Psalm 123:2 - Printer Friendly

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.

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.

NASB: Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, As the eyes of a female servant to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the Lord our God, Until He is gracious to us.

CSB: Like a servant’s eyes on his master’s hand, like a servant girl’s eyes on her mistress’s hand, so our eyes are on the Lord our God until he shows us favor.

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.

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.

NKJV: 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.

The psalmist is turning to God (Psalm 123:1) during a time of difficulty (Psalm 123:3–4). This comes from a humble attitude—as a servant to their master. "Looking" here involves more than just letting an image into one's eyes. The psalmist is speaking of focused, attentive observation. This is not merely being open to hear what is said. This means eagerly and actively seeking a response. This is emphasized by the comment that the psalmist will continue in this way until they receive an answer. Further, the psalmist is specifically looking at the Master's "hand." This suggests looking to see what the Master will do, or what signal He might offer.

New Testament passages suggest the same attitude. Hebrews encourages looking to Jesus for confidence regarding faith (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus told a parable meant to endorse being persistent in prayer (Luke 18:1–8). Those who turn to the Lord as their master can expect mercy and His support (Matthew 6:31–33; 1 Peter 5:7).

This is one of the fifteen songs "of ascents" (Psalm 120—134) used as Israelites climbed towards Jerusalem and Mount Zion (2 Samuel 5:7; 1 Kings 8:1) for annual feasts (Deuteronomy 16:16). The psalmist mourns the sneering and insults of those who look down on him. This might mean hatred for Jewish people, but it seems to be more about the wealthy scoffing at the poor. The song ends with a prayer for relief from that burden.

This is another of the fifteen songs "of ascents" used as Israelites climbed towards Jerusalem and Mount Zion (2 Samuel 5:7; 1 Kings 8:1) for annual feasts (Deuteronomy 16:16). The scorn mentioned here is probably about rich people looking down on the poor. However, it may also refer to the contempt of other nations for the people of Israel. This was a major problem while rebuilding Jerusalem after the exile (Ezra 2:1; Nehemiah 4:1–4).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.