Bible Commentaries
Psalms 123

Verses 1-4

A song of degrees, setting forth the psalmist's earnest prayer for mercy on account of the distress which has beset him.

v. 1. Unto Thee lift I up mine eyes, in humble, but confident expectation of help, O Thou that dwellest in the heavens, enthroned as the almighty Sovereign, for whom it is a small matter to come to the assistance of His children on earth.

v. 2. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden, of a servant-girl, unto the hand of her mistress, watching and interpreting the slightest gesture and sign correctly, so our eyes wait upon the Lord, our God, until that He have mercy upon us, for that is the firm expectation of the believers, as they desire mercy only and urge no merit on their part. "The servants of God should look to His directing hand to appoint them their work; to His supplying hand, to give them their portion in due season; to His protecting hand, to right them when wronged; to His correcting hand, 1 Peter 5:6; to His rewarding hand. "

v. 3. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us, this call being, as one commentator has it, the constant Kyrie of all believers; for we are exceedingly filled with contempt, heaped with scorn by the proud enemies and oppressors.

v. 4. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, the enemies who believe themselves. to be secure, and with the contempt of the proud, despots who sought to oppress them in every possible manner. Thus the Church has ever, in the midst of persecution, turned to the Lord alone, resting its hope of deliverance in His mercy.