The Lord keepeth thee from all evil: may the Lord keep thy soul.
יְֽהוָ֗ה יִשְׁמָרְךָ֥ מִכָּל־רָ֑ע יִ֝שְׁמֹ֗ר אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The One who spares you from even minor trials and demonstrates His watchful guidance to such a degree surely provides even greater protection from all other adversities. Intense grief fades at the command of God, a capability beyond human power. While man may rescue from one misfortune, he may fail or choose not to assist with another; however, the powerful and all-sufficient hand of God has the ability to halt any disaster and to rescue you from every affliction.
Let them raise their eyes to the hills, where their assistance originates. Psalm 120:1. What is meant by the phrase: ‘The hills have received illumination’? The dawn of righteousness has already emerged, the good news has been shared by the apostles, the sacred texts have been declared, all enigmas have been unveiled, the curtain has been torn, and the inner sanctum of the temple has been opened; thus, let them finally lift their sights towards the hills, from where their help arises. From His abundance we have all been given, as John 1:16 states. Therefore, your assistance comes from Him, from whom the hills have taken their light, rather than from the hills themselves; indeed, unless you look up at Him through the Scriptures, you will not be enlightened by Him.
Sing, then, the following: if you wish to know how to securely place your feet upon the steps, to avoid fatigue in your ascent and not stumble and fall, pray these words: Let not my foot be shaken! Psalm 120:3. What prompts the feet to move? Why was the foot of the one in paradise disturbed? But first, reflect on how the feet of him who was among the angels were shaken; he fell when his feet faltered, transforming from an angel into a devil: his fall was a result of pride. Therefore, pride is the only thing that causes the feet to falter; nothing else leads to a fall but pride. Love propels them forward, improving and elevating; pride leads them to a downfall. Thus, the psalmist rightly, upon realizing how to rise without faltering, beseeches God to benefit from the anguish of distress and not succumb to swelling pride, saying: Let not my feet be moved! And He answers, ‘Let him who restrains you not fall asleep. Be aware, my beloved ones. It is if the same thought is conveyed in two statements; the man, ascending and singing the song of ascents, says, ‘Let not my foot be shaken.’ And it is as if God replies, ‘You are saying to me, “Let not my foot be shaken”; stay awake, and your foot shall not be shaken.’
Choose Him who neither sleeps nor slumbers, and your foot will not falter. God remains awake; if you desire a guardian who never slumbers, let God be your protector. You say: Do not let my feet falter; fine, but He also says: do not allow yourselves to fall asleep. Perhaps you were about to rely on men for protection, wondering: Whom shall I find that does not slumber? What man does not sleep? Whom can I find? Where shall I go? The psalmist informs you: ‘He who guards Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps’ Psalm 120:4. Would you like a guardian who neither slumbers nor sleeps? Behold, He who watches over Israel never slumbers nor sleeps, for Christ watches over Israel. So, be Israel. What does Israel signify? It means ‘Seeing God.’ And how does one see God? First by faith, then through vision. If you cannot yet perceive Him with your eyes, see Him through faith.
Who among men is there who neither sleeps nor slumbers? When you search amongst humanity, you are misled; you will never discover him. Therefore, do not place your hope in man; all men slumber and sleep. When does he sleep? When enveloped in the flesh of frailty. When will he sleep? When he dies. Thus, do not trust in humanity. Mortal man may slumber; he sleeps the sleep of death. And who, you ask, will assist me but Him who neither slumbers nor sleeps? Listen closely: The Lord Himself is your keeper Psalm 120:5. Therefore, it is not man who slumbers and sleeps, but the Lord who guards you. How does He guard you? The Lord is your shield at your right hand. There is a profound significance in that: otherwise, He would have simply stated, ‘The Lord will guard you’ without the addition of ‘at your right hand.’ For how long? Is God the guardian of our right hand but not our left? Did He not create us all? Did not the One who formed our right hand also create our left hand? Ultimately, if He intended to mention only the right hand, why did He phrase it as ‘of your right hand,’ instead of merely ‘of your left hand’? Why mention this unless He intends for us to discover something here through inquiry?
