“You are God who sees me” – these are the words Hagar, a runaway slave, says alone in the desert. She gives God a name: El Roi, the God who sees me. Here you will find 20 Bible verses about God seeing you – especially when others look away.
The God who sees me
God sees those whom no one else notices.
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And she called the name of the LORD, who spoke to her: You are God who sees me. For she said: Surely I have seen here the one who has looked upon me.
Genesis 16:13
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And the LORD said: I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt and have heard their cry because of those who oppress them; I have known their suffering.
Exodus 3:7
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The LORD looks down from heaven and sees all the children of men. From his firm throne he looks upon all who live on earth.
Psalm 33:13-14
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The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry.
Psalm 34:16Prayer
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I will instruct you and show you the way you should walk; I will guide you with my eyes.
Psalm 32:8School enrollmentDecisions
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For the eyes of the LORD look over all the lands, to strengthen those who are wholeheartedly devoted to him.
2 Chronicles 16:9a
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The eyes of the LORD look in all places upon both the wicked and the righteous.
Proverbs 15:3
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For his eyes are on every path, and he watches all their ways.
Job 34:21
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And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him and said to him: Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for I must stay at your house today!
Luke 19:5ConversionFood
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Nathanael says to him: How do you know me? Jesus answered and said to him: Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.
John 1:48
Fully known and loved
God knows you through and through – and loves you.
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LORD, you search me and know me. Whether I sit or stand, you know it; you understand my thoughts from afar. Whether I go or lie down, you are with me and see all my ways.
Psalm 139:1-3
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For you have formed my inner parts and woven me together in my mother's womb.
Psalm 139:13Pregnancy
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Your eyes saw me when I was yet unformed, and all my days were written in your book before they came to be, when no one was there.
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Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father. But now even the hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are better than many sparrows.
Matthew 10:29-31Self-worth
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Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. But also the hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore do not fear; you are better than many sparrows.
Luke 12:6-7
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Behold, I have engraved you on my hands.
Isaiah 49:16aSelf-worthGod's hand
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Now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I recognize it by parts; then I shall know as I am known.
1 Corinthians 13:12Understanding
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Count the ways I flee; gather my tears in your jar. Without doubt, you count them.
Psalm 56:9Self-worthSuffering
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That your alms may be hidden; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly.
Matthew 6:4Reward
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And no creature is hidden from him, but all is naked and exposed before his eyes. Of this we are speaking.
Hebrews 4:13Judgment
Bible texts: Luther Bible 1912 (public domain), carefully adapted to modern spelling.
Related Topics
This goes well with it
El Roi – “the God who sees me” – as a poster, and with it the Seen & Loved socks: seen and loved.
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Feel embraced - PostcardPostcard that sends an embrace when you cannot be there yourself.€2
Hagar and the God who sees
Hagar is an Egyptian slave in Abraham's household. When she becomes pregnant, she is treated so badly by her mistress Sarah that she flees into the desert. There, at a water source, she meets the angel of the LORD. He asks her where she comes from and where she is going, and gives her a promise for her son. Hagar answers with a name for God: “You are God who sees me” (Genesis 16:13). She is the only person in the Bible who gives God a name herself – and she is a woman without rights, on the margins of society.
When you feel overlooked
Many people know the feeling of not being seen – at work, in the family, in the congregation. The Bible answers this with Psalm 139: “LORD, you search me and know me. Whether I sit or stand, you know it” (Psalm 139:1-2). Jesus says that even the hairs on your head are numbered (Matthew 10:30). God does not see to control, but because he loves. You can find more about your own worth at Bible verses about self-worth and Bible verses about identity in Christ, and for lonely days at Bible verses against loneliness.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does El Roi mean?
El Roi is Hebrew and means “God who sees” or “God who sees me”. Hagar gives God this name in Genesis 16:13.
Where does it say “You are God who sees me”?
In Genesis 16:13. Luther 1912 translates it: “You are God who sees me.” The sentence was the verse of the day in 2023.
