Psalm 102:19
For He looked down from the heights of His sanctuary; the LORD gazed out from heaven to earth
For He looked down
This phrase suggests an intentional and purposeful action by God. The Hebrew root for "looked down" is "שָׁקַף" (shaqaph), which implies a careful and attentive observation. In the context of the psalm, this conveys God's active involvement and concern for His creation. It is not a passive glance but a deliberate act of watching over His people. This reflects the belief in a personal God who is deeply interested in the affairs of humanity, offering comfort that He is aware of our struggles and needs.

from the heights of His sanctuary
The "heights of His sanctuary" refers to the exalted and holy place where God dwells. The Hebrew word for "sanctuary" is "מִקְדָּשׁ" (miqdash), which denotes a sacred space set apart for divine presence. This imagery emphasizes God's transcendence and majesty, as He resides in a place of ultimate holiness. Yet, despite His lofty position, He is not distant or detached. The sanctuary signifies both His separateness from sin and His accessibility to those who seek Him with a pure heart.

the LORD gazed out
The term "gazed out" is derived from the Hebrew "נָבַט" (nabat), meaning to look intently or with purpose. This reinforces the idea of God's focused attention on the world. The use of "LORD" (YHWH) here is significant, as it is the covenant name of God, highlighting His faithfulness and commitment to His people. This assures believers that God’s watchful eye is not just a matter of observation but is rooted in His covenantal love and promises.

from heaven to earth
This phrase captures the vast scope of God's vision and care, spanning from the divine realm to the earthly domain. "Heaven" in Hebrew is "שָׁמַיִם" (shamayim), often associated with God's throne and the seat of His authority. "Earth" is "אֶרֶץ" (eretz), representing the realm of human existence. The juxtaposition of heaven and earth underscores the comprehensive nature of God's sovereignty. It reassures believers that no part of creation is beyond His reach or concern, affirming His omnipresence and omnipotence. This divine oversight is a source of hope, as it implies that God is actively working to fulfill His purposes in the world.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The central figure in this verse, representing God as the sovereign ruler who observes His creation from heaven.

2. Heaven
The dwelling place of God, symbolizing His divine authority and omniscience.

3. Earth
The realm of human existence, where God’s creation resides and where His attention is directed.
Teaching Points
God’s Omniscience
God sees all things from His heavenly sanctuary, reminding us of His complete knowledge and understanding of our lives.

Divine Compassion
The LORD’s gaze from heaven is not distant or indifferent; it is filled with care and concern for His creation.

Heavenly Perspective
Understanding that God views our circumstances from a heavenly perspective can bring comfort and assurance in times of trouble.

Prayer and Dependence
Knowing that God looks down from heaven should encourage us to bring our needs and concerns to Him in prayer, trusting in His ability to intervene.

Living with Accountability
Recognizing that God sees all should inspire us to live righteously, knowing that our actions are observed by our Creator.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding that God looks down from heaven influence your view of His involvement in your daily life?

2. In what ways can acknowledging God’s omniscience bring comfort during difficult times?

3. How does the concept of God’s heavenly perspective challenge you to trust Him more fully with your circumstances?

4. What practical steps can you take to live with a greater awareness of God’s watchful presence?

5. How can you incorporate the truth of God’s attentive gaze into your prayer life, especially when interceding for others?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Psalm 33:13-14
This passage also describes God looking down from heaven, emphasizing His awareness and involvement in the affairs of humanity.

2 Chronicles 6:21
Solomon’s prayer acknowledges God’s ability to hear from heaven, reinforcing the idea of divine attentiveness.

Isaiah 63:15
This verse calls upon God to look down from heaven, highlighting His compassion and concern for His people.

Hebrews 4:13
This New Testament verse speaks to God’s omniscience, affirming that nothing is hidden from His sight.
Earnest Prayer Alone SucceedsR. J. Campbell, M. A.Psalm 102:1-28
God Will Hear My PrayerA. Maclaren, D.D.Psalm 102:1-28
Light Arising in DarknessS. Conway Psalm 102:1-28
The Conditions of Acceptable PrayerD. A. Clark.Psalm 102:1-28
Thoughts of Comfort and ComplaintHomilistPsalm 102:1-28
Changing Self; Changing World; Unchanging GodR. Tuck Psalm 102:12, 25-27
People
David, Psalmist
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Attentively, Beheld, Behold, Gazed, Heaven, Heavens, Height, Hight, Holy, Sanctuary, Viewed
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 102:19

