A Song of Ascents. A pilgrim's psalm of trust that Hashem, the tireless Guardian of Israel, watches over every going out and coming in, by day and by night.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
A Song of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the mountains: From where shall my help come?
verse value 2220
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 34 letters. Notable word values: "shall·come" (יָבֹ֥א) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "a·song" (שִׁ֗יר, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·the·mountains" (אֶל־הֶהָרִ֑ים, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "of·the·ascents" (לַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת), "to·the·mountains" (אֶל־הֶהָרִ֑ים), "from·where" (מֵ֝אַ֗יִן). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "shall·come" (root בוא, 79x in Psalms); "a·song" (root שיר, 68x in Psalms); "from·where" (root אין, 67x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·the·mountains', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: שִׁ֗יר [a·song] (510) + לַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת [of·the·ascents] (576) + אֶשָּׂ֣א [I·will·lift] (302) + עֵ֭ינַי [my·eyes] (140) + אֶל־הֶהָרִ֑ים [to·the·mountains] (291) + מֵ֝אַ֗יִן [from·where] (101) + יָבֹ֥א [shall·come] (13) + עֶזְרִֽי [my·help] (287) = 2220.
Rashi
"(A song for ascents" — The simple meaning is that when the Levites began to ascend the steps, they recited this song. Although this song is not written first, there is no chronological sequence.) (In other books I found:) "A song for ascents" — [The Psalmist] alludes, in the second psalm, to the steps that ascend for the righteous in the future from beneath the tree of life to the Throne of Glory, as we learned in Sifrei (Ekev 47): “It does not say here, ‘A song of ascents’ but, ‘A song for ascents’; a song for the One Who is destined to make ascents for the righteous in the future.” This is what the Kalir established (in the concluding poem of the morning service for the second day of Succoth, which was composed by Rabbi Elazar the son of Rabbi Simon the son of Yochai in Chagigah, chapter “We may not expound,” see there): “And from beneath them thirty steps, one above the other until the Throne of Glory, flying and ascending with the pleasant speech of the song of ascents.”
Ibn Ezra
"A Song of Ascents" — a pleasant poem, whose opening word is "for the ascents." And this was said concerning Israel, who were under siege and in distress, or concerning the children of our exile. "I will lift up" — it is the custom of anyone under siege to lift up his eyes, [hoping] that perhaps helpers will come to drive away the enemy. And the word "from where" (מאין) is used here as in "where are we going up?" (אנה אנחנו עולים) — there is nothing else like it; [compare also] "behold, you are all of nothing" (הן כולכם מאין) — and we have not found this grammatical form elsewhere with the mem missing.
Radak
"A Song for the Ascents" (Shir la-Ma'alot) — this psalm alone has a lamed, and the lamed stands in place of the definite-article heh, so that it is as though it read "the Ascents" (ha-Ma'alot). And there is a midrashic reading: "Shir la-Ma'alot" [is read as] "a song for a hundred ascents," which is in line with the midrash we wrote above. "I will lift up" — like one who watches for help from afar, who climbs the mountains and lifts his eyes this way and that, [to see] whether helpers will come to him. "And to the mountains" — like "upon the mountains." "My help" — If I lift up my eyes to the mountains, it will not help me at all, for I have no help except from Hashem, and to Him I will lift up my eyes; for He will help us and gather us from among the nations, for He is the Maker of heaven and earth, and everything is in His hand to do as He wills.
Metzudat David
"I will lift up my eyes" — It is the way of one who watches for those who will help him to climb up onto the mountains and lift his eyes into the distance, to see from where they will come.
Metzudat Zion
"Of ascents" (la-ma'alot) — like "ha-ma'alot" (the ascents), the letter "lamed" standing in place of the definite article "heh." "To the mountains" — like "upon the mountains." "From where" — from what place, as in "from where are you" (Genesis 29:4).
