1I lift up my eyes to you, you who sit in the heavens.
2Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress; so our eyes look to Yahweh, our God, until he has mercy on us.
3Have mercy on us, Yahweh, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt.
4Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scoffing of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud.
1 I lift up my eyes to you, you who sit in the heavens.
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress; so our eyes look to Yahweh, our God, until he has mercy on us.
3 Have mercy on us, Yahweh, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt.
4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scoffing of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud.
KJVKing James Version
1 Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.
3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.
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JPSJPS Tanakh (1917)
1 A Song of Ascents. Unto Thee I lift up mine eyes, O Thou that art enthroned in the heavens.
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants unto the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes look unto the LORD our God, until He be gracious unto us.
3 Be gracious unto us, O LORD, be gracious unto us; for we are full sated with contempt.
4 Our soul is full sated with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud oppressors.
Psalms 121:1(v1)I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?
Psalms 141:8(v1)For my eyes are on you, Yahweh, the Lord. In you, I take refuge. Don’t leave my soul destitute.
Psalms 130:5-6(v2)I wait for Yahweh. My soul waits. I hope in his word. My soul longs for the Lord more than watchmen long for the morning, more than…
Psalms 25:15(vv1–2)My eyes are ever on Yahweh, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.
Psalms 2:4(v1)He who sits in the heavens will laugh. The Lord will have them in derision.
Show all 60 cross-references
Lamentations 3:25-26(v2)Yahweh is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation…
Psalms 40:1-3(v2)I waited patiently for Yahweh. He turned to me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay. He set…
Genesis 49:18(v2)I have waited for your salvation, Yahweh.
Psalms 11:4(v1)Yahweh is in his holy temple. Yahweh is on his throne in heaven. His eyes observe. His eyes examine the children of men.
Matthew 6:9(v1)Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
Luke 18:13(v1)But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a…
Psalms 119:123-125(v2)My eyes fail looking for your salvation, for your righteous word. Deal with your servant according to your loving kindness. Teach me your…
Psalms 120:1(v1)In my distress, I cried to Yahweh. He answered me.
Psalms 125:1(v1)Those who trust in Yahweh are as Mount Zion, which can’t be moved, but remains forever.
Psalms 132:1(v1)Yahweh, remember David and all his affliction,
Isaiah 57:15(v1)For the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, says: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a…
Luke 18:1(v2)He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up,
Genesis 32:26(v2)The man said, “Let me go, for the day breaks.” Jacob said, “I won’t let you go unless you bless me.”
Job 12:5(v4)In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune. It is ready for them whose foot slips.
Psalms 115:3(v1)But our God is in the heavens. He does whatever he pleases.
Psalms 119:51(v4)The arrogant mock me excessively, but I don’t swerve from your law.
Psalms 126:1(v1)When Yahweh brought back those who returned to Zion, we were like those who dream.
Psalms 130:1(v1)Out of the depths I have cried to you, Yahweh.
Psalms 127:1(v1)Unless Yahweh builds the house, they who build it labor in vain. Unless Yahweh watches over the city, the watchman guards it in vain.
Psalms 129:1(v1)Many times they have afflicted me from my youth up. Let Israel now say,
Psalms 57:1(v3)Be merciful to me, God, be merciful to me, for my soul takes refuge in you. Yes, in the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge, until…
Psalms 128:1(v1)Blessed is everyone who fears Yahweh, who walks in his ways.
Psalms 133:1(v1)See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity!
Psalms 134:1(v1)Look! Praise Yahweh, all you servants of Yahweh, who stand by night in Yahweh’s house!
Isaiah 66:1(v1)Yahweh says, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build to me? Where will I rest?
Luke 18:11-13(v3)The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men, extortionists, unrighteous,…
Acts 17:32(v4)Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, “We want to hear you again concerning this.”
Psalms 89:50-51(v3)Remember, Lord, the reproach of your servants, how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the mighty peoples, With which your enemies have…
Psalms 124:1(v1)If it had not been Yahweh who was on our side, let Israel now say,
Isaiah 32:11(v4)Tremble, you women who are at ease! Be troubled, you careless ones! Strip yourselves, make yourselves naked, and put sackcloth on your…
1 Corinthians 4:13(v4)Being defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, the dirt wiped off by all, even until now.
Joshua 10:6(v2)The men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Don’t abandon your servants! Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us;…
Nehemiah 2:19(v4)But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite servant, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they ridiculed us, and despised us, and…
Nehemiah 4:2-4(v3)He spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they…
Job 16:4(v4)I also could speak as you do. If your soul were in my soul’s place, I could join words together against you, and shake my head at you,
Psalms 73:5-9(v4)They are free from burdens of men, neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride is like a chain around their neck. Violence…
Isaiah 32:9(v4)Rise up, you women who are at ease! Hear my voice! You careless daughters, give ear to my speech!
