Psalm 123:1
New International Version
A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven.

New Living Translation
I lift my eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven.

English Standard Version
To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!

Berean Standard Bible
A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to You, the One enthroned in heaven.

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

New King James Version
A Song of Ascents. Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens.

New American Standard Bible
A Song of Ascents. To You I have raised my eyes, You who are enthroned in the heavens!

NASB 1995
A Song of Ascents. To You I lift up my eyes, O You who are enthroned in the heavens!

NASB 1977
To Thee I lift up my eyes, O Thou who art enthroned in the heavens!

Legacy Standard Bible
A Song of Ascents. To You I lift up my eyes, The One enthroned in the heavens!

Amplified Bible
A Song of Ascents. Unto you I lift up my eyes, O You who are enthroned in the heavens!

Christian Standard Bible
A song of ascents. I lift my eyes to you, the one enthroned in heaven.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
A song of ascents. I lift my eyes to You, the One enthroned in heaven.

American Standard Version
A Song of Ascents. Unto thee do I lift up mine eyes, O thou that sittest in the heavens.

Contemporary English Version
Our LORD and our God, I turn my eyes to you, on your throne in heaven.

English Revised Version
A Song of Ascents. Unto thee do I lift up mine eyes, O thou that sittest in the heavens.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
[A song for going up to worship.] I look up to you, to the one who sits enthroned in heaven.

Good News Translation
LORD, I look up to you, up to heaven, where you rule.

International Standard Version
To you, who sit enthroned in heaven, I lift up my eyes.

Majority Standard Bible
A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to You, the One enthroned in heaven.

NET Bible
A song of ascents. I look up toward you, the one enthroned in heaven.

New Heart English Bible
[A Song of Ascents.] To you I do lift up my eyes, you who sit in the heavens.

Webster's Bible Translation
A Song of degrees. To thee I raise my eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

World English Bible
A Song of Ascents. I lift up my eyes to you, you who sit in the heavens.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
A SONG OF THE ASCENTS. I have lifted up my eyes to You, "" O dweller in the heavens.

Young's Literal Translation
A Song of the Ascents. Unto Thee I have lifted up mine eyes, O dweller in the heavens.

Smith's Literal Translation
Song of ascensions. To thee dwelling in the heavens I lifted up mine eyes.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
To thee have I lifted up my eyes, who dwellest in heaven.

Catholic Public Domain Version
A Canticle in steps. I have lifted up my eyes to you, who dwells in the heavens.

New American Bible
A song of ascents. To you I raise my eyes, to you enthroned in heaven.

New Revised Standard Version
To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
TO thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heaven.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
To you I have lifted up my eyes, oh Dweller of Heaven!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
A Song of Ascents. Unto Thee I lift up mine eyes, O Thou that art enthroned in the heavens.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
A Song of Degrees: Unto thee who dwellest in heaven have I lifted up mine eyes.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
I Lift Up My Eyes to You
1A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to You, the One enthroned in heaven. 2As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes are on the LORD our God until He shows us mercy.…

Cross References
Psalm 121:1-2
A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? / My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Isaiah 40:26
Lift up your eyes on high: Who created all these? He leads forth the starry host by number; He calls each one by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.

Psalm 141:8
But my eyes are fixed on You, O GOD the Lord. In You I seek refuge; do not leave my soul defenseless.

Psalm 25:15
My eyes are always on the LORD, for He will free my feet from the mesh.

Psalm 113:5
Who is like the LORD our God, the One enthroned on high?

Psalm 134:1-2
A song of ascents. Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD who serve by night in the house of the LORD! / Lift up your hands to the sanctuary and bless the LORD!

Psalm 5:3
In the morning, O LORD, You hear my voice; at daybreak I lay my plea before You and wait in expectation.

Psalm 123:2
As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes are on the LORD our God until He shows us mercy.

2 Chronicles 20:12
Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast army that comes against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”

Lamentations 3:41
Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven:

Hebrews 12:2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Matthew 6:9
So then, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.

Colossians 3:1-2
Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. / Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Acts 7:55
But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

Ephesians 1:20-21
which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, / far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.


Treasury of Scripture

To you lift I up my eyes, O you that dwell in the heavens.

A.

Psalm 120:1
A Song of degrees. In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me.

Psalm 121:1
A Song of degrees. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

Psalm 122:1
A Song of degrees of David. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.

lift I

Psalm 25:15
Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.

Psalm 121:1
A Song of degrees. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

Psalm 141:8
But mine eyes are unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.

O thou

Psalm 2:4
He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

Psalm 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.

Psalm 113:5,6
Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high, …

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Psalm 123
1. The godly profess their confidence in God
3. And pray to be delivered from contempt














I lift up my eyes to You
This phrase begins with an act of intentionality and devotion. The Hebrew root for "lift up" is "nasa," which conveys the idea of raising or elevating something. In the context of worship and prayer, it signifies an act of reverence and submission. The psalmist is not merely glancing or looking; he is purposefully directing his gaze upward, symbolizing a spiritual ascent towards God. This upward gaze is a common biblical motif, representing a turning away from earthly distractions and a focus on the divine. Historically, this act of lifting one's eyes is a gesture of seeking help or guidance, acknowledging that true assistance comes from above, from the Creator Himself.

the One enthroned in heaven
This phrase identifies the object of the psalmist's gaze: God, who is sovereign and exalted. The Hebrew word for "enthroned" is "yashab," which means to sit or dwell. It conveys a sense of permanence and authority. God is not just a distant deity; He is the King who reigns from His heavenly throne. The imagery of God being "enthroned in heaven" emphasizes His majesty and the vastness of His dominion. In the ancient Near Eastern context, kings were often depicted as seated on thrones, symbolizing their rule and judgment. By acknowledging God as the One enthroned, the psalmist is recognizing His ultimate authority and power over all creation. This acknowledgment is a source of comfort and hope, as it assures believers that their prayers are directed to a God who is both powerful and attentive to their needs.

(1) O thou that dwellest.--O thou throned one.

Verse 1. - Unto thee lift I up mine eyes (comp. Psalm 121:1, where the psalmist "lifted up his eyes" to God's dwelling-place). Now the expression is bolder. The eyes are lifted up to God himself. Oh thou that dwellest in the heavens (comp. Psalm 2:4; Psalm 11:4; Isaiah 57:15; Isaiah 66:1).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
A Song
שִׁ֗יר (šîr)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7892: A song, singing

of Ascents.
הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת (ham·ma·‘ă·lō·wṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 4609: Elevation, the act, the condition, a climactic progression

I lift up
נָשָׂ֣אתִי (nā·śā·ṯî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

my eyes
עֵינַ֑י (‘ê·nay)
Noun - cdc | first person common singular
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

to You,
אֵ֭לֶיךָ (’ê·le·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the One enthroned
הַ֝יֹּשְׁבִ֗י (hay·yō·šə·ḇî)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

in heaven.
בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ (baš·šā·mā·yim)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky


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OT Poetry: Psalm 123:1 A Song of Ascents (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 122:9
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