Psalm 123

This article is about Psalm 123 in Hebrew (Masoretic) numbering. For Psalm 123 in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering, see Psalm 124 .

Psalm 123
Unto thee lift I up mine eyes
Song of Ascents
Miniature psaume 123, The Redeemer of Israel in the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry , David praying before an altar surrounded by four figures symbolising people in danger
Other name	Psalm 122 (Vulgate) Ad te levavi oculos meos
Language	Hebrew (original)

Psalm 123
←  Psalm 122 Psalm 124  →
Book	Book of Psalms
Hebrew Bible part	Ketuvim
Order in the Hebrew part	1
Category	Sifrei Emet
Christian Bible part	Old Testament
Order in the Christian part	19

Psalm 123 is the 123rd psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens". The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. This short psalm is one of fifteen psalms that begin with the words "A song of ascents" (Shir Hama'alot). In Latin, it is known as "Ad te levavi oculos meos", ^[1] and Baptist writer Charles Spurgeon calls it "the Psalm of the eyes". ^[2]

In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 122.

It forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies.

Text

Hebrew

The following table shows the Hebrew text ^{[3] [4]} of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

Verse	Hebrew	English translation (JPS 1917)
1	שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת אֵ֭לֶיךָ נָשָׂ֣אתִי אֶת־עֵינַ֑י הַ֝יֹּשְׁבִ֗י בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃‎	A Song of Ascents. Unto Thee I lift up mine eyes, O Thou that art enthroned in the heavens.
2	הִנֵּ֨ה כְעֵינֵ֪י עֲבָדִ֡ים אֶל־יַ֤ד אֲֽדוֹנֵיהֶ֗ם כְּעֵינֵ֣י שִׁפְחָה֮ אֶל־יַ֢ד גְּבִ֫רְתָּ֥הּ כֵּ֣ן עֵ֭ינֵינוּ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ עַ֝֗ד שֶׁיְּחׇנֵּֽנוּ׃‎	Behold, as the eyes of servants 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 be gracious unto us.
3	חׇנֵּ֣נוּ יְהֹוָ֣ה חׇנֵּ֑נוּ כִּי־רַ֝֗ב שָׂבַ֥עְנוּ בֽוּז׃‎	Be gracious unto us, O LORD, be gracious unto us; For we are full sated with contempt.
4	רַבַּת֮ שָֽׂבְעָה־לָּ֢הּ נַ֫פְשֵׁ֥נוּ הַלַּ֥עַג הַשַּֽׁאֲנַנִּ֑ים הַ֝בּ֗וּז (לגאיונים) [לִגְאֵ֥י יוֹנִֽים]׃‎	Our soul is full sated With the scorning of those that are at ease, And with the contempt of the proud oppressors.

King James Version

1. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
2. 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.
3. Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
4. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.

Uses

Judaism

• Is recited following Mincha between Sukkot and Shabbat Hagadol. ^[5]
• Verse 3 is part of the final paragraph of Tachanun. ^[6]

Catholic

Since the Middle Ages, this psalm was traditionally performed during the office of Sext week, namely from Tuesday until Saturday, according to the Rule of St. Benedict set in 530 AD. ^[7]

In the Liturgy of Hours today, Psalm 123 is recited or sung at Vespers on the Monday of the third week of the four weekly liturgical cycle, ^[8] as the psalm that follows. In the liturgy of the Mass, it is read on the third Sunday in Ordinary Time of the year. ^[9]

Coptic Orthodoxy

Traditionally, Psalm 123 is to be said, privately to oneself, when a deacon sets foot from the navy, where hyms are sung, to the altar, where the Holy Eucharist is consecrated and kept.

It is important to note that this stems from Apostolic Tradition, hence the deacon is not bound by any law to do this, but is left upon his own volition.

Rhyming

Spurgeon points out that Psalm 123 is a rare case of a psalm that rhymes in Hebrew, although he notes Samuel Cox's comment that the rhymes are "purely accidental". ^[2]

Musical settings

Heinrich Schütz composed a metred paraphrase of Psalm 123 in German, "Wohl dem, der in Gottesfurcht steht", SWV 228, for the Becker Psalter , published first in 1628.

References

1. Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 122 (123) medievalist.net
2. Spurgeon, Charles. "Psalms 123 – Treasury of David – Bible Commentaries". StudyLight.org.|access-date=5 June 2022
3. "Psalms – Chapter 123". Mechon Mamre.
4. "Psalms 123 - JPS 1917". Sefaria.org.
5. The Complete Artscroll Siddur, p. 530.
6. The Complete Artscroll Siddur, p. 139.
7. Complete Artscroll Siddur.
8. Guéranger, Prosper (2007), Règle de saint Benoît, Abbaye Saint-Pierre de Solesmes, p. 46.
9. Le cycle des lectures des messes du dimanche se déroule sur trois ans.

External links

• Pieces with text from Psalm 123 : Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
• Psalm 123 : Free scores at the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
• Text of Psalm 123 according to the 1928 Psalter
• Psalms Chapter 123 text in Hebrew and English, mechon-mamre.org
• A song of ascents. To you I raise my eyes, / to you enthroned in heaven. text and footnotes, usccb.org United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Psalm 123:1 introduction and text, biblestudytools.com
• Psalm 123 – Looking to the LORD for Mercy in Affliction enduringword.com
• Psalm 123 / Refrain: Our eyes wait upon the Lord our God. Church of England
• Psalm 123 at biblegateway.com
• Hymns for Psalm 123 hymnary.org