For He could have simply said, ‘The Lord will keep you,’ without additional words; or if He mentioned His right hand, it could have simply been: ‘The Lord will keep you on your right hand’; or at the least, including His hand, He might say, ‘The Lord will keep you on His hand, even your right hand, and not merely on the hand of your right hand.’
I ask you to consider how you interpret the Gospel which states: let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing? Matthew 6:3. For if you grasp this, you will realize the distinctions between your right and left hands, understanding that God created both. The left hand symbolizes all that is temporal; the right hand signifies all the Lord promises, enduring and eternal. If He, who grants everlasting life, also sustains our present existence with temporal goods, then He Himself has fashioned both our right and left hands.
Now let us reflect on the verse from the Psalm, The Lord is your shield at your right hand, Psalm 120:5. By ‘hand,’ He signifies power. How can we substantiate this? Because the power of God is referred to as the ‘hand of God.' Of this, John states, ‘He gave them power to become sons of God’ John 1:12. From whom have you received this power? From those who believe in His Name, he declares. If you believe, this very power to be termed among the sons of God has been conferred upon you. To be among the sons of God is to be on the right hand. Therefore, your faith represents the hand of your right hand; that is, the power granted to you to belong among the sons of God signifies the hand of your right hand.
May the Lord safeguard you upon your right hand Psalm 120:6. I assert this, and I believe you have recognized it. For had you not learned this and that from the Scriptures, you would not have articulated your understanding with your voices. Since, therefore, brethren, you have comprehended what follows; the Lord protects you by the arm of your right hand, which signifies your faith, in which we have been empowered to be called sons of God, and to be at His right hand: why does God offer this protection? Because of transgressions. Where do these offenses arise? They can be feared from both directions, for there are two commandments upon which reside the entirety of the Law and the Prophets: love towards God and love towards neighbor. Matthew 22:37-40. The Church is cherished for the sake of the neighbor, and God is honored for His own sake. God can be thought of figuratively as the sun, while the Church can be viewed as the moon. Anyone who misunderstands God and does not believe that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit exist as one essence has been led astray by the deceit of heretics, predominantly the Arians. If he believes in the Son or the Holy Spirit less than the Father, he has wronged God and is scorched by the sun.
Who still believes that the Church is confined to one region, rather than being spread throughout the entirety of the world? Who can accept those who claim that Christ is found only here or there? Matthew 24:23, as you have just heard when the Gospel was read; for He who paid such a high price redeemed the entire world: He takes offense, as it were, at his neighbor and burns under the moon. Therefore, anyone who is in error regarding the essence of truth, is scorched by the sun, and endures this heat continuously because they err in Wisdom itself. Thus, God created one sun, which arises over both the just and the unjust, a sun visible to both good and evil; but this Sun signifies another, uncreated and eternal, through whom all things were made; in whom lies the essence of the Immutable Truth: thus the wicked exclaim: ‘The sun has not risen over us.’ Whoever is free from delusion in Wisdom itself is not scorched by the sun. He who does not falter within the Church, and within the Flesh of the Lord, and all that was made for us in temporal existence is not scorched by the moon. However, every individual, even one who has faith in Christ, is mistaken in some regard unless that for which we pray here is actualized within them: ‘The Lord is your defense at the hand of your right hand.’ He continues, ‘Lest the sun smite thee by day, nor the moon by night’ Psalm 120:6. Thus, your safeguard is at your right hand, so the sun does not strike you by day or the moon by night. Now, dear brethren, understand that this is said in a metaphorical sense. For indeed, if we consider the visible sun, it burns by day; but does the moon burn by night? No, what burns is transgression. Pay attention to the words of the Apostle: Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I am not enflamed? 2 Corinthians 11:29.
