Psalm 141:8 kjv
But mine eyes are unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.
Psalm 141:8 nkjv
But my eyes are upon You, O GOD the Lord; In You I take refuge; Do not leave my soul destitute.
Psalm 141:8 niv
But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign LORD; in you I take refuge?do not give me over to death.
Psalm 141:8 esv
But my eyes are toward you, O GOD, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!
Psalm 141:8 nlt
I look to you for help, O Sovereign LORD.
You are my refuge; don't let them kill me.
Psalm 141 verses
Meaning
Psalm 141:8 expresses an unwavering declaration of trust and absolute dependence on God amid profound danger and moral temptation. The psalmist explicitly states that his entire focus and hope are directed towards the Lord, recognizing Him as the singular source of protection and security. This verse highlights a deep conviction that refuge is found exclusively in God, coupled with an urgent supplication for God to sustain and preserve his very life, ensuring he is not left defenseless or utterly exposed to harm.
Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference (Note) |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 25:15 | My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for he will pluck my feet out of... | Eyes focused on God for rescue. |
| Psa 121:1-2 | I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help | Looking to God as sole help. |
| Psa 34:15 | The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward... | God's constant watch over His own. |
| Isa 45:22 | Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God,... | Directing gaze to God for salvation. |
| Heb 12:2 | looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,... | Keeping gaze fixed on Christ. |
| Col 3:1-2 | If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are... | Setting mind on heavenly realities. |
| Psa 7:1 | O LORD my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuits | Seeking God for immediate salvation. |
| Psa 18:30 | This God—his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is | God as a shield to His trustors. |
| Psa 57:1 | Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, for in you my soul... | Seeking mercy and shelter in distress. |
| Psa 91:2 | I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom. | Declaring God as personal strong protection. |
| Prov 30:5 | Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take... | God's faithfulness provides ultimate shield. |
| Nah 1:7 | The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows... | God as a secure haven in times of trouble. |
| Deut 33:27 | The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the... | God's eternal dwelling as constant refuge. |
| Isa 26:3-4 | You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because... | Trust in God's character brings peace and refuge. |
| Psa 16:10 | For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one... | God's promise not to leave soul to destruction. |
| Psa 22:20 | Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power... | Plea for soul's rescue from peril. |
| Psa 69:1-2 | Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in... | Prayer against overwhelming spiritual/physical drowning. |
| Psa 71:1-2 | In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame! In... | Plea for vindication and not being disgraced. |
| John 10:28-29 | I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one... | Christ's promise of perpetual safety for His flock. |
| Phil 1:6 | And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will... | God's faithfulness to complete His salvific work. |
| Rom 8:38-39 | For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers,... | No power can separate believers from God's love. |
| 2 Cor 1:9-10 | Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that | Learning to trust God for ultimate deliverance. |
Context
Psalm 141 is a personal lament and petition of David, a fervent prayer from someone facing profound spiritual and physical threats. The preceding verses (vv. 3-7) highlight David's awareness of his own vulnerability to sin and the dangers posed by the wicked. He prays for his speech to be guarded (v. 3), and for his heart not to be enticed into evil practices or association with evildoers (v. 4). He welcomes righteous correction rather than flattery from the wicked (v. 5). The Psalm shifts abruptly to graphic imagery of violent death for his enemies (v. 6) and the dire state of his own people (v. 7). Against this backdrop of moral temptation and overwhelming external danger, verse 8 serves as a pivotal contrast and a powerful statement of the psalmist's only hope, explicitly declaring his resolute and sole reliance on the Lord for preservation from impending doom.
Word analysis
- But: Hebrew "כִּי" (ki). Here functions as a strong adversative or emphatic particle, often best understood as "indeed" or "for this very reason," indicating a crucial contrast and a shift from describing threats to declaring absolute trust in God.
- my eyes: Hebrew "עֵינַי" (einai). Not merely physical sight, but symbolizes attention, expectation, and the full focus of one's hope and inner being. Directing one's eyes implies deep trust and dependency.
