Psalms 141:8
in Psalms 141But my eyes are fixed on You, O GOD the Lord. In You I seek refuge; do not leave my soul defenseless.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For mine eyes are unto thee, O Jehovah the Lord: In thee do I take refuge; leave not my soul destitute.
KJV
But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.
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This verse in Psalms 141
Commentary
10 notes on this verseBut mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord. He looked upward and kept his eyes fixed there. He regarded duty more than circumstances; he considered the promise rather than the external providence; and he expected from God rather than from men. He did not shut his eyes in indifference or despair, neither did he turn them to the creature in vain confidence, but he gave his eyes to his God, and saw nothing to fear. Jehovah his Lord is also his hope. Thomas called Jesus Lord and God, and David here speaks of his God and Lord.
This site's exposition
But my eyes are fixed on You
on Psalms 141:8-10
But my eyes are fixed on You turns the prayer from the traps to the one who can keep a man out of them. Spurgeon read those eyes as seeing nothing to fear. The request asks that the nets the wicked laid take the wicked, while the psalmist walks past.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"For unto You, Lord, are my eyes; in You have I hoped, take not Thou away my life" [Psalm 141:8]. For they were tortured in persecutions, and many failed. It occurs to him that many have failed, many have been in hazard, and as it were in the midst of the tribulation of persecution is sent forth the voice of one praying; "For unto You, Lord, are my eyes:" I care not what they threaten who stand around, "unto You, Lord, are my eyes." More do I fix my eye on Your promises than on their threats. I know what You have suffered for me, what You have promised me.
"For unto You, Lord, are my eyes; in You have I hoped, take not Thou away my life" [Psalm 141:8]. For they were tortured in persecutions, and many failed. It occurs to him that many have failed, many have been in hazard, and as it were in the midst of the tribulation of persecution is sent forth the voice of one praying; "For unto You, Lord, are my eyes:" I care not what they threaten who stand around, "unto You, Lord, are my eyes." More do I fix my eye on Your promises than on their threats. I know what You have suffered for me, what You have promised me.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
4 Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties. Mercy to accept what we do well, and grace to keep us from doing ill, are the two things which we are here taught by David's example to pray to God for. David loved prayer, and he begs of God that his prayers might be heard and answered,
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:25w-of-74
); for, when the case is ever so deplorable, thou canst redress all the grievances. From thee I expect relief, bad as things are, and in thee is my trust. " Those that have their eye towards God may have their hopes in him.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord. He looked upward and kept his eyes fixed there. He regarded duty more than circumstances; he considered the promise rather than the external providence; and he expected from God rather than from men. He did not shut his eyes in indifference or despair, neither did he turn them to the creature in vain confidence, but he gave his eyes to his God, and saw nothing to fear. Jehovah his Lord is also his hope. Thomas called Jesus Lord and God, and David here speaks of his God and Lord. Saints delight to dwell upon the divine names when they are adoring or appealing. In thee is my trust. Not alone in thine attributes or in thy promises, but in thyself. Others might confide where they chose, but David kept to his God: in him he trusted always, only, confidently, and unreservedly. Leave not my soul destitute; as it would be if the Lord did not remember and fulfil his promise. To be destitute in circumstances is bad, but to be destitute in soul is far worse; to be left of friends is a calamity, but to be left of God would be destruction. Destitute of God is destitution with a vengeance. The comfort is that God hath said, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."
But mine eyes are unto thee - In all times, in all places, on all occasions, I will cleave unto the Lord, and put my whole confidence in him.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord - My hope is in thee. I do not rely on my own power. I do not trust in my armed forces. I know that they are weak, dispirited, scattered - like strewed bones - like the chips and splinters lying around the place where wood is chopped. I look, therefore, solely to God. I believe that he “will” interpose; and now that my enemy has placed himself in this position, I do not need to resort to stealthful arts - to dishonorable acts - to assassination - as my friends advise, but the object will be accomplished, and I shall be placed on the throne by the act of God, and in a manner that will not subject my name and memory to reproach by a base and treacherous deed. In thee is my trust - I rely on thee alone. Leave not my soul destitute - My life; my all. Do not now leave me without thy gracious interposition; do not suffer this juncture to pass by without such an interposition as will end the war, and restore peace to me and to a distracted land.
The words behind it
10 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֤י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אֵלֶ֨יךָ׀ | ʾeleikha | [are] to you | H413 → | 5510 times |
| יְהֹוִ֣ה | yahweh | O Yahweh | H3069 → | 306 times |
| אֲדֹנָ֣י | ʾadonai | O Lord | H136 → | 440 times |
| עֵינָ֑י | ʾeinai | eyes my | H5869 → | 887 times |
| בְּכָ֥ה | bekhah | in you | ||
| חָ֝סִ֗יתִי | chasiti | I take refuge | H2620 → | 37 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תְּעַ֥ר | tear | you lay bare | H6168 → | 15 times |
| נַפְשִֽׁי׃ | nafshi | life my | H5315 → | 754 times |
כִּ֤יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
אֵלֶ֨יךָ׀[are] to you
ʾeleikhaH413 →5510 times
יְהֹוִ֣הO Yahweh
yahwehH3069 →306 times
אֲדֹנָ֣יO Lord
ʾadonaiH136 →440 times
עֵינָ֑יeyes my
ʾeinaiH5869 →887 times
בְּכָ֥הin you
bekhah
חָ֝סִ֗יתִיI take refuge
chasitiH2620 →37 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תְּעַ֥רyou lay bare
tearH6168 →15 times
נַפְשִֽׁי׃life my
nafshiH5315 →754 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Chronicles 20:12Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast army that comes against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
it leads to
- Psalms 121:1–2
I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
- Psalms 25:15
My eyes are always on the LORD, for He will free my feet from the mesh.
- Psalms 123:1–2
I lift up my eyes to You, the One enthroned in heaven.
- Deuteronomy 32:36
For the LORD will vindicate His people and have compassion on His servants when He sees that their strength is gone and no one remains, slave or free.
- 2 Corinthians 1:8–9
We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the hardships we encountered in the province of Asia. We were under a burden far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired…
- Psalms 121:1–2
Through
Psalms 102:17He will turn toward the prayer of the destitute; He will not despise their prayer.
it leads to
- Nehemiah 1:6
let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to hear the prayer that I, Your servant, now pray before You day and night for Your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins that…
- Nehemiah 1:6
Through
Isaiah 41:17The poor and needy seek water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
it leads to
- Isaiah 55:1
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!
- Isaiah 30:19
O people in Zion who dwell in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. He will surely be gracious when you cry for help; when He hears, He will answer you.
- Isaiah 55:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Psalms

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 141; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 7; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