Jeremiah 48:11(v4)“Moab has been at ease from his youth, and he has settled on his lees, and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither has he gone…
Jeremiah 48:29(v4)“We have heard of the pride of Moab. He is very proud in his loftiness, his pride, his arrogance, and the arrogance of his heart.
Amos 6:1(v4)Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who are secure on the mountain of Samaria, the notable men of the chief of the nations,…
Acts 26:24(v4)As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!”
Joshua 9:27(v2)That day Joshua made them wood cutters and drawers of water for the congregation and for Yahweh’s altar to this day, in the place which he…
Psalms 4:1(v3)Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness. Give me relief from my distress. Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.
Psalms 56:1-2(v3)Be merciful to me, God, for man wants to swallow me up. All day long, he attacks and oppresses me. My enemies want to swallow me up all day…
Psalms 69:13-16(v3)But as for me, my prayer is to you, Yahweh, in an acceptable time. God, in the abundance of your loving kindness, answer me in the truth of…
Psalms 113:5-6(v1)Who is like Yahweh, our God, who has his seat on high, Who stoops down to see in heaven and in the earth?
Psalms 119:82(v2)My eyes fail for your word. I say, “When will you comfort me?”
Psalms 131:1(v1)Yahweh, my heart isn’t arrogant, nor my eyes lofty; nor do I concern myself with great matters, or things too wonderful for me.
Isaiah 53:3(v3)He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering and acquainted with disease. He was despised as one from whom men hide their face;…
Jeremiah 48:27(v4)For wasn’t Israel a derision to you? Was he found among thieves? For as often as you speak of him, you shake your head.
Luke 16:14(v3)The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they scoffed at him.
Luke 23:35(v3)The people stood watching. The rulers with them also scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ…
Acts 17:21(v4)Now all the Athenians and the strangers living there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.
Psalms 44:13-16(v3)You make us a reproach to our neighbors, a scoffing and a derision to those who are around us. You make us a byword among the nations, a…
Psalms 122:1(v1)I was glad when they said to me, “Let’s go to Yahweh’s house!”
60 distinct cross-references across this passage (61 total citations).
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (26 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
John Calvin1540 · Public DomainOn vv1–31. I lift my eyes to thee, who dwellest…
1. I lift my eyes to thee, who dwellest in the heavens. It is uncertain at what time, or even by what Prophet, this Psalm was composed. I do not think it probable that David was its author; because, when he bewails the persecutions which he suffered in the time of Saul, it is usual with him to inter-pose some particular references to himself. My opinion, then, rather is, that this form of prayer was composed for all the godly by some Prophet, either when the Jews were captives in Babylon, or when Antiochus Epiphanes exercised towards them the most relentless cruelty. Be this as it may, the Holy Spirit, by whose inspiration the Prophet delivered it to the people, calls upon us to have recourse to God, when — ever wicked men unrighteously and proudly persecute, not one or two of the faithful only, but the whole body of the Church. Moreover, God is here expressly called the God who dwelleth in the heavens, not simply to teach his people to estimate the divine power as it deserves, but also that, when no hope of aid is left for them on earth, yea rather, when their condition is desperate, just as if they were laid in the grave, or as if they were lost in a labyrinth, they should then remember that the power of God remains in heaven in unimpaired and infinite perfection. Thus these words seem to contain a tacit contrast between the troubled and confused state of this world and God’s heavenly kingdom, from whence he so manages and governs all things, that whenever it pleases him, he calms all the agitations of the world, comes to the rescue of the desperate and the despairing, restores light by dispelling darkness, and raises up such as were cast down and laid prostrate on the ground. This the Prophet confirms by the verb lift up; which intimates, that although all worldly resources fail us, we must raise our eyes upward to heaven, where God remains unchangeably the same, despite the mad impetuosity of men in turning all things here below upside down.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators1599 · Public DomainOn vv2–3He compareth the condition of the godly, to servants…
He compareth the condition of the godly, to servants that are destitute of all help, assuring that when all other helps fail, God is ever at hand and like himself.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp1656 · Public DomainOn vv1–4Psa 123:1 « A Song of degrees. » Unto…
Psa 123:1 « A Song of degrees. » Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
Ver. 1. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes] Praying by them rather than by words, mine afflictions having swollen my heart too big for my mouth. {See Trapp on "Psa 121:1"}
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole1685 · Public DomainOn vv1–4Unto thee only, because all other persons either cannot…
