <Priestly Blessing>: A dialogic structure would make sense in a context of a worshipper (vv. 1–2) being blessed by a priest (vv. 3–8).#dispreferred
 - <No introduction>: There is no explicit introduction of a new speaker in vv. 3–8.
  <_ <No introduction needed>: Speaker shifts in the Psalter do not need an explicit introduction.#dispreferred
   + [Speaker shift without introduction]: E.g., Pss 2:3, 6, 7–9; 91:14–16. #dispreferred


Argument Mapn0DialoguePsalm 121 is a dialogue; one person speaks in vv. 1–2, and another person speaks to him in vv. 3–8 (so e.g., Willmes 1998, 20–21, 29–31, 33 ["a dialogue between two men"] 🄼).n1First person (vv. 1–2)"I lift my eyes... my help" (v. 1); "my help" (v. 2).n6Shift in personThere is a shift in person between vv. 1–2 and vv. 3–8. The voice in vv. 1–2 speaks consistently in the first-person singular, and the voice in vv. 3–8 speaks consistently in the second-person singular.n1->n6n2Second person (vv. 3–8)"your foot... the one who guards you" (v. 3); "the one who guards you... your shade over your right hand" (v. 5); "will not strike you" (v. 6); "will guard you... your life" (v. 7); "your going out and your coming in" (v. 8).n2->n6n3Psalm 91 as dialogueE.g., vv. 1–3: "The one living in the shelter of the Most High, who rests in the shade of the Almighty, says to YHWH: 'You are my refuge and fortress, my God, in whom I trust.' For he will rescue you (ךָ) from a hunter's trap..."; v. 9: "For [you say] 'YHWH, you are my refuge.' You have made the Most High your home."n9Psalm 91 as dialoguePsalm 91 has multiple voices: a king speaking in the first-person singular (vv. 2, 9a), a prophet-like figure speaking to the king in the second-person singular (vv. 3–8, 9b–13) and YHWH speaking about the king in vv. 14–16.n3->n9n4Similarities with Psalm 91"shade" (צֵל) (Ps 91:1; cf. Ps 121:5); "night... day" (Ps 91:5; cf. Ps 121:6); protection from "harm" (Ps 91:10; cf. Ps 121:7); "guard" (שׁמר) (Ps 91:11; cf. Ps 121:3–8); "your foot" stumbling (Ps 91:12; cf. Ps 121:3); cf. also the general thematic similarity: assurance of divine protection.n11Similarities with Psalm 91Psalm 121 is lexically and thematically similar to Psalm 91.n4->n11n5Speaker shift without introductionE.g., Pss 2:3, 6, 7–9; 91:14–16. n16No introduction neededSpeaker shifts in the Psalter do not need an explicit introduction.n5->n16n6->n0n7Other explanationsThe shift in grammatical person does not necessarily imply a change in speaker. There are other explanations for this shift (see following argument map).n7->n6n8Psalm 91Psalm 121 bears striking similarity to Psalm 91, and Psalm 91 is a dialogue with multiple voices (cf. Goldingay 2008, 455 🄲).n8->n0n9->n8n10Clear signals in Ps 91The speaker shifts in Ps 91 are either explicitly marked or necessarily implied. Verse 2 clearly signals the presence of multiple speakers ("[He] says..."), and the speaker shift in vv. 14–16, although unmarked, is necessarily implied by the divine perspective in these verses.n10->n8n11->n8n12Setting in lifeA dialogic structure for Psalm 121 would work well in multiple plausible settings.n12->n0n13Pilgrim DialogueA dialogic structure would make sense in a context of pilgrimage to Zion (cf. superscription: "Song of the Ascents"), e.g., as "a dialogue between departing worshipers and those staying behind" (Willis 1987, 438 🄰), "a dialogue between a group of pilgrims and their leader" (Willis 1987, 439 🄰), or "a dialogue between two pilgrims" (Willis 1987, 440 🄰; cf. Creach 1996, 48 🄰; Nielson 2009, 302, 304 🄰).n13->n12n14Priestly BlessingA dialogic structure would make sense in a context of a worshipper (vv. 1–2) being blessed by a priest (vv. 3–8).n14->n12n15No introductionThere is no explicit introduction of a new speaker in vv. 3–8.n15->n0n16->n15


Monologue (preferred)

Some scholars argue that Psalm 121 is a monologue, with a single speaker. The person-shift between vv. 1–2 and vv. 3–8 is interpreted as a rhetorical device, not implying a change in speaker.[7] 


