Psalm 121:7
“The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
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From pilgrim Psalm 121, this verse expands the theme of God as keeper, promising comprehensive protection that reaches to the soul.
What Does Psalm 121:7 Mean?
This verse promises that the LORD guards His people from all evil and keeps watch over their very soul. The repeated word "preserve" means to guard, keep, and watch over, like a sentry on constant duty. The psalm has already pictured God as a keeper who neither slumbers nor sleeps (vv. 3-4); now it states the scope of His protection -- "all evil."
This promise should be read in the context of the whole psalm, which is about a journey through real dangers, not an assurance that believers never face hardship. God's people in Scripture still endured trouble. The preservation promised reaches to its deepest level: "he shall preserve thy soul." Whatever may touch the body or the circumstances, the LORD keeps the inmost life secure. The protection is comprehensive in source -- it comes from God, who sees every threat -- and ultimate in aim, guarding the part of us that endures. For the traveler then and the believer now, the assurance is that no evil falls outside God's watchful keeping, and the soul entrusted to Him is safe in His care.
In the Original Language
"Preserve" translates the Hebrew shamar, to keep, guard, or watch over, used repeatedly in this psalm to describe God's vigilance.
Cross References
“The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”
- Psalm 121:8
“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”
- John 10:28
“But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.”
- 2 Thessalonians 3:3
Application
Entrust your life to the LORD who keeps constant watch, confident that He guards your soul through every danger.