Unto thee only, because all other persons either cannot or will not help me.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry1710 · Public DomainOn v1We have here,
We have here,
I. The solemn profession which God's people make of faith and hope in God, Psa 123:1, Psa 123:2. Observe, 1. The title here given to God: O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Our Lord Jesus has taught us, in prayer, to have an eye to God as our Father in heaven; not that he is confined there, but there especially he manifests his glory, as the King in his court. Heaven is a place of prospect and a place of power; he that dwells there beholds thence all the calamities of his people and thence can send to save them. Sometimes God seems to have forsaken the earth, and the enemies of God's people ask, Where is now your God? But then they can say with comfort, Our God is in the heavens. O thou that sittest in the heavens (so some), sittest as Judge there; for the Lord has prepared his throne in the heavens, and to that throne injured innocency may appeal. 2. The regard here had to God. The psalmist himself lifted up his eyes to him. The eyes of a good man are ever towards the Lord, Psa 25:15. In every prayer we lift up our soul, the eye of our soul, to God, especially in trouble, which was the case here. The eyes of the people waited on the Lord, Psa 123:2. We find mercy coming towards a people when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, are towards the Lord, Zac 9:1. The eyes of the body are heaven-ward. Os homini sublime dedit - To man he gave an erect mien, to teach us which way to direct the eyes of the mind. Our eyes wait on the Lord, the eye of desire and prayer, the begging eye, and the eye of dependence, hope, and expectation, the longing eye. Our eyes must wait upon God as the Lord, and our God, until that he have mercy upon us. We desire mercy from him, we hope he will show us mercy, and we will continue our attendance on him till the mercy come. This is illustrated (Psa 123:2) by a similitude: Our eyes are to God as the eyes of a servant, and handmaid, to the hand of their master and mistress. The eyes of a servant are, (1.) To his master's directing hand, expecting that he will appoint him his work, and cut it out for him, and show him how he must do it. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? (2.) To his supplying hand. Servants look to their master, or their mistress, for their portion of meat in due season, Pro 31:15. And to God must we look for daily bread, for grace sufficient; from him we must receive it thankfully. (3.) To his assisting hand. If the servant cannot do his work himself, where must he look for help but to his master? And in the strength of the Lord God we must go forth and go on. (4.) To his protecting hand. If the servant meet with opposition in his work, if he be questioned for what he does, if he be wronged and injured, who should bear him out and right him, but his master that set him on work? The people of God, when they are persecuted, may appeal to their Master, We are thine; save us. (5.) To his correcting hand. If the servant has provoked his master to beat him, he does not call for help against his master, but looks at the hand that strikes him, till it shall say, "It is enough; I will not contend for ever." The people of God were now under his rebukes; and whither should they turn but to him that smote them? Isa 9:13. To whom should they make supplication but to their Judge? They will not do as Hagar did, who ran away from her mistress when she put some hardships upon her (Gen 16:6), but they submit themselves to and humble themselves under God's mighty hand. (6.) To his rewarding hand. The servant expects his wages, his well-done, from his master. Hypocrites have their eye to the world's hand; thence they have their reward (Mat 6:2); but true Christians have their eye to God as their rewarder.
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II. The humble address which God's people present to him in their calamitous condition (Psa 123:3, Psa 123:4), wherein, 1. They sue for mercy, not prescribing to God what he shall do for them, nor pleading any merit of their own why he should do it for them, but, Have mercy upon us, O Lord! have mercy upon us. We find little mercy with men; their tender mercies are cruel; there are cruel mockings. But this is our comfort, that with the Lord there is mercy and we need desire no more to relieve us, and make us easy, than the mercy of God. Whatever the troubles of the church are, God's mercy is a sovereign remedy. 2. They set forth their grievances: We are exceedingly filled with contempt. Reproach is the wound, the burden, they complain of. Observe, (1.) Who were reproached: "We, who have our eyes up to thee." Those who are owned of God are often despised and trampled on by the world. Some translate the words which we render, those that are at ease, and the proud, so as to signify the persons that are scorned and contemned. "Our soul is troubled to see how those that are at peace, and the excellent ones, are scorned and despised." The saints are a peaceable people and yet are abused (Psa 35:20), the excellent ones of the earth and yet undervalued, Lam 4:1, Lam 4:2. (2.) Who did reproach them. Taking the words as we read them, they were the epicures who lived at ease, carnal sensual people, Job 12:5. The scoffers are such as walk after their own lusts and serve their own bellies, and the proud such as set God himself at defiance and had a high opinion of themselves; they trampled on God's people, thinking they magnified themselves by vilifying them. (3.) To what degree they were reproached: "We are filled, we are surfeited with it. Our soul is exceedingly filled with it." The enemies thought they could never jeer them enough, nor say enough to make them despicable; and they could not but lay it to heart; it was a sword in their bones, Psa 42:10. Note, [1.] Scorning and contempt have been, and are, and are likely to be, the lot of God's people in this world. Ishmael mocked Isaac, which is called persecuting him; and so it is now, Gal 4:29. [2.] In reference to the scorn and contempt of men it is matter of comfort that there is mercy with God, mercy to our good names when they are barbarously used. Hear, O our God! for we are despised.