I lift up my eyes
This phrase begins with an action of intentionality and focus. The Hebrew root for "lift up" is "nasa," which conveys the idea of raising or elevating something. In the context of ancient Israel, lifting one's eyes was a physical act that symbolized seeking help or guidance beyond oneself. It suggests a deliberate turning away from earthly distractions to seek divine assistance. Historically, this act of looking upwards was common in ancient Near Eastern cultures as a gesture of seeking favor or intervention from the divine realm.

to the hills
The "hills" or "mountains" in Hebrew is "harim." In the ancient world, hills and mountains were often seen as places of divine encounter. For the Israelites, the hills surrounding Jerusalem, particularly Mount Zion, held significant spiritual meaning as the dwelling place of God. This phrase can be understood as a metaphor for seeking God's presence and strength, as mountains were seen as places of stability and refuge. The hills also represent the challenges and obstacles in life, prompting the psalmist to seek help from a higher power.

From where does my help come?
This rhetorical question reflects a moment of introspection and reliance on divine providence. The Hebrew word for "help" is "ezer," which implies assistance or support. In the biblical narrative, God is often depicted as the ultimate source of help and deliverance for His people. This question underscores the psalmist's recognition of human limitations and the need for divine intervention. It invites the reader to consider the source of their own help and to place their trust in God, who is faithful and ever-present.

(1) Whence.--Our version is certainly incorrect in following the LXX. and Vulg. in making whence a relative. The Hebrew word is always interrogative; even in Joshua 2:4 it is indirectly interrogative. But the margin is hardly right in making the whole verse interrogative. Render, I will lift up mine eyes to the hills. Whence comes my help? The hills are those on which Jerusalem is built, the plural being understood, as in Psalm 87:1. (See Note.) This gaze of hope does not absolutely decide the standpoint of the poet. He might have been like Ezekiel (Ezekiel 6:2) when bidden to turn "towards the mountains of Israel" in the distant plain of Mesopotamia; or he may have been close on the end of the pilgrim journey, and actually under the sacred hills. But wherever he stands, this question is not one of doubt; he knows, as in Psalm 3:4; Psalm 14:7, that help will come from God's holy hill "out of Zion." He puts the question for the sake of the emphatic answer in the next verse. Possibly, as suggested by the marginal rendering and reference, the poet may in his mind have been contrasting the confidence with which a worshipper of Jehovah might look up to the sacred city on the crest of the holy hill with that superstition and idolatry which was associated with so many hills and high places in Canaan. If this is so, the best commentary, both on the poetry and the religion of the psalm, is to be found in Mr. Ruskin's fascinating discourses on mountains in "Modern Painters," their influence on the ancient, mediaeval, and modern mind, and the part they have played alike in the mythology of the pagan times and the religion of the Christian world. There must also be added, in connection with the feeling of the Jew, the part his mountains played as a barrier of defence (Psalm 125:2), and as heights of observation from which to watch for the messengers of peace (Isaiah 52:7; Nahum 1:15). . . . Verse 1. - I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills. The "holy hills," that stand round about Jerusalem, are intended (Psalm 87:1; Psalm 125:2). There God had "promised his blessing, even life forevermore" (Psalm 133:3). From whence cometh my help. Most modern critics regard this clause as interrogative, and translate, "Whence is it that my help shall come?" But "the question is only asked to give more effect to the answer" (Cheyne).

Parallel Commentaries ...


A Song
שִׁ֗יר (šîr)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7892: A song, singing

of Ascents.
לַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת (lam·ma·‘ă·lō·wṯ)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 4609: Elevation, the act, the condition, a climactic progression

I lift up
אֶשָּׂ֣א (’eś·śā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

my eyes
עֵ֭ינַי (‘ê·nay)
Noun - cdc | first person common singular
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the hills.
הֶהָרִ֑ים (he·hā·rîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2022: Mountain, hill, hill country

From where
מֵ֝אַ֗יִן (mê·’a·yin)
Preposition-m | Adverb
Strong's 370: Whence?

does my help
עֶזְרִֽי׃ (‘ez·rî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5828: A help, helper

come?
יָבֹ֥א (yā·ḇō)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go


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OT Poetry: Psalm 121:1 A Song of Ascents (Psalm Ps Psa.)