For the Lord will guard you from all harm Psalm 120:7. From the offense of the sun, from the offense of the moon, from all evils, He will protect you, He who is your defense at the arm of your right hand, and who will neither slumber nor sleep. And why is this? Because we find ourselves amidst temptations: the Lord will preserve you from all evils. The Lord will guard your soul, even your very soul. The Lord will oversee your coming and going both now and forever Psalm 120:8. Not merely your body; for the martyrs suffered in their bodies, but the Lord will preserve your soul; for the martyrs did not surrender their souls. The persecutors hardened themselves against Crispina, whose birthday we celebrate today; they raged against this wealthy and gentle woman, yet she remained steadfast, for the Lord was her protection at the arm of her right hand. He was her Guardian. Is there anyone in Africa, my brethren, who does not know her? For she was most illustrious, noble by birth, affluent, yet all these attributes rested in her left hand, positioned under her head. The adversary approached to strike her upon the head, and her left hand, which lay beneath her head, was raised to protect her. Her head was uplifted, and her right hand embraced her from above.
In these statements, the Prophet conveyed the entirety of God's divine guidance, through which we triumph over adversaries that trouble us and evade the snares laid by both seen and unseen foes.
David often emphasizes that God safeguards the soul, both to provide greater assurance and to inspire Christians to pursue a path of righteousness. People long for divine protection, as God watches over those who adhere to this virtuous way. Furthermore, it is affirmed that God will protect both your soul and body from all harm. Therefore, take heart, as noted in the Nicene writings; be encouraged, for if God Himself is your protector, the wicked will not seize you, nor will you be defeated by evil. Even if you encounter trials or physical dangers, the Lord will always sustain your soul, just as He did not abandon Job, to whom He said, "Only keep his soul."
The prophet provides an additional source of comfort, a broad one indeed, suggesting that the Lord will safeguard you not only from stumbling, which could lead to frailty, but from every other form of harm that might arise along your path. He will shield and rescue you, ensuring that your soul—meaning your very life—will stay intact throughout your entire journey.
Mountains embody the pinnacle of prophetic insight into the mystery of Christ’s incarnation. A believer who contemplates this prophecy—gazing with spiritual insight toward the mountain—views Christ, the Savior of humanity, from the heights of heaven. Numerous individuals have memorized the Gospel of Christ and the Psalms, striving to fulfill God’s commands through virtues and repentance. Christ the Savior, who is the Creator of the heavens and the earth, serves as a refuge for the faithful against adversaries of both mind and body. This assistance is attained through fervent prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” The foot symbolizes the human heart's longing, which the Compassionate God guides toward virtue, preventing it from straying into sin.
Exercise discernment in your thoughts: if Christ, the Almighty, took refuge in Egypt to escape Herod, let those who are daring refrain from rashly entering into temptation, for it is written: “do not let your feet be troubled,”—and the guardian angel will remain vigilant. All actions should aim for the glory of God and the salvation of the soul, allowing God's name to be glorified and His will to be fulfilled. God's unwavering vigilance represents His constant care for the salvation of His faithful ones, ensuring that none are lost. The right hand signifies the land of the righteous, where, under God’s protection from malevolent spirits, the faithful arrive united. The sun and day symbolize times of blessing, during which one should remember the wealthy man in the Gospel who suffers in Gehenna. The moon and night represent periods of trials and sorrows; during such times, remember Lazarus the beggar, whose hardships were transformed into everlasting joy. The Entrance signifies Christ’s incarnation through the Most Pure Virgin, while the Exodus represents His birth, which remains preserved, unfathomable, and inexpressible for eternity. The prophet joyfully celebrates the faithfulness of the Israelites who journeyed from neighboring lands to Jerusalem for worship at the Divine’s house. The holy city, with its magnificent structures and the harmonious nature of its people, reflects the righteousness and judgment of the king, embodying the piety of Christ’s faithful who cherish the beauty of the holy church, constructed by divine grace and adorned with the precious blood of Christ the Savior, upon which the faithful ascend to their heavenly homeland after this life. Through the revelation of the Holy Spirit, the prophet rejoices in Christ the Savior, for He is the gate through which the faithful enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The Old Testament Church was rooted in the Law of Moses, yet Christ the God liberated Adam from hell, thereby emptying it. Christ established the New Testament Church, through which the Holy Spirit embraces the faithful.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS