Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
Parallel translations
- WEB A Song of Ascents. To you I do lift up my eyes, you who sit in the heavens.
- BSB A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to You, the One enthroned in heaven.
- NKJV Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens.
- NASB To You I have raised my eyes, You who are enthroned in the heavens!
- NLT I lift my eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The psalmist lifts his eyes to God enthroned in the heavens. Worship begins with looking to the sovereign God above.
Overview
This Song of Ascents opens with the psalmist directing his gaze to God 'who sits in the heavens,' acknowledging His sovereign rule. Lifting the eyes upward is an act of dependence and trust. The believer likewise looks to the exalted Lord, now seen in Christ seated at God's right hand.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 24
- Ps 121:1I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
- Ps 141:8But mine eyes are unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.
- Ps 25:15Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
- Ps 2:4He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.
- Luke 18:13And 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.
- Ps 11:4The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.
- Matt 6:9After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
- Ps 120:1In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me.
- Ps 132:1Lord, remember David, and all his afflictions:
- Isa 57:15For 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.
- Ps 125:1They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.
- Ps 115:3But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.
- Ps 130:1Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.
- Ps 126:1When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
- Ps 129:1Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say:
- Ps 127:1Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
- Ps 134:1Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD.
- Ps 128:1Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.
- Ps 133:1Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
- Isa 66:1Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?
- Ps 124:1If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say;
- Ps 131:1Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.
- Ps 113:5–6Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,
- Ps 122:1I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 123:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.