- are toward you: Hebrew "אֵלֶיךָ" (eleyka). Signifies absolute orientation and directedness of the psalmist's entire hope and trust towards God. It denotes an active posture of looking and waiting.
- O GOD the Lord: Hebrew "אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה" (Adonai YHWH). A highly significant address. "Adonai" conveys absolute sovereignty and mastery, while "YHWH" (the covenant name) speaks to God's self-existence, personal faithfulness, and unchanging commitment to His people. This dual title emphasizes God as both supreme ruler and dependable covenant partner.
- in you: Hebrew "בְּךָ" (bekha). Emphasizes that God Himself is the sphere, the secure dwelling, and the protective environment within which refuge is sought and found.
- I take refuge: Hebrew "חָסִיתִי" (chasiti), from "חָסָה" (chasah). Means to flee for protection, seek shelter, trust implicitly, or find safety. The perfect tense (past tense) signifies a settled conviction and an ongoing state: "I have taken refuge," indicating an established and continuous reliance.
- do not leave: Hebrew "אַל תְּעַר" (al te'ar). "אַל" is a negative command. "תְּעַר" (from "עָרָה," arah) means to pour out, strip bare, expose, make desolate, or empty. It’s a plea for God not to abandon His protective hand.
- my soul: Hebrew "נַפְשִׁי" (nafshi). Refers to one's vital breath, life, and entire innermost being—spiritual, emotional, and physical. The prayer encompasses the entirety of the psalmist's existence.
- bereft: English rendering of "עָרָה" (arah), conveying the state of being stripped, unprotected, desolate, or utterly vulnerable and exposed to destruction.
Words-group analysis
- "But my eyes are toward you, O GOD the Lord": This segment signals a crucial pivot. Despite external threats and internal struggles against temptation, the psalmist's hope, expectation, and entire focus are singularly fixed upon God. Addressing God with His titles of supreme authority ("Adonai") and covenant faithfulness ("YHWH") underscores the solid foundation of this trust.
- "in you I take refuge": This phrase isn't a mere aspiration but a declaration of a deeply established spiritual posture. The perfect tense indicates that taking refuge in God is an ongoing reality and a completed commitment, providing the confidence upon which the ensuing petition is based. It defines his foundational relationship with God.
- "do not leave my soul bereft": This is the heart of the supplication. It's a plea for active, sustained divine protection, expressing the profound fear of being spiritually or physically abandoned, utterly exposed, or made desolate. It signifies a dependence on God's continuous preservation to avoid ultimate ruin or succumbing to temptation.
Commentary
Psalm 141:8 is a powerful articulation of total reliance on God when faced with overwhelming peril and temptation. It transitions sharply from the preceding verses detailing sin's lure and external dangers, establishing a profound reorientation. The psalmist's declaration that "my eyes are toward you" signifies a deliberate choice to fix his hope, expectation, and entire being solely upon God. Addressing God as "Adonai YHWH" highlights both His sovereign power and His unwavering covenant faithfulness, grounding the psalmist's confidence in God's immutable character. The subsequent "in you I take refuge" speaks of a settled and enduring trust—it is a conviction already embraced, not merely a future action. This deep-seated reliance then fuels the earnest plea, "do not leave my soul bereft." This prayer is a desperate cry against being abandoned to despair, temptation, or destruction; it’s a desire for God’s continued, active protection so that his very life is not laid bare and vulnerable. It encapsulates the essence of biblical faith: a turning away from all other dependencies and an utter commitment to God as the sole provider and preserver of life.
Bonus section
The placement of this verse is critical within Psalm 141. It acts as the core of hope and redirection after David describes the grim realities of temptation (vv. 3-4) and the brutality of his adversaries (vv. 6-7). This structure underscores a key pattern in the Psalms: often, expressions of lament or distress lead to a climactic declaration of faith in God as the deliverer. The request "do not leave my soul bereft" is not only for physical safety but also deeply spiritual—a plea for integrity and purity of heart to remain uncompromised by the surrounding wickedness, echoing the prayer for mouth and heart in earlier verses. This verse serves as a spiritual compass, guiding the believer to actively orient their whole being toward God amidst life's challenges.