     7438   sanctuary

Psalm 102:15-22

     1235   God, the LORD

Psalm 102:19-20

     8607   prayer, God's promises
     9411   heaven

Library
Out of the Deep of Loneliness, Failure, and Disappointment.
My heart is smitten down, and withered like grass. I am even as a sparrow that sitteth alone on the housetop--Ps. cii. 4, 6. My lovers and friends hast Thou put away from me, and hid mine acquaintance out of my sight--Ps. lxxviii. 18. I looked on my right hand, and saw there was no man that would know me. I had no place to flee unto, and no man cared for my soul. I cried unto Thee, O Lord, and said, Thou art my Hope. When my spirit was in heaviness, then Thou knewest my path.--Ps. cxlii. 4, 5.
Charles Kingsley—Out of the Deep

That True Solace is to be Sought in God Alone
Whatsoever I am able to desire or to think of for my solace, I look for it not here, but hereafter. For if I alone had all the solaces of this world, and were able to enjoy all its delights, it is certain that they could not endure long. Wherefore, O my soul, thou canst be fully comforted and perfectly refreshed, only in God, the Comforter of the poor, and the lifter up of the humble. Wait but a little while, my soul, wait for the Divine promise, and thou shalt have abundance of all good things
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

That He who is About to Communicate with Christ Ought to Prepare Himself with Great Diligence
The Voice of the Beloved I am the Lover of purity, and Giver of sanctity. I seek a pure heart, and there is the place of My rest. Prepare for Me the larger upper room furnished, and I will keep the Passover at thy house with my disciples.(1) If thou wilt that I come unto thee and abide with thee, purge out the old leaven,(2) and cleanse the habitation of thy heart. Shut out the whole world, and all the throng of sins; sit as a sparrow alone upon the house-top,(3) and think upon thy transgressions
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

The Never Changing One.
"JESUS Christ the same yesterday, and to-day and forever" (Heb. xiii:8). Blessed truth and precious assurance for us poor, weak creatures, yea, among all His creatures the most changing; He changeth not. "For I am the Lord, I change not" (Mal. iii:6). "Of old hast Thou laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Thy hands. They shall all perish, but Thou shalt endure: yea all of them shall wax old like a garment, as a vesture shalt Thou change them, and they shall be changed;
Arno Gaebelein—The Lord of Glory

The Unchangeableness of God
The next attribute is God's unchangeableness. I am Jehovah, I change not.' Mal 3:3. I. God is unchangeable in his nature. II. In his decree. I. Unchangeable in his nature. 1. There is no eclipse of his brightness. 2. No period put to his being. [1] No eclipse of his brightness. His essence shines with a fixed lustre. With whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.' James 1:17. Thou art the same.' Psa 102:27. All created things are full of vicissitudes. Princes and emperors are subject to
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Our Last ChapterConcluded with the Words, "For Childhood and Youth are Vanity"...
Our last chapter concluded with the words, "For childhood and youth are vanity": that is, childhood proves the emptiness of all "beneath the sun," as well as old age. The heart of the child has the same needs--the same capacity in kind--as that of the aged. It needs God. Unless it knows Him, and His love is there, it is empty; and, in its fleeting character, childhood proves its vanity. But this makes us quite sure that if childhood can feel the need, then God has, in His wide grace, met the
F. C. Jennings—Old Groans and New Songs

Notes on the Fourth Century
Page 238. Med. 1. In the wording of this meditation, and of several other passages in the Fourth Century, it seems as though Traherne is speaking not of himself, but of, a friend and teacher of his. He did this, no doubt, in order that he might not lay himself open to the charge of over-egotism. Yet that he is throughout relating his own experiences is proved by the fact that this Meditation, as first written, contains passages which the author afterwards marked for omission. In its original form
Thomas Traherne—Centuries of Meditations

The Nature of Justification
Justification in the active sense (iustificatio, {GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA}{GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA}{GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA}{GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA}{GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA}{GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA}{GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA}{GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA}{GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA}) is defined by the Tridentine Council as "a translation from that state wherein man is born a child of the first Adam, to the state of grace and of the adoption of the sons of God through the second Adam,
Joseph Pohle—Grace, Actual and Habitual