Malbim
"A Song of Ascents" — this [psalm] is founded upon Hashem's individual providence, which hovers over the righteous. "I will lift up my eyes to the mountains" — he depicts that when he was in distress, salvation reached him suddenly from above, from the peaks of the ancient mountains. And he lifts up his eyes to the mountains — the place from which help came to him — to see "from where shall my help come," from what place the help comes; and he saw that it did not come from beyond the mountains. Rather —
My help comes from Hashem, Who made heaven and earth.
verse value 1525
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 22 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "from·with" (מֵעִ֣ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "my·help" (עֶ֭זְרִי, 4 letters). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "and·earth" (root ארץ, 157x in Psalms); "from·with" (root עם, 135x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: עֶ֭זְרִי [my·help] (287) + מֵעִ֣ם [from·with] (150) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + עֹ֝שֵׂ֗ה [maker·of] (375) + שָׁמַ֥יִם [heaven] (390) + וָאָֽרֶץ [and·earth] (297) = 1525.
Ibn Ezra
"My help" — by way of prophecy, or by way of hope: I have no need for the help of man, but only for the help of Hashem alone, who made the heavens above and the lowly earth.
Metzudat David
"My help" — That is to say: but I found help only from Hashem, etc.
Malbim
"My help" comes "from Hashem, Maker of heaven and earth" — that is, He Who makes nature and that which is above nature. For the governance of nature is attributed to the Maker of the earth, Who directs it by means of the heavens, which are the [celestial] order; while the governance of the wondrous is attributed to the Maker of the heavens, Who directs them by a power that is above them. So too, this help seems to me to be earthly and natural, but in truth it is heavenly and providential.
He will not suffer your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.
verse value 1526
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 23 letters. The shortest word is "to·the·slipping" (לַמּ֣וֹט, 4 letters) and the longest is "not·let·Him·slumber" (אַל־יָ֝נ֗וּם, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "not·let·Him·give" (אַל־יִתֵּ֣ן), "not·let·Him·slumber" (אַל־יָ֝נ֗וּם). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not·let·Him·give" (root נתן, 95x in Psalms); "your·keeper" (root שמר, 73x in Psalms); "your·foot" (root רגל, 31x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·foot', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: אַל־יִתֵּ֣ן [not·let·Him·give] (491) + לַמּ֣וֹט [to·the·slipping] (85) + רַגְלֶ֑ךָ [your·foot] (253) + אַל־יָ֝נ֗וּם [not·let·Him·slumber] (137) + שֹׁמְרֶֽךָ [your·keeper] (560) = 1526.
Ibn Ezra
"[He will] not [suffer]" — [אל here] is like "not." And so it is used, in the manner of giving [a negation]: "to death" (אל מות), "let my soul not come into their council" (בסודם אל תבא נפשי). The poet is speaking to his own soul, or to the children of the exile: if the help is from Hashem alone, do not fear, for He will not let your foot slip as you walk through the streets of the city, or upon the wall. "and He who keeps you will not slumber" — for every city that is under siege has watchmen on its walls at night.
Radak
"He will not... suffer to be moved" — one says to his fellow, by way of comfort: It is good that you have placed your trust in Hashem, may He be blessed, that He will be your help, for so He will do; and even though the exile has been prolonged, He will not allow your foot to be moved. "Your Keeper will not slumber" — for the exile is comparable to sleep.
Metzudat David
"He will not suffer to be moved" — As if one says to his companion, by way of comfort: Behold, this is a good help, for He will not let your foot slip or stumble, and your Keeper will not slumber — that is to say, He will not remove His providence from you.
Metzudat Zion
"To be moved" (la-mot) — from the language of "netiyah" (tilting) and "me'idah" (slipping). "He will slumber" (yanum) — from the language of "tenumah" (slumber), which is a light and brief sleep.
Malbim
"He will not [suffer your foot to be moved]" — he pictures himself hearing a voice say to him: Why do you lift up your eyes to seek the place of help, as if it were something newly arising now? Know that the One Who is higher than you has not turned His providence away from you for even a moment. And His providence is twofold: First, it cleaves to you yourself — "and He will not suffer your foot to be moved" — meaning that He holds you up within yourself so that you do not stumble. Second, outside of you — He appears like a guard who stands beside you to protect you from external mishaps. However, this Guardian is superior to all other guardians, for "your Guardian will not slumber," since any other guard grows weary through drowsiness, and his watch is interrupted.
