Psalms 123 · Verse 1

Psalms 123:1

A Song of degrees. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
Psalms 123:1, King James Version

Psalms 123:1 in other translations

BSBA song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to You, the One enthroned in heaven.
WEBA Song of Ascents. I lift up my eyes to you, you who sit in the heavens.
ASVA Song of Ascents. Unto thee do I lift up mine eyes, O thou that sittest in the heavens.
YLTA Song of the Ascents. Unto Thee I have lifted up mine eyes, O dweller in the heavens.
DARBYA Song of degrees. Unto thee do I lift up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
BBETo you my eyes are lifted up, even to you whose seat is in the heavens.
WebsterA Song of degrees. To thee I raise my eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

What does Psalms 123:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Psa 123:1-4. An earnest and expecting prayer for divine aid in distress.

1. (Compare Psa 121:1). thou that dwellest--literally, "sittest as enthroned" (compare Psa 2:4; 113:4, 5).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

The prayer and faith of the godly, Psa 123:1, Psa 123:2. They desire to be delivered from contempt, Psa 123:3, Psa 123:4. This Psalm is probably a complaint of the captives in Babylon relative to the contempt and cruel usage they received. The author is uncertain. Verse 1 Unto thee lift I up mine eyes - We have no hope but in thee; our eyes look upward; we have expectation from thy mercy alone.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
Confidence in God under contempt. --Our Lord Jesus has taught us to look unto God in prayer as our Father in heaven. In every prayer a good man lifts up his soul to God; especially when in trouble. We desire mercy from him; we hope he will show us mercy, and we will continue waiting on him till it come. The eyes of a servant are to his master's directing hand, expecting that he will appoint him his work. And also to his supplying hand. Servants look to their master or their mistress for their portion of meat in due season. And to God we must look for daily bread, for grace sufficient; from him we must receive it thankfully. Where can we look for help but to our Master? And, further, to his protecting hand. If the servant is wronged and injured in his work, who should right him, but his master? And to his correcting hand. Whither should sinners turn but to him that smote them? They humble themselves under God's mighty hand. And lastly, to his rewarding hand. Hypocrites look to the world's hand, thence they have their reward; but true Christians look to God as their Master and their Rewarder. God's people find little mercy with men; but this is their comfort, that with the Lord there is mercy. Scorning and contempt have been, are, and are likely to be, the lot of God's people in this world. It is hard to bear; but the servants of God should not complain if they are treated as his beloved Son was. Let us then, when ready to faint under trials, look unto Jesus, and by faith and prayer cast ourselves upon the mercy of God.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Psalms 123:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אֵ֭לֶיךָ'E.lei.khato youH413
נָשָׂ֣אתִיna.Sa.tiI have lifted upH5375
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
עֵינַ֑י'ei.Naieyes myH5869
הַ֝יֹּשְׁבִ֗יhai.yo.she.Vithe [one who] sitsH3427
בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם\׃ba.sha.Ma.yimin the heavensH8064

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 123:1

  • Psalms 121:1

    A Song of degrees. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

  • Psalms 141:8

    But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.

  • Psalms 25:15

    Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.

  • Psalms 2:4

    He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

  • Luke 18:13

    And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

  • Matthew 6:9

    After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

  • Psalms 11:4

    The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.

  • Isaiah 57:15

    For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

  • Psalms 125:1

    A Song of degrees. They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.

  • Psalms 120:1

    A Song of degrees. In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me.

  • Psalms 132:1

    A Song of degrees. Lord, remember David, and all his afflictions:

  • Psalms 126:1

    A Song of degrees. When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 The godly profess their confidence in God;
3 and pray to be delivered from contempt.

A.M. cir. 3463. B.C. cir. 541. (Title.) A Song of degrees.This Psalm is probably a complaint of the captives in Babylon, relative to the contempt and cruel usage they received.
120:1; 121:1; 122:1; 123:1; 124:1; 125:1; 126:1; 127:1; 128:1; *titles
129:1; 130:1; 131:1; 132:1; 133:1; 134:1; *titles
lift I.
25:15; 121:1; 141:8; Lu 18:13
O thou.
2:4; 11:4; 113:5,6; 115:3; Isa 57:15; 66:1; Mt 6:9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 123:1

    A Song of degrees. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

  • Psalms 123:2

    Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us.

Read all of Psalms 123

Psalms 123:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Cántico gradual. A TI que habitas en los cielos, alcé mis ojos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Cantique des degrés. J’élève mes yeux vers toi, qui habites dans les cieux.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ich hebe meine Augen auf zu dir, der du thronst in den Himmeln!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Canticum graduum. Nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis, dicat nunc Israël,