the Week of Proper 19 / Ordinary 24
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King James Version
Psalms 123:2
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Behold, as the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master,As the eyes of a servant‑girl to the hand of her mistress,So our eyes look to Yahweh our God,Until He is gracious to us.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the Lord our God, Until He is gracious to us.
Beholde, as the eyes of seruauntes [loke] vnto the hande of their maisters, and as the eyes of a mayden vnto the hande of her maistresse: euen so our eyes [wayte] vpon God our Lorde vntyll he haue mercie vpon vs.
Behold, as the eyes of servants [look] unto the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress, so our eyes [are directed] to Jehovah our God, until he be gracious unto us.
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.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters; as the eyes of a maiden to the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait on Jehovah our God, until He shows grace to us.
A slave looks to his master to provide what he needs, and a servant girl depends on the woman she serves. So we depend on the Lord our God, waiting for him to have mercy on us.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress; So our eyes look to Yahweh, our God, Until he has mercy on us.
Beholde, as the eyes of seruants looke vnto the hand of their Masters, and as the eyes of a maiden, vnto the hand of her mistresse: so our eyes waite vpon the Lord our God, vntill that he haue mercy vpon vs.
Beholde, euen as the eyes of seruautes loke vnto the handes of their masters: and as the eyes of a mayden vnto the handes of hir mastresse, euen so oure eyes wayte vpon the LORDE or God, vntill he haue mercy vpo vs.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, And as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the LORD our God, Until He is gracious and favorable toward us.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their master, As the eyes of a maid unto the hand of her mistress; So our eyes look unto Jehovah our God, Until he have mercy upon us.
See! as the eyes of servants are turned to the hands of their masters, and the eyes of a servant-girl to her owner, so our eyes are waiting for the Lord our God, till he has mercy on us.
Look, as the eyes of male slaves [look] to the hand of their master, As the eyes of a female slave to the hand of her mistress; So our eyes [look] to Yahweh our God, Until he has mercy on us.
Behold, as the eyes of servants [look] to the hand of their masters, [and] as the eyes of a maiden to the hand of her mistress; so our eyes [wait] upon the LORD our God, until he shall have mercy upon us.
Look, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a female servant look to the hand of her mistress, so my eyes will look to the Lord , our God, until he shows us favor.
Servants look to their master, but we will look to you, until you have mercy on us.
As a servant looks to the hand of his master, or a slave-girl to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes turn to Adonai our God, until he has mercy on us.
Behold, as the eyes of seruants looke vnto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a mayden vnto the hand of her mistres: so our eyes waite vpon the Lord our God vntil he haue mercie vpon vs.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look towards their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden look towards her mistress; so also our eyes look towards the LORD our God, until he shall have mercy upon us.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, 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.
Behold, as the eyes of servants unto the hand of their master, {N}so our eyes look unto the LORD our God, until He be gracious unto us.
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.
See, the eyes of servants look to the hand of their owner. The eyes of a woman servant look to the hand of her owner. So our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He shows us loving-kindness.
Behold, as the eyes of servants are directed to the hands of their masters, and as the eyes of a maidservant to the hands of her mistress; so our eyes are directed to the Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes look unto the LORD our God, until he have mercy upon us.
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.
As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, 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 upon us.
Lo! as the eyes of men-servants are unto the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maid-servant, unto the hand of her mistress, so, are our eyes, unto Yahweh our God, until that he show us favour.
(122-2) Behold as the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters, As the eyes of the handmaid are on the hands of her mistress: so are our eyes unto the Lord our God, until he have mercy on us.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to Yahweh our God, until he is gracious to us.
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.
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.
Slaves depend on their masters, and a female servant depends on her mistress. In the same way, we depend on the Lord our God; we wait for him to show us mercy.
As a servant depends on his master, as a maid depends on her mistress, so we will keep looking to you, O Lord our God, until you have mercy on us.
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.
Lo! as the iyen of seruauntis; ben in the hondis of her lordis. As the iyen of the handmaide ben in the hondis of her ladi; so oure iyen ben to oure Lord God, til he haue mercy on vs.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he have mercy upon us.
