Psalms 33:13
in Psalms 33The LORD looks down from heaven; He sees all the sons of men.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Jehovah looketh from heaven; He beholdeth all the sons of men;
KJV
The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.
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This verse in Psalms 33
Commentary
12 notes on this verseConsider the lofty spectator; consider him who is bending down regarding the affairs of humankind. Wherever you may go, whatever you may do, whether in the darkness or in the daytime, you have the eye of God watching. "From his habitation that he has prepared." The gates are not being opened, the curtains are not being drawn together, the habitation of God is ready for viewing. He looks on all people. No one escapes his sight; no darkness, no concealing walls, nothing is a hindrance to the eyes of God.
This site's exposition
looks down from heaven
on Psalms 33:13-15
The lens widens from the chosen nation to all the sons of men, watched from one place. He shapes the hearts of each, so the maker of every heart is the one who considers every work. No plan is hidden from Him.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
"The Lord looks from Heaven; He beholds all the sons of men" [Psalm 33:13]. From the souls of the righteous, the Lord looks mercifully upon all who would rise to newness of life.
A person does not look to the Lord, but the Lord looks to a person … for when it says "and he looks upon," it indicates the graces of the One who shows compassion, for we say that we look upon those to whom we …
As for the fact that he says, "And he has looked upon," he indicates the grace of the one who shows mercy. We say that they see that we look upon those to whom we declare that something has also been offered. And consider that …
The Medieval Church1 voice
Then when he says, "From heaven," he proves their dignity through the examination of divine judgment. And concerning this he does three things. First, he sets forth the certainty of divine judgment. Second, he adds the vanity of human prosperity, at "The king is not …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
They, and all they do, are obnoxious to his judgment; for he considers all their works, not only knows them, but weighs them, that he may render to every man according to his works, in the day, in the world, of retribution, in the judgment, and to eternity. All the powers of the creature have a dependence upon him, and are of no account, of no avail at all, without him,
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The Lord looketh from heaven,....
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
The Lord looketh from heaven. The Lord is represented as dwelling above and looking down below; seeing all things, but peculiarly observing and caring for those who trust in him. It is one of our choicest privileges to be always under our Father's eye, to be never out of sight of our best Friend. He beholdeth all the sons of men. All Adam's sons are as well watched as was Adam himself, their lone progenitor in the garden.
The Lord looketh from heaven. The Lord is represented as dwelling above and looking down below; seeing all things, but peculiarly observing and caring for those who trust in him. It is one of our choicest privileges to be always under our Father's eye, to be never out of sight of our best Friend. He beholdeth all the sons of men. All Adam's sons are as well watched as was Adam himself, their lone progenitor in the garden. Ranging from the frozen pole to the scorching equator, dwelling in hills and valleys, in huts and palaces, alike doth the divine eye regard all the members of the family of man.
The Lord looketh from heaven - This and the following verse seem to refer to God’s providence. He sees all that is done in the earth, and his eye is on all the children of men.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The Lord looketh from heaven - heaven is represented as his abode or dwelling; and from that place he is represented as looking down upon all the nations of the earth. The meaning here is, that he sees all that dwell upon the earth, and that, therefore, all that worship him are under his eye. He knows their wants, and he will watch over them to protect them. It is not merely to the abstract truth that God sees all who dwell upon the earth that the psalmist means to refer; but that those who are his friends, or who worship him, are all under his eye, so as to enjoy his watchful care and attention. He beholdeth all the sons of men - All the descendants of “Adam,” for this is the original. There is no improbability in supposing that the word “Adam” here (usually meaning “man”) is employed as a proper name to denote the great ancestor of the human race, and that the psalmist means to refer to the race as one great family descended from a common ancestor, though scattered abroad over the face of the world.
The words behind it
8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מִ֭שָּׁמַיִם | mishamayim | from [the] heavens | H8064 → | 421 times |
| הִבִּ֣יט | hibit | he looks | H5027 → | 69 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| רָ֝אָ֗ה | raah | he sees | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| אֶֽת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| בְּנֵ֥י | benei | [the] children of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| הָאָדָֽם׃ | haadam | <the> humankind | H120 → | 551 times |
מִ֭שָּׁמַיִםfrom [the] heavens
mishamayimH8064 →421 times
הִבִּ֣יטhe looks
hibitH5027 →69 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
רָ֝אָ֗הhe sees
raahH7200 →1300 times
אֶֽת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
בְּנֵ֥י[the] children of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
הָאָדָֽם׃<the> humankind
haadamH120 →551 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
Proverbs 15:3The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 16:17
For My eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from My face, and their guilt is not concealed from My eyes.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 23:24
“Can a man hide in secret places where I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the LORD.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Hebrews 4:13
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
- Jeremiah 16:17
Through
Hebrews 4:13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
it leads to
- Proverbs 15:3
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each…
- Psalms 33:13–15
The LORD looks down from heaven; He sees all the sons of men.
- Ecclesiastes 12:14
For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
- 1 Samuel 16:7
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the…
- Proverbs 15:3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Psalms
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
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 33; Basil of Caesarea, HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS 15:8 (PS 33); Cassiodorus, EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 33:13; Cassiodorus, EXPOSITIONS OF THE PSALMS 32:13; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 2; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.