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[Monologue]: Psalm 121 is a monologue; there is only one speaker throughout the psalm (Schmitt 1999 :A:; Zenger 2011, 317–320 :C:; Berlin et al. 2023, 8 :C:).
 - <Shift in person>: There is a shift in person between vv. 1–2 and vv. 3–8. The voice in vv. 1–2 speaks consistently with first-person singular language, and the voice in vv. 3–8 speaks consistently with second-person singular language.#dispreferred
  + [First person (vv. 1–2)]: "I lift my eyes... my help" (v. 1); "my help" (v. 2).#dispreferred
  + [Second person (vv. 3–8)]: "your foot... the one who guards you" (v. 3); "the one who guards you... your shade over your right hand" (v. 5); "will not strike you" (v. 6); "will guard you... your life" (v. 7); "your going out and your coming in" (v. 8).#dispreferred
  <_ <Rhetorical device: apostrophe>: The second-person singular address in vv. 3–8 can be explained as an apostrophe, a literary device whereby a speaker turns to address an imagined group or individual (so Schmitt 1999, 81–82 :A:).
   + <Apostrophe in Hebrew poetry>: Apostrophe is a common rhetorical device in biblical Hebrew poetry (Bullinger 1968, 901–905:M:).
    + [Apostrophe in Hebrew poetry]: "To certain definite persons" (Bullinger 1968, 902–903), e.g., 2 Sam 1:25–26: "How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan lies slain on your high places. I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan..." (ESV); see also Pss 2:10–12; 4:3–6; 6:9; Isa 1:4–5; "To one's own self" (Bullinger 1968, 903), e.g., Pss 42:6, 12; 103:1, 22; "To some second person or persons indefinite" (Bullinger 1968, 903–904), e.g., Ps 27:14: "I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord" (NIV); see also Ps 34:13.
 + <Didactic poems and person shifting>: Psalm 121 is similar to other didactic (or "wisdom") poems (see Willis 1987 :A:), and in these poems, a speaker will often alternate between first-person singular language and second-person singular language without implying a change in voice.
  + <Question-answer (vv. 1–2)>: "The question-answer technique in vv. 1–2 is typical of wisdom teachers" (Willis 1987, 443 :A:).
   + [Question-answer]: E.g., Prov 23:29–30; cf. Prov 5:15–23; 15:7–10; 22:29; 26:12; Job 11:7–12; 15:14–16; 28:20–23; Eccl 1:10; etc. 
  + <Individual application>: "The author of Psalm 121 applies a general maxim concerning the people of Israel (vs. 4) to the individual (vss. 3, 5-8)" (Willis 1987, 444 :A:), which is common in didactic poems.
   + [Individual application]: Compare, e.g., Joel 4:16 – "YHWH is a stronghold (מָעֹוז) to the people of Israel" – and Prov 10:29 – "YHWH is a stronghold (מָעֹוז) to him whose way is upright."
  + <Creation theme>: "The reference to Yahweh as the one 'who made heaven and earth' (Ps 121:2) reflects the theme of creation, which is a major theme in the Wisdom Literature" (Willis 1987, 444 :A:).
   + [Creation theme]: E.g., Job 28:38-41; Prov 3:19-20; 8:22-26; Eccl 1:3-11; 3:11.
  + [Person shifts in didactic texts]: E.g., Ps 34:12–15: "Listen to me! I will teach you the fear of YHWH... Keep your (ךָ) tongue from evil... Turn away from evil...!"; Ps 37:34–37: "Hope in YHWH and keep his way... I once saw... then I passed by... then I looked... Pay attention...!"; Prov 4:11–12: "I have taught you the way of wisdom... When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble" (ESV).
 + <Same perspective>: In terms of content, the perspective of vv. 1–2 and vv. 3–8 is the same. Both sections affirm faith in YHWH's protective care.


