The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

PSALMS 121:6KJV
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Psalms 121:6 (KJV)

What does Psalms 121:6 mean?

Psalms 121:6 promises that the person under God’s care will not be harmed by the sun during the day or by the moon at night. The verse uses the image of protection from both day and night dangers to show God’s constant watchfulness.

This psalm is a song of ascent, likely sung by travelers or worshipers journeying to Jerusalem. The speaker is reassuring listeners that God’s protection covers every moment, whether under the harsh sun or in the uncertainty of night. The verse uses familiar elements of daily life—sun and moon—to express the idea of complete, round-the-clock safety.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 121:6

  • שֶׁמֶשׁ (shemesh, “sun”): The sun was often seen as a source of danger in the ancient world, especially for travelers exposed to heat and sunstroke. Mentioning the sun highlights God’s care in the most obvious, visible threats.
  • יָכָה (nakah, “smite”): This word means to strike or harm. The verse assures that neither the sun nor the moon will “strike” or harm the person, emphasizing active protection from harm, not just passive presence.
  • יָרֵחַ (yareach, “moon”): The moon was sometimes associated with superstitions or fears about nighttime dangers or even mental distress. Including the moon shows that God’s protection covers both physical and unseen threats.
  • יוֹם (yom, “day”) and לַיְלָה (laylah, “night”): These words reinforce the idea that God’s care is not limited by time; it is continuous, both in daylight and darkness.

Why Psalms 121:6 matters

  • Psalms 121:6 clears up the idea that God’s protection is only for certain times or certain kinds of danger; the verse insists that God’s care is constant and all-encompassing.
  • The verse connects to the larger theme of Psalms 121, which is about trusting God’s help and watchfulness during life’s journeys, especially when facing the unknown.
  • By mentioning both the sun and the moon, the verse reassures readers that God’s protection is not just for obvious, physical dangers but also for hidden or imagined fears that might trouble someone at night.

Where else these words appear

“moon” Hebrew H3394 · used in 26 verses

  • Genesis 37:9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.
  • Psalms 8:3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
  • Isaiah 13:10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.

“day” Hebrew H3119 · used in 50 verses

  • Exodus 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
  • Nehemiah 1:6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned.
  • Isaiah 4:6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.

“sun” Hebrew H8121 · used in 127 verses

  • Genesis 15:12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
  • 2 Samuel 2:24 Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
  • Ecclesiastes 5:18 Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.