Psalms 102:19 AV
For he hath looked down
from the height of his sanctuary;
from heaven did the LORD behold the earth
Other translations
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 Study Bible
For He looked down from the heights of His sanctuary; the LORD gazed out from heaven to 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
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;
International Standard Version
For when he looked down from his holy heights— the LORD looked over the earth from heaven—
JPS Tanakh 1917
For He hath looked down from the height of His sanctuary; From heaven did the LORD behold the earth;
Young’s Literal Translation
For He hath looked From the high place of His sanctuary. Jehovah from heaven unto earth looked attentively,
Study
Cross References
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.”
Job 22:12
Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
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
The LORD looks down from heaven; He sees all the sons of men.
Psalm 33:14
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 80:14
Return, O God of Hosts, we pray! Look down from heaven and see! Attend to this vine
Psalm 148:1
Hallelujah! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise Him in the highest places.
Psalm 150:1
Hallelujah! Praise God in His sanctuary. Praise Him in His mighty heavens.
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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For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary
From heaven, as it is explained in the next clause, which is the Lord’s sanctuary, or holy place, where He dwells, even in the height of it; it is both high and holy, as He Himself is; yet He condescends to look down from there on sinful mortals.
From heaven did the Lord behold the earth
▪︎ The Lord beholds the inhabitants of the earth, good and bad: it designs the general notice He takes of men and things in a providential way;
▪︎ He beholds the world, that lies in wickedness, and all the wickedness committed in it; and will one day call to an account, and punish for it;
▪︎ He beholds good men, not only with an eye of providence, to take care of them, protect and defend, but with an eye of love, grace, and mercy; He has a special and distinct knowledge of them, and it may here particularly regard the notice He takes of his people, under antichristian tyranny; he sees all the barbarity and cruelty exercised upon them, and will requite it, to their adversaries, and free them from it
x O x
Exposition
For he hath looked down from the heights of his sanctuary,
Or “leaned from the high place of his holiness,”
From heaven did the LORD behold the earth, looking out like a watcher from His tower.
What was the object of this leaning from the battlements of heaven?
Why this intent gaze upon the race of men?
The answer is full of astounding mercy; the Lord does not look upon mankind to note their grandees, and observe the doings of their nobles, but to hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death.
Now the groans of those in prison so far from being musical are very horrible to hear, yet God bends to hear them: those who are bound for death are usually ill company, yet God stoops over from his greatness to relieve their extreme distress and break their chains.
This he does by providential rescues, by restoring health to the dying, and by finding food for the famishing: and spiritually this deed of grace is accomplished by sovereign grace, which delivers us by pardon from the sentence of sin, and by the sweetness of the promise from the deadly despair which a sense of sin had created within us.
Well may those of us praise the Lord who were once the children of death, but are now brought into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
The Jews in captivity were in Haman’s time appointed to death, but their God found a way of escape for them, and they joyfully kept the feast of Purim in memorial thereof. Let all souls that have been set free from the crafty malice of the old dragon with even greater gratitude magnify the Lord of infinite compassion.
x O x
Hints for pastors and laypersons
Verse 19-22.
- The notice which God takes of the world, Psalms 102:19 .
- The place from which he beholds it: “from heaven,” not from an earthly point of view.
- The character in which he beholds it; “from the height of his sanctuary,” from the mercy-seat.
What attracts his notice most in the world.
1.The groaning of the prisoner
2.The groaning of of those appointed to death.
The purpose for which he notices them.
▪︎ “To loose,” etc.; “to declare,” etc.
• For human comfort.
• For his own glory.
Twitter: @SchoemakerHarry
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