Lo, as eyes of men-servants [Are] unto the hand of their masters, As eyes of a maid-servant [Are] unto the hand of her mistress, So [are] our eyes unto Jehovah our God, Till that He doth favour us.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
as the eyes: Joshua 9:23, Joshua 9:27, Joshua 10:6
so our eyes: Psalms 40:1-3, Psalms 119:82, Psalms 119:123-125, Psalms 130:5, Psalms 130:6, Genesis 32:26, Genesis 49:18, Lamentations 3:25, Lamentations 3:26, Luke 18:1
Reciprocal: 1 Kings 1:20 - the eyes 2 Kings 5:2 - waited on 2 Chronicles 20:12 - our eyes Psalms 25:3 - wait Psalms 25:15 - Mine Psalms 34:5 - They Psalms 52:9 - wait Psalms 62:1 - my soul Psalms 141:8 - mine eyes Proverbs 27:18 - shall be Isaiah 33:2 - be gracious Isaiah 40:31 - they that Ezekiel 18:6 - neither hath lifted Hosea 3:1 - look Hosea 12:6 - wait Zephaniah 3:8 - wait Ephesians 6:5 - be Colossians 3:22 - obey
Gill's Notes on the Bible
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,.... To direct them in their work and business, to point out unto them what they shall do; which is often done by a motion of the hand of the master or mistress, or rap of their fingers without speaking e, which the servant observes: or to help and assist them against their enemies, and protect them from them; servants unarmed, and molested in their masters' service, have no other to flee to for protection but them; so Aben Ezra: or to receive food and sustenance from them, as servants and maidens do, from their masters and mistresses, in whose service they are; see Proverbs 31:15; so Kimchi and Arama; the latter observes, that they have their food in a way of mercy, and not justice; contrary to what the apostle says, Colossians 4:1; or in order to receive their wages from them; see Job 7:2;
so our eyes [wait] upon the Lord our God; look unto him for direction in his service. Saints are servants, not of sin, nor of Satan, nor of men, but of the Lord; and not on the foot of creation only, but of redemption, and are made so by the grace of God; and they are willing to work, and are desirous to know what they should do; they inquire of God; they wait upon him, in his word and ordinances, for direction; and, being informed, do it with all their might, and follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes or directs them: and they look unto him for strength to assist them therein, being conscious of their own weakness; they apply to him, and wait upon him for strength, and do all they do in his name and strength; they look unto him for protection from all their enemies, which are many and mighty, and are stronger than they; and for food, both temporal and spiritual, and for all the necessaries and comforts both of a corporeal and spiritual life; and likewise for the recompence of reward, the reward of the inheritance, which is of grace, and not of debt. Joseph Kimchi thinks that the allusion is to servants, that look to the hand of their masters that correct and chastise them, and bear it patiently; and look to the hand that smites, till it shall have done, and mercy is shown them. And thus the saints look to the chastising hand of God, and humble themselves under it, and patiently endure it, till the Lord shall please to remove it from them; and this agrees with what follows:
until that he have mercy upon us; God is gracious and merciful; and he has his set time to have mercy on his people: and it becomes them to continue praying to him, and waiting on him, until he is pleased to show it to them; men should pray always, and not faint; they will find mercy in due time, Luke 18:1.
e Vid. Pignorium de Servis, p. 136. "Digiti crepantis signa novit eunuchus", Martial. l. 2. 82.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Behold, 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 have supposed that the allusion is to the fact that servants, when in danger, look to their masters for protection; others, that they look to them for the supply of their needs; others, that when they have been guilty of an offence they look to them alone for pardon. See Rosenmuller, in loc. The true idea, however, seems to be, that they look to them with deference and respect; that they attentively mark every expression of their will; that they are ready to obey their commands on the slightest intimation of their wishes - standing in a waiting posture, with no will of their own - their own wills absorbed in the will of the master or the mistress.
The following extracts from Oriental travelers may illustrate the idea here: Maundrell (Reise von Aleppo nach Jerusalem, s. 13), speaking of an interview with the Pasha at Tripoli, says, “The servants all stood in great numbers with the utmost respect, and in profoundest silence, and served the guests with the utmost attention and respect.” Pococke remarks that in Egypt the slaves stand in the profoundest silence at the end of the table, their hands laid cross-wise over one another, and that they mark with the deepest attention the slightest movement of their master, who conveys his wishes to them through signs and winks. Savary, in his Letters from Egypt (p. 135), says, “The slaves stand with their hands laid cross-wise over their breasts, silent, at the end of the hall. “Their eyes are directed to the master,” and they are attentive to the slightest indication of his will.” See other illustrations in Rosenmuller, Morgenland, ii. 109, 110. It is to such a custom as this that the psalmist refers; and the idea is, that his eyes were directed to God, in his troubles, in profound silence, and with deep attention, resembling that of servants waiting in stillness on their master, and catching the slightest intimation of his will - a movement of the head or hand - or anything which would indicate his pleasure.
Until that he have mercy upon us - We have nothing to do but wait. We have no other resource. We can do nothing if we turn away from him. Our only hope and expectation is there, and if we ever find relief, it must be there. The surest - the only - hope of relief is to wait on God; and it is the purpose of our souls to do this until we find help and deliverance. This is the attitude in which the earnest prayer in the next verse is offered.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Psalms 123:2. As 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 thy work in thy own Spirit, and after thy own method. Some think that there is a reference here to the chastisement of slaves by their masters, who, during the time they are receiving it, keep their eyes fixed on the hand that is inflicting punishment upon them, professing deep sorrow, and entreating for mercy. And this sense seems to be countenanced by the following words:-