Behold, He who keeps Israel Does neither slumber nor sleep.
verse value 1691
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "behold" (הִנֵּ֣ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "not·slumber" (לֹֽא־יָ֭נוּם, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "not·slumber" (לֹֽא־יָ֭נוּם), "sleep" (יִישָׁ֑ן). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·not" (root לא, 174x in Psalms); "keeper·of" (root שמר, 73x in Psalms); "Israel" (root ישראל, 61x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'sleep', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: הִנֵּ֣ה [behold] (60) + לֹֽא־יָ֭נוּם [not·slumber] (137) + וְלֹ֣א [and·not] (37) + יִישָׁ֑ן [sleep] (370) + שׁ֝וֹמֵ֗ר [keeper·of] (546) + יִשְׂרָאֵֽל [Israel] (541) = 1691.
Ibn Ezra
"Behold... He who keeps Israel" — he is Jacob our father: "I will guard you wherever you go" [Genesis 28:15] — yet he was asleep [at the time].
Radak
"Slumber" — slumber is a lesser degree than sleep, and all the more so He does not sleep; for He is the Keeper of Israel at all times — even in exile He keeps us, so that He does not make a full end of us among the nations. For He does not sleep, even at the time of our own sleep He is our Keeper.
Metzudat David
"Behold, He will not slumber" — For behold, He has never removed His providence.
Malbim
"Behold, He will not slumber" — meaning He will not slumber out of weariness or weakness. And more than this, "He will not sleep" at all, for the nature of sleep is not found in Him at all. For a human being, even one who does not slumber out of fatigue, is nevertheless compelled to sleep, and must then appoint another guard in his place.
Hashem is your keeper; Hashem is your shade upon your right hand.
verse value 996
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֥ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "your·shadow" (צִ֝לְּךָ֗, 3 letters) and the longest is "your·right·hand" (יְמִינֶֽךָ, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 26: Hashem, Hashem. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "your·shadow" (צִ֝לְּךָ֗), "upon·hand·of" (עַל־יַ֥ד). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "upon·hand·of" (root יד, 78x in Psalms); "your·keeper" (root שמר, 73x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·keeper', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 4 words. Full calculation: יְהֹוָ֥ה [Hashem] (26) + שֹׁמְרֶ֑ךָ [your·keeper] (560) + יְהֹוָ֥ה [Hashem] (26) + צִ֝לְּךָ֗ [your·shadow] (140) + עַל־יַ֥ד [upon·hand·of] (114) + יְמִינֶֽךָ [your·right·hand] (130) = 996.
Ibn Ezra
"Hashem is your keeper" — from adversity and from every illness, for He is your shade at your right hand. And he mentioned the reason for [needing] shade "by day" (יומם) — [spelled] with two mems, [meaning] daytime without night. It is known that the sun causes harm through its intense heat, while the moon at night increases moisture, which breeds illnesses; and this matter is clear and well established by experience.
Radak
"Hashem" — He is "your shade," and He is at your right hand, to help you in all your deeds.
Metzudat David
"Hashem is your shade" — Just as shade protects from the heat of the sun, so He will protect your right hand, to accomplish valor with it.
Malbim
"Hashem" — there is yet another elevated quality in His guarding: for besides that "Hashem is your guardian" from earthly mishaps, He is also "your shade," in that He is a shade even from natural, heavenly harms. And He is not like another guard who is not always with you, for He is always found "at your right hand" — to the point that He is your shade [continually].
The sun shall not smite you by day, Nor the moon by night.
verse value 1128
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 23 letters. Notable word values: "not·shall·strike·you" (לֹֽא־יַכֶּ֗כָּה) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "by·day" (יוֹמָ֗ם, 4 letters) and the longest is "not·shall·strike·you" (לֹֽא־יַכֶּ֗כָּה, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "not·shall·strike·you" (לֹֽא־יַכֶּ֗כָּה). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "by·day" (root יום, 121x in Psalms); "in·the·night" (root ליל, 27x in Psalms). Full calculation: יוֹמָ֗ם [by·day] (96) + הַשֶּׁ֥מֶשׁ [the·sun] (645) + לֹֽא־יַכֶּ֗כָּה [not·shall·strike·you] (86) + וְיָרֵ֥חַ [and·moon] (224) + בַּלָּֽיְלָה [in·the·night] (77) = 1128.