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill1763 · Public DomainOn vv1–4Unto thee lift I up mine eyes,.... Not only…
Unto thee lift I up mine eyes,.... Not only the eyes of his body, this being a prayer gesture; see Mat 14:19; but the eyes of his mind and understanding, opened by the Spirit of God; particularly the eye of faith, by which he looked for and expected help and salvation from the Lord. The phrase is expressive of holy confidence in God, and a comfortable hope of receiving good things from him; as, on the contrary, when persons are ashamed and confounded with a sense of their sins, and the aggravations of them, and of their own unworthiness and vileness; and, on account of the same, almost out of all hope, cannot lift up their eyes to heaven, or their face before God, Ezr 9:6;
O thou that dwellest in the heavens; the heaven of heavens, the third heaven, the seat of angels and glorified saints; and though the Lord is everywhere, and fills heaven and earth with his presence, and cannot be contained any where; yet here is the more visible display of his glory; here he keeps his court; this is his palace, and here his throne is prepared, and on it he sits (d); so some render the word here; as the Judge of the whole earth, and takes a view of all men and their actions; and, as the God of nature and providence, governs and orders all things after his own will; and, as the God of grace, sits on a throne of grace, kindly inviting and encouraging his people to come unto him: and therefore the psalmist addresses him as such; see Ecc 5:2, Mat 6:9. The Targum is,
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"O thou that sittest on a throne of glory in heaven!''
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley1765 · Public DomainOn vv1–2The psalmist expresses and prays for deliverance from trouble,…
The psalmist expresses and prays for deliverance from trouble, ver. 1-4. A song of degrees.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke1810 · Public DomainOn vv1–4The prayer and faith of the godly, 1, 2.
PSALM CXXIII
The prayer and faith of the godly, 1, 2.
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They desire to be delivered from contempt, 3, 4.
NOTES ON PSALM CXXIII
This Psalm is probably a complaint of the captives in Babylon relative to the contempt and cruel usage they received. The author is uncertain.
Verse 1. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes] We have no hope but in thee; our eyes look upward; we have expectation from thy mercy alone.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson1811 · Public DomainOn vv1, 3Psa 123:1-2. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes…
Psa 123:1-2. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes — Though all human help fail us in this sore distress, yet I do not despair of relief from thee; O thou that dwellest in the heavens — Whose majesty and power incomparably excel those of all earthly monarchs. Behold, as the eyes of servants, &c. — “Behold how not only I, but the rest of thy faithful people wait upon thee, submitting ourselves to this severe punishment, as poor slaves do to the stroke of their offended master or mistress, and resolving to bear it patiently till thou, our Lord, who dost inflict it, wilt be pleased to show thyself our most gracious God, and in much pity toward us remove it.” — Bishop Patrick. In justification of this interpretation of the bishop, it may be observed that “masters had a power, not only of commanding, but of severely punishing their servants,” and that therefore this looking to the hand, &c., is thought by some “to denote the servant, under chastisement, turning his eyes, and looking to the hand that strikes, and beseeching and importuning for mercy; an argument of a meek, patient, and reforming disposition.” Others, however, rather think it denotes servants looking to their masters for help and defence against their enemies and oppressors. For servants were unable to defend themselves, and were not allowed to wear defensive weapons, but expected and received protection from their masters in case of injury. Accordingly, this phrase, of having one’s eyes toward others, both in this and the other sacred books, constantly signifies the expectation and desire of help from them. And the phrase of God’s having mercy upon a person, generally signifies his mercifully helping and delivering him.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes1834 · Public DomainOn vv1–4Unto thee - To God.
Unto thee - To God.
Lift I up mine eyes - In supplication and prayer. Nature prompts us to look up when we address God, as if he dwelt above us. It is the natural prompting of the heart that he must be the most exalted of all beings, dwelling above all. See Psa 121:1.
