New King James Version
Psalms 123:2
2Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the Lord our God, Until He has mercy on us.
Psalms 123:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he shows us his mercy.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he has mercy upon us.
- New Living Translation (NLT)We keep looking to the Lord our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal.
Context of Psalms 123:2
1Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the Lord our God, Until He has mercy on us. 3Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt. 4Our soul is exceedingly filled With the scorn of those who are at ease, With the contempt of the proud.
Read all of Psalms 123Psalms 123:2 word by word
הִנֵּ֨ה כְעֵינֵ֪י עֲבָדִ֡ים אֶל־יַ֤ד אֲֽדוֹנֵיהֶ֗ם כְּעֵינֵ֣י שִׁפְחָה֮ אֶל־יַ֪ד גְּבִ֫רְתָּ֥הּ כֵּ֣ן עֵ֭ינֵינוּ אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ עַ֝֗ד שֶׁיְּחָנֵּֽנוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Behold, as the eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
- of servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- unto the handיָדyâd · handH3027
- of their mastersאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
- of a maidenשִׁפְחָהshiphchâh · maidservantH8198
- of her mistressגְּבֶ֫רֶתgebereth · ladyH1404
- upon the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- our Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- until that he have mercyחָנַןchânan · be graciousH2603
Cross-references for Psalms 123:2
- Joshua 9:23Now therefore, you are cursed, and none of you shall be freed from being slaves—woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”
- Joshua 10:6And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not forsake your servants; come up to us quickly, save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us.”
- Psalms 40:1I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry.
- Psalms 119:82My eyes fail from searching Your word, Saying, “When will You comfort me?”
- Psalms 130:5I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope.
- Genesis 32:26And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”
- Genesis 49:18I have waited for your salvation, O Lord!
- Lamentations 3:25The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him.
- Luke 18:1Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,
Commentaries on Psalms 123:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2As the eyes of servants - We now wait for thy commands, feeling the utmost readiness to obey them when made known to us. The words may be understood as the language of dependence also. As slaves expect their support from their masters and mistresses, so do we ours from thee, O Lord! Or, As servants look to their masters and mistresses, to see how they do their work, that they may do it in the same way; so do we, O Lord, that we may learn of thee, and do…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters - Or, are to the hands of their masters; or, regard the hands of their masters. That is, we look to God with the same spirit of deference, dependence, and readiness to mark the will of God, which is evinced by servants in regard to their masters, and by maidens in regard to the will of a mistress. There has been some difference of view in regard to the meaning of this comparison. Some…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-4This lament about the psalmist's humble position shows strong trust in the Lord (Psalm 123:1–2). The psalmist prays for God's favor on the community because evil surrounds them (Psalm 123:3–4). The poet looks beyond Jerusalem (Psalm 122) to God's throne in heaven.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Deference, submission, and trust, are all expressed by the figure. In the East, servants in attending on their masters are almost wholly directed by signs, which require the closest observance of the hands of the latter. The servants of God should look (1) to His directing hand, to appoint them their work; (2) to His supplying hand (Psa 104:28), to give them their portion in due season; (3) to His protecting hand, to right them when wronged; (4) to His…Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 123:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 123
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries