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The Psalms of David (Psalms 44–150) · c. 1586–1599 (first printed 1823)

Psalm 121 (Levavi oculos)

by Mary Sidney Herbert, Countess of Pembroke 1561–1621


What? and doe I behold the lovely mountaines,
Whence comes all my reliefe, my aid, my comfort?
O there, O there abides the worlds Creator,
Whence comes all my reliefe, my aid, my comfort.

March, march lustily on, redoubt no falling,
God shall guide thy going: the Lord thy keeper
Sleepes not, sleepes not a whit, no sleepe no slumber
Once shall enter in Israelis true keeper.

But whome named I Israelis true keeper?
Whome? but only Jehovah: whose true keeping
Thy saving shadow is: not ever absent
When present perill his reliefe requireth.

March then boldly, by day no sunne shall hurt thee
With beames too violently right reflected.
Feare no jornie by night, the moony vapours
Shall not cast any mist to breed thy grevaunce.

Nay from ev'ry mishapp, from ev'ry mischief
Safe thou shalt by Jehovas hand be guarded:
Safe in all thy goings, in all thy commings,
Now thou shalt by his hand, yea, still be guarded.

MLA

Herbert, Mary Sidney, Countess of Pembroke. The Psalms of David (Psalms 44–150), Psalm 121 (Levavi oculos). Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/work/pembroke-psalms/98/.

Chicago

Herbert, Mary Sidney, Countess of Pembroke. The Psalms of David (Psalms 44–150), Psalm 121 (Levavi oculos). Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/work/pembroke-psalms/98/.

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