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O thou that dwellest in the heavens - Whose home - whose special home - is in heaven - above the sky. This is in accordance with the common feelings of people, and the common description of God in the Bible, though it is true also that God is everywhere. Compare Psa 2:4; Psa 11:4.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures1864 · Public DomainOn v1Psalms 123
Psalms 123
A Song of degrees
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Unto thee lift I up mine eyes,
O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants
Look unto the hand of their masters,
And as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress;
So our eyes wait upon the Lord our God,
Until that he have mercy upon us.
3 Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us:
For we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
4 Our soul is exceedingly filled
With the scorning of those who are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
Contents and Composition.—The situation in which the poet was placed may be compared with Neh_2:19. From this situation an ardent prayer for a manifestation of the Divine mercy arises, with an upward look of faith to that God, who is exalted above all the world, and is its Sovereign. “This is a heavy sigh from an anguish-stricken heart, which looks all around and seeks friends, protectors, and comforters, but can find none. Therefore it says: where shall I find refuge, poor, despised man that I am? I am not strong enough to defend myself; wisdom and counsel fail me amidst the multitude of the onsets of my enemies; therefore come I to Thee, O my God; unto Thee do I lift up mine eyes, O Thou that dwellest in the heavens!” (Luther). The Psalmist declares, first, in the singular number, what he does personally, but immediately thereafter he employs the plural, as a member and representative of a large community.
[The circumstances described in Neh_2:12 ff. are generally accepted as the situation of the writer of the Psalm. The following is the view of Perowne: “The Psalm is either the sigh of an exile, towards the close of the captivity, looking in faith and patience for the deliverance, which he had reason to hope was now nigh at hand, or it is the sigh of those who, having already returned to their native land, were still exposed to the scorn and contempt of the Samaritans and others, who, favored by the Persian Government, took every opportunity of harassing and insulting the Jews, comp. Neh_2:19 with Psa_123:4.” Delitzsch thinks that it is possibly a Maccabean Psalm, in which case the last word of the poem might allude “to the despotic rule of the יְוָנִים” (Ionians, sons of Javan, the Western nations generally). With reference to the character of the psalm, he quotes the beautiful expression of Alsted (died 1633), who styles it, oculus sperans, the eye of hope—J. F .M]..
[Ver.1b, should perhaps be rendered: Oh, Thou that sittest in the heavens!: that is, God is addressed as one who is enthroned as king, and who can therefore be appealed to for sovereign aid. This also supports the exposition of Psa_123:2, defended below.—J. F. M.].
Psa_123:2. Upon the hand of their masters. The look is probably not directed to the punishing hand, which administers deserved chastisement, Gen_16:6 f. (Aben Ezra, Kimchi, Ewald, Hengst.), or to the hand giving the sign for the punishment to cease (Rosenmüller). It would be better to regard it as the hand that scatters blessings, affords protection and sustenance, Psa_104:27 f.; Psa_145:15 f. (Chald., Calv., Geier, J. H. Mich., Köster, et al.). But perhaps the most correct interpretation is that which is based upon the relation of dependence, so distinctly expressed, and understands the hand which controls the household, the disposing hand, to be referred to, from which the dependants have to expect confidently the supply of all their needs, (De Wette, Hupf., Del.). [Delitzsch: “The Israelites are Jehovah’s servants, the Church of Israel is Jehovah’s handmaid. In His hand lies her future destiny. He will at last have compassion on His Own. Therefore is her longing unwearied gaze cast upwards to Him, until He shall remove her oppression.”—J. F. M.].
Psa_123:4. The idea of presumption is proper to the word שַׁאֲנָן. (=secure). [E. V.: who live at ease, which is the first signification of the word. J. F. M.]. It is here parallel to גאיּונים, which the Masorites reckon among the fifteen which are written as one word, but to be read as two. According to this the translation would be: of the pride of the oppressors. But it has been already explained by Aben Ezra and Kimchi as an adjective form, occurring only in this passage.
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
When we are in trouble upon earth, it is our comfort, that we have in heaven a God, into whose controlling hand we can commit all our cares.—If we are to act as servants of the Almighty, we must not merely raise our eyes to heaven: we must also yield our hearts to Him.—Servants of God must learn to endure contempt and scorn from the children of the world; out for this they have need of the faith and patience of the saints.—God’s hand of mercy and our hand of faith are put forth simultaneously.
Starke: All believers are looking up to heaven; and their Father in heaven is looking down. And thus neither faithfulness nor love grows less on either side until they meet.—That faith, which looks untiringly upon God, is something great and powerful, which is not to be found by the way, but must be gained by prayer and supplication.—He who, for the sake of Christ and God, can bear and suffer faithfully ridicule and contempt, has made great progress in one element of true religion.—Frisch; God regards those who are faithful and obedient. But I would that faithful servants and handmaids would regard the Lord who is over all.—Rieger: My faith waits for the Lord, and for what comforting deeds He shall do for me and display before me.–Richter: Unbelief first despises and then ridicules, and after despite and ridicule comes persecution.—Tholuck: As long as we look to human hands, hope and fear must alternate, but when those who dare to trust a merciful God, look only to His hands, assurance abides with them.—Guenther: No man can give, unless God previously fills and opens his hands.—Taube: After men have looked towards God, they run towards Him, and then they cannot be put to shame.
[Matt. Henry: The eyes of a servant are, (1) to his master’s directing hand, (2) to his supplying hand, (3) to his assisting hand, (4) to his protecting hand, (5) to his correcting hand, (6) to his rewarding hand.—Scott: Contempt is very hard to bear; but the servants of God should not complain, if they are treated as His beloved Son was.—Bp. Horne: Under the law of Moses, a master was to demand satisfaction, and to have it made him, for any hurt done to his servants. And shall not the best of masters avenge the wrongs done to those that serve Him?—Barnes: The Church has performed its duty better in the furnace of persecution, than it has in the gay scenes of the world.—J. F. M.].
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Daniel D. Whedon1874 · Public DomainOn vv1–31. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes—See note…
1. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes—See note on Psa_121:1. “Jehovah our God,” (Psa_123:2,) is the only helper of Israel, and from him alone is relief expected.
That dwellest in the heavens—See notes on Psa_113:4-6
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges1878 · Public DomainOn vv1–41. lift I up] Lit. have I lifted up;…
1. lift I up] Lit. have I lifted up; I have long been and still am looking to Jehovah for the help which He alone can give. Cp. Psa_121:1; Psa_25:15.
O thou that dwellest in the heavens] Rather, O thou that sittest throned in heaven (cp. Psa_2:4), as the supreme King and Governor of the world. Cp. the frequent use of the phrase ‘God of heaven’ in Ezra and Nehemiah.
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1, 2. The eye of hope upturned to Jehovah.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers1878 · Public DomainOn vv1–4(1) O thou that dwellest.—O thou throned one.
(1) O thou that dwellest.—O thou throned one.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary1880 · Public DomainOn vv1–4Unto thee lift I up mine eyes. (comp. Psa_121:1,…
Unto thee lift I up mine eyes. (comp. Psa_121:1, where the psalmist "lifted up his eyes" to God"s dwelling-place) Now the expression is bolder. The eyes are lifted up to God himself. Oh thou that dwellest in the heavens. (comp. Psa_2:4 Psa_11:4 Isa_57:15 Isa_66:1)
Vers. 1-4. Our refuge in trouble.
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Beside and beyond the ordinary cares and vexations of this present time, there are
I TIMES OF PECULIAR TRIAL. It may be
(1) the nation that has to pass through this period; e.g. Israel in Egypt, and again the Jews in Babylon; or, in modern times, Poland or the Italian Duchies, or the kingdom of the Two Sicilies; or it may be
(2) the Church of Christ, understanding by this either the large aggregate community, or the body of believing men and women meeting in one place (e.g. the Church at Philippi, the Church at Thessalonica); or it may be
(3) the individual man as he goes on his way through mortal life. Hard and bitter trial may come in one or more of many ways; but the text points to that of oppression, the cruel treatment of the weaker by the stronger. This may come in the form of positive ill treatment of imprisonment) of "despoiling of goods," of exile, of physical violence. But that which was in the psalmist"s mind, and that which is most likely to be included in our experience, is contemptuous disregard, an arrogant assumption of superiority. We may find ourselves placed under those of whom we feel that they have missed their way, and are in the darkness of error, while they are denouncing us as heretics; or those of whom we feel that they are a very long way from wisdom and worth, while they are treating us with disdain as if we were the enemies of Christ; or of those who are superciliously ridiculing our most sacred convictions, though they have no other or better proof of the rightness of their own creed than that it is the faith of a majority. And if we have to bear this "contempt of the proud" from day to day, if it is as the dropping of water upon the stone, which wears out the hardest substance, we may find it to be all but intolerable; we may not only wince, but writhe under it; our soul may be "exceedingly filled" with the scorning of those that are at ease. Whither, then, shall we turn? If there be no escape from it, as there often is not, we must find
II OUR REFUGE IN GOD. (Vers. 1, 2) When we have vainly looked around for help from man, "we lift up our eyes" to God to him that "dwelleth in the heavens.
1. We recognize the fact that he has power to deliver us.
2. We believe that, in his Divine wisdom, he can interpose on our behalf without any disturbance of his system of Divine government.
3. We are sure that our suffering is not a matter of indifference to his heart, and that our cry enters his ear.
4. We must not be impatient or distrustful if the time or method of our choice should not prove to be his chosen time or way of deliverance.
5. We do well to continue our prayer for relief "until he have pity upon us" and rescue us.
6. Meantime we should
(1) let our trouble draw us nearer to our Divine Friend in all hallowed fellowship;
(2) loosen our tie to this present world;
(3) enable us to give to all that witness our course another illustration that the upholding grace of God can triumph over the enmity and cruelty of man.
HOMILIES BY S. CONWAY Vers. 1-4. "Unto thee lift I up mine eyes.
These psalms are called "Songs of Degrees." For some thought that they were sung on the steps that led from one court to another in the temple of the Lord, and so they were called the songs of degrees, or steps. But though this explanation has been long abandoned, nevertheless, in these psalms, thus far, there has been an ascent as from step to step. See the sadness of the first of them. (Ps 120) That rises to trust in the blessed keeping of God. That to joy and delight in drawing near to the house of God. Now this rises higher still, and lifts up its eyes unto God himself. The psalm reveals to us much concerning the writer.
I HE IS A MAN WHO BELIEVES IN GOD. God is as real to him as, and more than, any fellow-man could be. The atheistic doubts or the polytheistic imaginations come not near him: he is so sure that God is, that he turns his eyes to the heavens where he dwelt, as when he was speaking to a fellow-man he would turn his eyes to him. Strong faith in God is the only power which will cause any of us to lift up our eyes as does the psalmist here.
II A MAN WHO LONGED AFTER GOD. For in this uplifted eye the longing look is clearly traceable. It is not merely that he believes that God is, but also that he is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him, (Jas 1) and therefore he will diligently seek him.
III HE IS A MAN OF HUMBLE HEART. He likens himself to a slave watching for the beckoning of his master"s hand, to know what he would have done. Orientals do not speak to their attendant servants, as we do, but by beckoning and gesture they make known their will. The servants humbly watch and wait, continuously, patiently, and attentively, that they may miss no movement of the master"s or mistress"s hand which will signify their will. So does the psalmist wait, thus humbly, patiently, attentively, and in this case, it should seem, beseechingly, for the help needed.
IV HIS REFUGE UNDER DEEPEST DISTRESS IS IN GOD. (Ver. 3) His lot was hard to bear, almost unbearable; but he could and did turn to God. May we not see Christ in this psalm? Let it tell of ourselves. S.C.
HOMILIES BY R. TUCK Ver. 1. Our uplook to God.
This is the characteristic possibility for humanity. The cattle have no uplooking eyes, and no yearning hearts to find expression by uplooking eyes. Man can look up, pierce the veil of sense, and see the unseen, and realize relations with the Divine. Indeed, he is not himself until he does. But to get the fixed uplook often is, and may well be, the issue of a lifelong moral discipline. The need for turning to God comes out of distressed earthly conditions. The restored exiles in Jerusalem were full of anxieties and perplexities; they could get no heart-rest by the worrying, which is represented by "looking down." They found it by looking up and away to the steadfast heavens to him "that sitteth in the heavens." "The uplifted eyes naturally and instinctively represent the state of heart which fixes desire, hope, confidence, and expectation upon the Lord." Manton says, "The lifting up the eyes implies faith and confident persuasion that God is ready and willing to help us. The very lifting up of the bodily eyes towards heaven is an expression of this inward trust." R. Holdsworth gives the following outline: There are many testimonies in the lifting up of the eyes to heaven.
1. It is the testimony of a believing, humble heart. Neither infidelity nor pride ever carries a man above the earth.
2. It is the testimony of an obedient heart. A man that lifts his eye up to God acknowledgeth this much, "Lord, I am thy servant.
3. It is the testimony of a thankful heart; acknowledging that every good blessing, every perfect gift, is from the hand of God.
4. The testimony of a heavenly heart. He that lifts up his eyes to heaven acknowledgeth that he is weary of the earth; his heart is not there; his hope and desire are above.
5. It is the testimony of a devout heart. There is no part of the body besides the tongue that is so great an agent in prayer as the eye.
I THE UPLOOK TO GOD MAY BE BUT OCCASIONAL. And that is so far well. Man must be busy with earthly things; but his heart should be as a metal spring tied down. It flies upward at every instant of release.
II THE UPLOOK TO GOD MAY BE FIXED AND PERMANENT. A set of the eyes, because there is a set of the heart. The fixed level of human eyes, and of soul-eyes, varies most remarkably. R.T.
HOMILIES BY C. SHORT Vers. 1-4. The ultimate Refuge.
