Behold, He who watches over Israel Will neither slumber nor sleep.
Parallel translations
- WEB Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
- KJV Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
- BSB Behold, the Protector of Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
- NKJV Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
- NLT Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The Keeper of Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. God's watch over His people is constant and untiring.
Overview
Reinforcing the previous verse, the psalmist declares emphatically that Israel's Keeper never slumbers nor sleeps. God's protective attention is ceaseless, day and night. The believer rests secure knowing the God who keeps His covenant people is ever awake on their behalf, a care sealed in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Ps 127:1A Song of Ascents. By Solomon. Unless Yahweh builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless Yahweh watches over the city, the watchman guards it in vain.
- Isa 27:3I, Yahweh, am its keeper. I will water it every moment. Lest anyone damage it, I will keep it night and day.
- Ps 32:7–8You are my hiding place. You will preserve me from trouble. You will surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.
- Eccl 8:16When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on the earth (for also there is that neither day nor night sees sleep with his eyes),
- 1 Kgs 18:27At noon, Elijah mocked them, and said, “Cry aloud; for he is a god. Either he is deep in thought, or he has gone somewhere, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he sleeps and must be awakened.”
- Rev 7:15Therefore they are before the throne of God, they serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them.
- Ps 27:1By David. Yahweh is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? Yahweh is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 121:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.