Argument Mapn0MonologuePsalm 121 is a monologue; there is only one speaker throughout the psalm (Schmitt 1999 🄰; Zenger 2011, 317–320 🄲; Berlin et al. 2023, 8 🄲).n1First person (vv. 1–2)"I lift my eyes... my help" (v. 1); "my help" (v. 2).n8Shift in personThere is a shift in person between vv. 1–2 and vv. 3–8. The voice in vv. 1–2 speaks consistently with first-person singular language, and the voice in vv. 3–8 speaks consistently with second-person singular language.n1->n8n2Second person (vv. 3–8)"your foot... the one who guards you" (v. 3); "the one who guards you... your shade over your right hand" (v. 5); "will not strike you" (v. 6); "will guard you... your life" (v. 7); "your going out and your coming in" (v. 8).n2->n8n3Apostrophe in Hebrew poetry"To certain definite persons" (Bullinger 1968, 902–903), e.g., 2 Sam 1:25–26: "How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan lies slain on your high places. I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan..." (ESV); see also Pss 2:10–12; 4:3–6; 6:9; Isa 1:4–5; "To one's own self" (Bullinger 1968, 903), e.g., Pss 42:6, 12; 103:1, 22; "To some second person or persons indefinite" (Bullinger 1968, 903–904), e.g., Ps 27:14: "I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord" (NIV); see also Ps 34:13.n10Apostrophe in Hebrew poetryApostrophe is a common rhetorical device in biblical Hebrew poetry (Bullinger 1968, 901–905🄼).n3->n10n4Question-answerE.g., Prov 23:29–30; cf. Prov 5:15–23; 15:7–10; 22:29; 26:12; Job 11:7–12; 15:14–16; 28:20–23; Eccl 1:10; etc. n12Question-answer (vv. 1–2)"The question-answer technique in vv. 1–2 is typical of wisdom teachers" (Willis 1987, 443 🄰).n4->n12n5Individual applicationCompare, e.g., Joel 4:16 – "YHWH is a stronghold (מָעֹוז) to the people of Israel" – and Prov 10:29 – "YHWH is a stronghold (מָעֹוז) to him whose way is upright."n13Individual application"The author of Psalm 121 applies a general maxim concerning the people of Israel (vs. 4) to the individual (vss. 3, 5-8)" (Willis 1987, 444 🄰), which is common in didactic poems.n5->n13n6Creation themeE.g., Job 28:38-41; Prov 3:19-20; 8:22-26; Eccl 1:3-11; 3:11.n14Creation theme"The reference to Yahweh as the one 'who made heaven and earth' (Ps 121:2) reflects the theme of creation, which is a major theme in the Wisdom Literature" (Willis 1987, 444 🄰).n6->n14n7Person shifts in didactic textsE.g., Ps 34:12–15: "Listen to me! I will teach you the fear of YHWH... Keep your (ךָ) tongue from evil... Turn away from evil...!"; Ps 37:34–37: "Hope in YHWH and keep his way... I once saw... then I passed by... then I looked... Pay attention...!"; Prov 4:11–12: "I have taught you the way of wisdom... When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble" (ESV).n11Didactic poems and person shiftingPsalm 121 is similar to other didactic (or "wisdom") poems (see Willis 1987 🄰), and in these poems, a speaker will often alternate between first-person singular language and second-person singular language without implying a change in voice.n7->n11n8->n0n9Rhetorical device: apostropheThe second-person singular address in vv. 3–8 can be explained as an apostrophe, a literary device whereby a speaker turns to address an imagined group or individual (so Schmitt 1999, 81–82 🄰).n9->n8n10->n9n11->n0n12->n11n13->n11n14->n11n15Same perspectiveIn terms of content, the perspective of vv. 1–2 and vv. 3–8 is the same. Both sections affirm faith in YHWH's protective care.n15->n0


Conclusion (C)

The shift from the first-person language in vv. 1–2 to the second-person language in vv. 3–8 does not necessarily imply a change in speaker. Instead, the second-person singular address in vv. 3–8 can be explained as an apostrophe, a literary device – often found in Hebrew poetry – whereby a speaker turns to address an imagined group or individual. Thus, according to the problem-solving principle of Occam's Razor – "plurality should not be posited without necessity" – the more likely interpretation is that the psalm features only one speaker.

In vv. 3–8, the psalmist could be addressing himself (cf. Ps 103:1), but it is more likely that he is addressing an imaginary interlocutor. In this regard (and in other regards), Psalm 121 is similar to other didactic (or "wisdom") poems, which will often use second-person singular language to address an imaginary listener (see e.g., Psalm 37). The addressee in vv. 3–8 is Israel, or an individual Israelite (see Participant Analysis), and the second-person address (apostrophe) "permits an escalation of the speaker’s points about God as a guardian."[8]

Research

Translations

Ancient

  • LXX: μὴ δῷς εἰς σάλον τὸν πόδα σου, μηδὲ νυστάξῃ ὁ φυλάσσων σε.[9]
    • Do not give your foot to shaking, nor let him who keeps you slumber.[10]
  • Aquila: μὴ δῴης εἰς σφαλμὸν πόδα σου[11]
  • Symmachus: μὴ δῴης περιτραπῆναι[12]
  • Theodotion: μὴ δῴης εἰς σάλον[13]
  • Jerome (iuxta Hebr.): non det in commotionem pedem tuum nec dormitet qui custodit te
    • May he not let your foot slip, and may the one who guards you not sleep.
  • Peshitta: ܠܐ ܢܬܠ ܪܓܠܟ ܠܙܘܥܬܐ܂ ܘܠܐ ܢܢܘܡ ܢܛܘܪܟ܂[14]
    • He will not allow your foot to slip; the one who watches over you will not slumber.[15]
  • Targum: לא יתן לאתמוטטא ריגלך לא ינום נטרך׃[16]
    • He will not let your feet waver; your keeper will not slumber.[17]