Notes on the Third Century
Page 161. Line 1. He must be born again, &c. This is a compound citation from John iii. 3, and Mark x. 15, in the order named. Page 182. Line 17. For all things should work together, &c. See Romans viii. 28. Page 184. Lines 10-11. Being Satan is able, &c. 2 Corinthians xi. 14. Page 184. Last line. Like a sparrow, &c. Psalm cii. Page 187. Line 1. Mechanisms. This word is, in the original MS., mechanicismes.' Page 187. Line 7. Like the King's daughter, &c. Psalm xlv. 14. Page 188. Med. 39. The best
Thomas Traherne—Centuries of Meditations

After the Scripture.
"In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God created He him."--Gen. v. 1. In the preceding pages we have shown that the translation, "in Our image," actually means, "after Our image." To make anything in an image is no language; it is unthinkable, logically untrue. We now proceed to show how it should be translated, and give our reason for it. We begin with citing some passages from the Old Testament in which occurs the preposition "B" which, in Gen. i. 27, stands before image, where
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Third Sunday after Trinity Humility, Trust, Watchfulness, Suffering
Text: 1 Peter 5, 5-11. 5 Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time; 7 casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you. 8 Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 whom withstand stedfast
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Characters and Names of Messiah
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. S uch was the triumphant exultation of the Old Testament Church! Their noblest hopes were founded upon the promise of MESSIAH; their most sublime songs were derived from the prospect of His Advent. By faith, which is the substance of things hoped for, they considered the gracious declarations
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

Covenanting Predicted in Prophecy.
The fact of Covenanting, under the Old Testament dispensations, being approved of God, gives a proof that it was proper then, which is accompanied by the voice of prophecy, affording evidence that even in periods then future it should no less be proper. The argument for the service that is afforded by prophecy is peculiar, and, though corresponding with evidence from other sources, is independent. Because that God willed to make known truth through his servants the prophets, we should receive it
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Letter xvi to Rainald, Abbot of Foigny
To Rainald, Abbot of Foigny Bernard declares to him how little he loves praise; that the yoke of Christ is light; that he declines the name of father, and is content with that of brother. 1. In the first place, do not wonder if titles of honour affright me, when I feel myself so unworthy of the honours themselves; and if it is fitting that you should give them to me, it is not expedient for me to accept them. For if you think that you ought to observe that saying, In honour preferring one another
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

History of the Interpretation.
1. AMONG THE JEWS. This History, as to its essential features, might, a priori, be sketched with tolerable certainty. From the nature of the case, we could scarcely expect that the Jews should have adopted views altogether erroneous as to the subject of the prophecy in question; for the Messiah appears in it, not in His humiliation, but in His glory--rich in gifts and blessings, and Pelagian self-delusion will, a priori, return an affirmative answer to the question as to whether one is
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Testimonies.
"Without faith it is impossible to please God."--Heb. xi. 6. In order to prevent the possibility of being led into paths of error, faith is directed, not to a Christ of the imagination, but to "the Christ in the garments of the Sacred Scripture," as Calvin expresses it. And therefore we must discriminate between (1) faith as a faculty implanted in the soul without our knowledge; (2) faith as a power whereby this implanted faculty begins to act; and (3) faith as a result,--since with this faith (1)
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Spiritual Hunger Shall be Satisfied
They shall be filled. Matthew 5:6 I proceed now to the second part of the text. A promise annexed. They shall be filled'. A Christian fighting with sin is not like one that beats the air' (1 Corinthians 9:26), and his hungering after righteousness is not like one that sucks in only air, Blessed are they that hunger, for they shall be filled.' Those that hunger after righteousness shall be filled. God never bids us seek him in vain' (Isaiah 45:19). Here is an honeycomb dropping into the mouths of
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

An Analysis of Augustin's Writings against the Donatists.
The object of this chapter is to present a rudimentary outline and summary of all that Augustin penned or spoke against those traditional North African Christians whom he was pleased to regard as schismatics. It will be arranged, so far as may be, in chronological order, following the dates suggested by the Benedictine edition. The necessary brevity precludes anything but a very meagre treatment of so considerable a theme. The writer takes no responsibility for the ecclesiological tenets of the
St. Augustine—writings in connection with the donatist controversy.

The Being of God
Q-III: WHAT DO THE SCRIPTURES PRINCIPALLY TEACH? A: The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man. Q-IV: WHAT IS GOD? A: God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth. Here is, 1: Something implied. That there is a God. 2: Expressed. That he is a Spirit. 3: What kind of Spirit? I. Implied. That there is a God. The question, What is God? takes for granted that there
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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