--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I shall look for whatever success may…" description: "\"I shall look for whatever success may attend my public service; and knowing that \"except the Lord keep the city the watchman waketh but in vain,\" with ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c6/john-quincy-adams-2098_cities_i-shall-look-for-whatever-success-may-at_1352860.png" --- # I shall look for whatever success may attend my public… ![“I shall look for whatever success may attend my public service; and knowing that "except the Lord keep the city the watchman waketh but in vain," with fervent supplications for His favor, to His overruling providence I commit with humble but fearless confidence my own fate and the future destinies…” quote by John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c6/john-quincy-adams-2098_cities_i-shall-look-for-whatever-success-may-at_1352860.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c6/john-quincy-adams-2098_cities_i-shall-look-for-whatever-success-may-at_1352860.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c6/john-quincy-adams-2098_cities_i-shall-look-for-whatever-success-may-at_1352860.png) > “I shall look for whatever success may attend my public service; and knowing that "except the Lord keep the city the watchman waketh but in vain," with fervent supplications for His favor, to His overruling providence I commit with humble but fearless confidence my own fate and the future destinies of my country.” [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He commits his political actions to divine guidance, trusting providence while acknowledging human effort. **In simple terms:** He relies on God while acting. Key Takeaway Trust in higher purpose while acting. Themes faith politics trust divine guidance Mood hopeful determined Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - government decision making - personal leadership - national destiny Key Concepts theocracy political philosophy humility Questions to Reflect On - How does faith influence policy? - What role does humility play in leadership? A Different Perspective Human agency may be limited without practical plans. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destiny/) [Fate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fate/) [Fearless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fearless/) [Future destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-destiny/) [Humble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humble/) [Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lord/) [Providence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/providence/) [Public service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-service/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Supplication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supplication/) [Vain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain/) ## Related quotes > [What is it but my ahimsa that draws thousands of women to me in fearless confidence?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/what-is-it-but-my-ahimsa-that-draws-thousands-of-women-to-me-in/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Stay humble, be fearless, and work, work, work, work, work, work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daya/stay-humble-be-fearless-and-work-work-work-work-work-work/) [Daya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daya/) > [“Hamlet: “He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/hamlet-he-was-a-man-take-him-for-all-in-all-i-shall-not-look-upon-his/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [If we are not happy and joyous at this season, for what other season shall we wait and for what other time shall we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdu-l-bah/if-we-are-not-happy-and-joyous-at-this-season-for-what-other-season/) [Abdu'l-Bahá](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdu-l-bah/) > [I shall look forward to a pleasant time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hancock/i-shall-look-forward-to-a-pleasant-time/) [John Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hancock/) > [I shall look at you out of the corner of my eye, and you will say nothing. Words are the source of misunderstandings." -from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/i-shall-look-at-you-out-of-the-corner-of-my-eye-and-you-will-say-2/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [“Constancy is my true nature! I shall never look at another woman for the rest of my days, or rather, I shall look, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/constancy-is-my-true-nature-i-shall-never-look-at-another-woman-for/) [Anne Fortier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fortier/) > [“You shall no longer take things at second or third hand, not look through the eyes of the dead, nor feed on the spectres…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/you-shall-no-longer-take-things-at-second-or-third-hand-not-look/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-was-a-man-take-him-for-all-in-all-i-shall-not-look-upon-his-like/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I Shall Look At The World Through Tears. Perhaps I Shall See Things That, Dry-Eyed, I Could Not See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-wolterstorff/i-shall-look-at-the-world-through-tears-perhaps-i-shall-see-things/) [Nicholas Wolterstorff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-wolterstorff/) > [I am afraid I shall not find him, but I shall still look for him, for if he exists, he may be appreciative of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/i-am-afraid-i-shall-not-find-him-but-i-shall-still-look-for-him-for/) [Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/) > [“Whatever you set your mind to do, believing in God shall be done. Do not look back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oludotun-salako/whatever-you-set-your-mind-to-do-believing-in-god-shall-be-done-do/) Oludotun Salako > [And at home by the fire, whenever you look up there I shall be— and whenever I look up, there will be you. -Gabriel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/and-at-home-by-the-fire-whenever-you-look-up-there-i-shall-be-and/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [Each state of the human mind has some parable in the physical creation by which it is shadowed forth; nor is it only artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/each-state-of-the-human-mind-has-some-parable-in-the-physical/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [The future is not set. There is no fate but what we make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cameron/the-future-is-not-set-there-is-no-fate-but-what-we-make/) [James Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cameron/) ## More by John Quincy Adams > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [About one-half of the members of Congress are seekers for office at the nomination of the President. Of the remainder, at least one-half have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/about-one-half-of-the-members-of-congress-are-seekers-for-office-at/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [ ...he \[Muhammad\] declared undistinguishing and exterminating war, as a part of his religion, against all the rest of mankind...The precept of the Koran is,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/he-muhammad-declared-undistinguishing-and-exterminating-war-as-a-part/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [A man's diary is a record in youth of his sentiments, in middle age of his actions, in old age of his reflections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/a-man-s-diary-is-a-record-in-youth-of-his-sentiments-in-middle-age-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [There still remains one effort of magnanimity, one sacrifice of prejudice and passion, to be made by the individuals throughout the nation who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/there-still-remains-one-effort-of-magnanimity-one-sacrifice-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [To live without having a Cicero and a Tacitus at hand seems to me as if it was aprivation of one of my limbs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/to-live-without-having-a-cicero-and-a-tacitus-at-hand-seems-to-me-as/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [ The Law given from Sinai \[The Ten Commandments\] was a civil and municipal as well as a moral and religious code. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/the-law-given-from-sinai-the-ten-commandments-was-a-civil-and/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [Whoever tells the best story wins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/whoever-tells-the-best-story-wins/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [Wherever the standard of freedom and independence has been or shall be unfurled, there will be America's heart, her benedictions and her prayers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/wherever-the-standard-of-freedom-and-independence-has-been-or-shall/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [The gigantic intellect, the envious temper, the ravenous ambition and the rotten heart of Daniel Webster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/the-gigantic-intellect-the-envious-temper-the-ravenous-ambition-and/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [“If the fundamental principles in the Declaration of Independence, as self-evident truths, are real truths, the existence of slavery, in any form, is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/if-the-fundamental-principles-in-the-declaration-of-independence-as/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [Individual liberty is individual power, and as the power of a community is a mass compounded of individual powers, the nation which enjoys the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/individual-liberty-is-individual-power-and-as-the-power-of-a/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [Of all persecuted sects, the Baptists stand forth as most prominent, simply and only because they aim at a more complete and thorough reform…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/of-all-persecuted-sects-the-baptists-stand-forth-as-most-prominent/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [“It is my wish to fill every moment of my time with some action of the mind which may contribute to the pleasure or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/it-is-my-wish-to-fill-every-moment-of-my-time-with-some-action-of-the/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [Not stones, nor wood, nor the art of artisans make a state; but where men are who know how to take care of themselves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/not-stones-nor-wood-nor-the-art-of-artisans-make-a-state-but-where/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) [Explore all 186 John Quincy Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) ## More Cities quotes > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [Surely, if Mother Nature had been consulted, she would never have consented to building a city in New Orleans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-zuckerman/surely-if-mother-nature-had-been-consulted-she-would-never-have/) [Mortimer Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-zuckerman/) > [Cities are 2% of the earth's crust, but they are 50% of the world's population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-ratti/cities-are-2-of-the-earth-s-crust-but-they-are-50-of-the-world-s/) [Carlo Ratti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-ratti/) > [A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-could-be-a-lover-and-defender-of-the-wilderness-without-ever-in/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [All Germany was in turmoil. Revolutionaries seized power in the cities of Munich, Hanover and Cologne. One regional German government after another was toppled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cross-giblin/all-germany-was-in-turmoil-revolutionaries-seized-power-in-the-cities/) James Cross Giblin > [Nice is a city of ghosts and specters, but I hope not to become one of them right away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/nice-is-a-city-of-ghosts-and-specters-but-i-hope-not-to-become-one-of/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [We will neglect our cities to our peril, for in neglecting them we neglect the nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-will-neglect-our-cities-to-our-peril-for-in-neglecting-them-we/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [I didn't know the city at all, but I was so happy to be in New York I cried. I was so excited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-didn-t-know-the-city-at-all-but-i-was-so-happy-to-be-in-new-york-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [Outside of Paris, there is no hope for the cultured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/outside-of-paris-there-is-no-hope-for-the-cultured/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [Dawn's faint breath breathes with your mouth at the ends of empty streets. Gray light your eyes, sweet drops of dawn on dark hills.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/dawn-s-faint-breath-breathes-with-your-mouth-at-the-ends-of-empty/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Vienna is a handsome, lively city, and pleases me exceedingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-chopin/vienna-is-a-handsome-lively-city-and-pleases-me-exceedingly/) [Frederic Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-chopin/) > [“We have grace of strength to work, to clear our cities of any dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-have-grace-of-strength-to-work-to-clear-our-cities-of-any-dirt/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I was too tired to think. I merely felt the town as a unique unreality. What was it? I knew -- the moon's picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-too-tired-to-think-i-merely-felt-the-town-as-a-unique-unreality/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 7,153 Cities quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I shall look for whatever success may attend my public service; and knowing that \"except the Lord keep the city the watchman waketh but in vain,\" with fervent supplications for His favor, to His overruling providence I commit with humble but fearless confidence my own fate and the future destinies of my country.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Quincy Adams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-shall-look-for-whatever-success-may-attend-my-public-service-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cities" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-shall-look-for-whatever-success-may-attend-my-public-service-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c6/john-quincy-adams-2098_cities_i-shall-look-for-whatever-success-may-at_1352860.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c6/john-quincy-adams-2098_cities_i-shall-look-for-whatever-success-may-at_1352860.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c6/john-quincy-adams-2098_cities_i-shall-look-for-whatever-success-may-at_1352860.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I shall look for whatever success may attend my public service; and knowing that \"except the Lord keep the…” — John Quincy Adams", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Quincy Adams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I shall look for whatever success...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-shall-look-for-whatever-success-may-attend-my-public-service-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-shall-look-for-whatever-success-may-attend-my-public-service-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```