Radak
"By day" — its sense connects to "your shade" mentioned [in the previous verse]; that is to say, He is a shade so that the heat of the sun will not smite you by day, nor the cold of the moon by night. For the heat of the sun dries up moisture, while the moon adds moisture, from which coldness results; and heat and cold are the cause of illnesses, and God, may He be blessed, guards [you] from them.
Metzudat David
"By day" — By day the heat of the sun will not harm you, and by night the moisture of the moon, which brings on illnesses, will not harm you.
Malbim
"By day the sun shall not smite you" — you will be protected from the harm of the sun by day and from the harm of the moon by night, even though their natures are opposed to one another — the one hot and dry, the other cold and moist. And inasmuch as Hashem is your guardian, His guarding will be in two respects: First, the guarding of the body, and so it says [next]...
Hashem shall keep you from all evil; He shall keep your soul.
verse value 2357
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 24 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְֽהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "Hashem" (יְֽהֹוָ֗ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "your·soul" (אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "shall·keep·you" (יִשְׁמׇרְךָ֥), "from·all·evil" (מִכׇּל־רָ֑ע), "shall·keep" (יִ֝שְׁמֹ֗ר). The root שמר appears 2 times in this verse. 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "your·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "from·all·evil" (root כל, 82x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·all·evil', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: יְֽהֹוָ֗ה [Hashem] (26) + יִשְׁמׇרְךָ֥ [shall·keep·you] (570) + מִכׇּל־רָ֑ע [from·all·evil] (360) + יִ֝שְׁמֹ֗ר [shall·keep] (550) + אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ [your·soul] (851) = 2357.
Ibn Ezra
"Hashem, [shall keep you] from all evil" — that might befall a person from without and from within.
Radak
"He shall keep you from all evil" — so that neither men nor beasts of the field will harm you. "He shall keep your soul" — so that you will not die from illnesses. "He shall keep" — in exile He will keep [you] as we have said; and when you go out from the exile, you will go out in peace, and when you come to the Land of Israel, you will come in peace; and He will keep you from now and forever.
Malbim
"Hashem shall keep you from all evil" — in this He will guard your body from every kind of evil in the world. Second, the guarding of the soul from sin: "Hashem shall keep your soul." And these forms of guarding encompass all places and all times. Concerning the places, it says [next]...
Hashem shall guard your going out and your coming in, From this time forth and for ever.
verse value 1863
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 28 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְֽהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "Hashem" (יְֽהֹוָ֗ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "shall·keep·your·going·out" (יִשְׁמׇר־צֵאתְךָ֥, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "shall·keep·your·going·out" (יִשְׁמׇר־צֵאתְךָ֥), "and·your·coming·in" (וּבוֹאֶ֑ךָ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "and·until·eternity" (root עולם, 144x in Psalms); "and·your·coming·in" (root בוא, 79x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·your·coming·in', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: יְֽהֹוָ֗ה [Hashem] (26) + יִשְׁמׇר־צֵאתְךָ֥ [shall·keep·your·going·out] (1061) + וּבוֹאֶ֑ךָ [and·your·coming·in] (35) + מֵ֝עַתָּ֗ה [from·now] (515) + וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם [and·until·eternity] (226) = 1863.
Ibn Ezra
"Hashem shall guard your going out" — when you go out to war, and also your coming in, in the manner of "the one who comes in and the one who goes out."
Metzudat David
"Your going out" — So that you will not stumble in your going out on the road, nor in your coming in.
Malbim
"Hashem shall guard your going out and your coming in" — and concerning all times, it says: "from this time forth and forever."
Rashi
Ibn Ezra
Radak
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion
Malbim