Psalm 102:19
New International Version
“The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth,

New Living Translation
Tell them the LORD looked down from his heavenly sanctuary. He looked down to earth from heaven

English Standard Version
that he looked down from his holy height; from heaven the LORD looked at the earth,

Berean Standard Bible
For He looked down from the heights of His sanctuary; the LORD gazed out from heaven to earth

King James Bible
For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;

New King James Version
For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary; From heaven the LORD viewed the earth,

New American Standard Bible
For He looked down from His holy height; From heaven the LORD looked upon the earth,

NASB 1995
For He looked down from His holy height; From heaven the LORD gazed upon the earth,

NASB 1977
For He looked down from His holy height; From heaven the LORD gazed upon the earth,

Legacy Standard Bible
For He looked down from His holy height; From heaven Yahweh gazed upon the earth,

Amplified Bible
For He looked down from His holy height [of His sanctuary], From heaven the LORD gazed on the earth,

Christian Standard Bible
He looked down from his holy heights — the LORD gazed out from heaven to earth —

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He looked down from His holy heights— the LORD gazed out from heaven to earth—

American Standard Version
For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; From heaven did Jehovah behold the earth;

Contemporary English Version
"From his holy temple, the LORD looked down at the earth.

English Revised Version
For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"The LORD looked down from his holy place high above. From heaven he looked at the earth.

Good News Translation
The LORD looked down from his holy place on high, he looked down from heaven to earth.

International Standard Version
For when he looked down from his holy heights— the LORD looked over the earth from heaven—

Majority Standard Bible
For He looked down from the heights of His sanctuary; the LORD gazed out from heaven to earth

NET Bible
For he will look down from his sanctuary above; from heaven the LORD will look toward earth,

New Heart English Bible
For he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary. From heaven, the LORD looked at the earth;

Webster's Bible Translation
For he hath looked down from the hight of his sanctuary; from heaven hath the LORD beheld the earth;

World English Bible
for he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary. From heaven, Yahweh saw the earth,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
For He has looked "" From the high place of His sanctuary. YHWH looked attentively from the heavens to earth,

Young's Literal Translation
For He hath looked From the high place of His sanctuary. Jehovah from heaven unto earth looked attentively,

Smith's Literal Translation
For be looked forth from the height of his holy place; from the heavens Jehovah looked upon the earth;
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Because he hath looked forth from his high sanctuary: from heaven the Lord hath looked upon the earth.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For he has gazed from his high sanctuary. From heaven, the Lord has beheld the earth.

New American Bible
“The LORD looked down from the holy heights, viewed the earth from heaven,

New Revised Standard Version
that he looked down from his holy height, from heaven the LORD looked at the earth,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
For he looked out from the high place of his Holiness. LORD JEHOVAH looked out from Heaven to the Earth
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
For He hath looked down from the height of His sanctuary; From heaven did the LORD behold the earth;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For he has looked out from the height of his sanctuary; the Lord looked upon the earth from heaven;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Prayer of the Afflicted
18Let this be written for the generation to come, so that a people not yet created may praise the LORD. 19For He looked down from the heights of His sanctuary; the LORD gazed out from heaven to earth 20to hear a prisoner’s groaning, to release those condemned to death,…

Cross References
Isaiah 63:15
Look down from heaven and see, from Your holy and glorious habitation. Where are Your zeal and might? Your yearning and compassion for me are restrained.

Deuteronomy 26:15
Look down from Your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel and the land You have given us as You swore to our fathers—a land flowing with milk and honey.”

1 Kings 8:30
Hear the plea of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place. May You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place. May You hear and forgive.

2 Chronicles 6:21
Hear the plea of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place. May You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place. May You hear and forgive.

Lamentations 3:50
until the LORD looks down from heaven and sees.

Psalm 14:2
The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.

Psalm 33:13-14
The LORD looks down from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. / From His dwelling place He gazes on all who inhabit the earth.

Psalm 53:2
God looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.

Psalm 113:5-6
Who is like the LORD our God, the One enthroned on high? / He humbles Himself to behold the heavens and the earth.

Psalm 123:1
A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to You, the One enthroned in heaven.

Isaiah 57:15
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.

Isaiah 66:1
This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me? Or where will My place of repose be?

Matthew 6:9
So then, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.

Matthew 6:10
Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:32
For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.


Treasury of Scripture

For he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;

for he

Psalm 14:2
The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

Psalm 33:13,14
The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men…

Deuteronomy 26:15
Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

the height

Job 22:12
Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!

Hebrews 8:1,2
Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; …

Hebrews 9:23,24
It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these…

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Attentively Beheld Earth Gazed Heaven Heavens Height High Hight Holy Sanctuary Viewed
Psalm 102
1. The prophet in his prayer makes a grievous complaint.
12. He takes comfort in the eternity, and mercy of God
18. The mercies of God are to be recorded
23. He sustains his weakness by the unchangeableness of God.














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.

Verse 19. - For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary. God's true sanctuary is the heaven of heavens wherein he dwells. Earthly sanctuaries are but shadows of this. From heaven did the Lord behold the earth (comp. Exodus 2:23-25). As God in the days of old had looked down on the affliction of his people in Egypt, so did he now "look down" and "behold" their sufferings in Babylon.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
For
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

He looked down
הִ֭שְׁקִיף (hiš·qîp̄)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8259: To overhang, look out or down

from the heights
מִמְּר֣וֹם (mim·mə·rō·wm)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4791: Altitude

of His sanctuary;
קָדְשׁ֑וֹ (qā·ḏə·šōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6944: A sacred place, thing, sanctity

the LORD
יְ֝הוָ֗ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

gazed out
הִבִּֽיט׃ (hib·bîṭ)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5027: To scan, look intently at, to regard

from heaven
מִשָּׁמַ֤יִם ׀ (miš·šā·ma·yim)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

earth,
אֶ֬רֶץ (’e·reṣ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land


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OT Poetry: Psalm 102:19 For he has looked down (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 102:18
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