Modern

Secondary Literature

Baethgen, Friedrich. Die Psalmen. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht, 1904.
Berlin, Adele, Avigdor Shinan, and Benjamin D. Sommer. The JPS Bible Commentary: Psalms 120–150: תהלים קכ–קנ. University of Nebraska Press, 2023.
Bullinger, E.W. Figures of Speech Used in the Bible. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1968.
Ceresko, Anthony R. “Psalm 121: A Prayer of a Warrior?” Biblica 70, no. 4 (1989): 496–510.
Creach, Jerome. “Psalm 121.” Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology 50, no. 1 (1996): 47–51.
Goldingay, John. Psalms: Psalms 90-150. Vol. 3. BCOT. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008.
Nielsen, Kirsten. “Poetic Analysis: Psalm 121.” In Method Matters: Essays on Interpretation of the Hebrew Bible in Honor of David L. Peterson, edited by Joel M. LeMon and Kent Harold Richards, 293–309.
Schmitt, Armin. “Zum literarischen und theologischen Profil von Ps 121.” Biblische Notizen 97 (1999): 55–84.
Willis, John T. “Psalm 121 As a Wisdom Poem.” Hebrew Annual Review 11 (1987): 435–51.
Willmes, Bernd. Jahwe : Ein schlummernder Beschützer? : Zur Exegese und zum theologischen Verständnis von Psalm 121. Biblisch-Theologische Studien 35. Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener, 1998.
Zenger, Erich. “Psalm 121.” In Psalms 3: A Commentary on Psalms 101-150, by Frank Lothar Hossfeld and Erich Zenger, 315–331. Hermeneia. Augsburg Fortress Publishers, 2011.

References

Choose a PsalmNavigate Psalm 121

121:1 Approved

  1. ↑ On the question of the mood, or illocutionary force, of v. 3 (assertive or directive), see The Mood of Ps 121:3.
  2. ↑ Willmes 1998, 29. Own translation. German text: "Die Sprechsituation ist nicht ganz klar."
  3. ↑ See Willis 1987 for a detailed survey of the various proposals.
  4. ↑ Cf. Willis 1987, 443: "The decision as to whether this reflects a genuine dialogue or a monologue plays a major role in one's assessment of the genre of this psalm."
  5. ↑ Most of the modern translations consulted are ambiguous regarding this issue, so they are not discussed on this page. The GNB is an exception. It places quotation marks around the question in v. 1 and a new set of quotation marks around the response in vv. 2–8. The quotation marks imply two different speakers, with a shift between v. 1 and vv. 2–8. Such a shift is highly unlikely, given the consistency of first-person singular language across vv. 1–2 (v. 1: "my help"; v. 2: "my help").
  6. ↑ For variations of the dialogue interpretation, see Willis 1987. For example, some interpreters see the shift occurring between v. 1 and vv. 2–8, and others see it occurring between vv. 1–4 and vv. 5–8. Others see multiple shifts, e.g., between vv. 1–2, vv. 2–3, and vv. 3–4. Others see multiple speakers within vv. 3–8. The number of proposed interpretations is dizzying. This argument map will focus only on the strongest representative of the dialogic view, which sees a single shift between vv. 1–2 and vv. 3–8.
  7. ↑ There are multiple variations of this view as well (see Willis 1987). Some scholars see the psalm as an internal monologue; i.e., the psalmist addresses himself in vv. 3–8 (so e.g., Baethgen 1904, 375; Ceresko 1989, 498). Others see the address in vv. 3–8 as being aimed at a real or imaginary interlocutor (a literary device known as "apostrophe").
  8. ↑ Berlin et al. 2023, 8.
  9. ↑ Rahlfs 1931.
  10. ↑ NETS.
  11. ↑ Göttingen Hexepla Database.
  12. ↑ Göttingen Hexepla Database.
  13. ↑ Göttingen Hexepla Database.
  14. ↑ Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon.
  15. ↑ Taylor 2020, 533.
  16. ↑ Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon.
  17. ↑ Stec 2004, 219.