"Unto thee lift I up mine eyes," etc. "This psalm," says J. J. S. Perowne, "is either the sigh of the exile towards the close of the Captivity, looking in faith and patience for the deliverance which he hoped was now at hand; or the sigh of those who, having returned, were still exposed to the scorn and contempt of the Samaritans and others who harassed and insulted the Jews." God was their Refuge from such men, as he is the ultimate Refuge from all the ills and evils of this life.
I THE PSALMIST FINDS HOPE IN GOD"S SUPREMACY. Enthroned in the heavens the Judge of all controversies among his creatures, who will vindicate the righteous cause. Greatest power of service to humanity under his control.
II THE GRACIOUS MERCY OF GOD IS HIS ALL-SUFFICIENT REFUGE FROM THE CONTEMPT AND PERSECUTION OF MAN.
III SENSE OF DEPENDENCE UPON GOD NECESSARY TO REALIZE HIS HELP. As the lower must always depend on the higher.
IV THE VISION AND CONTEMPLATION OF GOD NECESSARY TO THE SENSE OF DEPENDENCE. Looking away from man up to God, as the servant studies the face of his master in order to read his duty. S.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Charles H. Spurgeon1885 · Public DomainOn vv1–4A Song of degrees. We are climbing. The first…
A Song of degrees. We are climbing. The first step (Ps. 120) saw us lamenting our troublesome surroundings, and the next saw us lifting or eyes to the hills and resting in assured security; from this we rose to delight in the house of the Lord; but here we look to the Lord himself, and this is the highest ascent of all by many degrees. The eyes are now looking above the hills, and above Jehovah's footstool on earth, to his throne in the heavens. Let us know it as "the Psalm of the eyes". Old authors call it Oculus "Sperans", or the eye of hope. It is a short Psalm, written with singular art, containing one thought, and expressing if in a most engaging manner. Doubtless it would be a favourite song among the people of God. It has been conjectured that this brief song, or rather sigh, may have first been heard in the days of Nehemiah, or under the persecutions of Antiochus. It may be so, but there is no evidence of it; it seems to us quite as probable that afflicted ones in all periods after David's time found this psalm ready to their hand If it appears to describe days remote from David, it is all the more evident that the Psalmist was also a prophet, and sang what he saw in vision.
Ver. 1. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes. It is good to have some one to look up to. The Psalmist looked so high that he could look no higher. Not to the hills, but to the God of the hills he looked. He believed in a personal God, and knew nothing of that modern pantheism which is nothing more than atheism wearing a fig leaf. The uplifted eyes naturally and instinctively represent the state of heart which fixes desire, hope, confidence, and expectation upon the Lord. God is everywhere, and yet it is most natural to think of him as being above us, in that glory land which lies beyond the skies. "O thou that dwellest in the heavens", just sets forth,the unsophisticated idea of a child of God in distress: God is, God is in heaven, God resides in one place, and God is evermore the same, therefore will I look to him. When we cannot look to any helper on a level with us, it is greatly wise to look above us; in fact, if we have a thousand helpers, our eyes should still be toward the Lord. The higher the Lord is the better for our faith, since that height represents power, glory, and excellence, and these will be all engaged on our behalf. We ought to be very thankful for spiritual eyes; the blind men of this world, however much of human learning they may possess, cannot behold our God, for in heavenly matters they are devoid of sight. Yet we must use our eyes with resolution, for they will not go upward to the Lord of themselves, but they incline to look downward, or inward, or anywhere but to the Lord: let it be our firm resolve that the heavenward glance shall not be lacking. If we cannot see God, at least we will look towards him. God is in heaven as a king in his palace; he is here revealed, adored, and glorified: thence he looks down on the world and sends succours to his saints as their needs demand; hence we look up, even when our sorrow is so great that we can do no more. It is a blessed condescension on God's part that he permits us to lift up our eyes to his glorious high throne; yea, more, that he invites and even commands us so to do. When we are looking to the Lord in hope, it is well to tell him so in prayer: the Psalmist uses his voice as well as his eye. We need not speak in prayer; a glance of the eye will do it all; for
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"Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear,
The upward glancing of an eye
When none but God is near."
Still, it is helpful to the heart to use the tongue, and we do well to address ourselves in words and sentences to the God who heareth his people. It is no small joy that our God is always at home: he is not on a journey, like Baal, but he dwells in the heavens. Let us think no hour of the day inopportune for waiting upon the Lord; no watch of the night too dark for us to look to him.
Whole Psalm. This psalm (as ye see) is but short, and therefore a very fit example to show the force of prayer not to consist in many words, but in fervency of spirit. For great and weighty matters may be comprised in a few words, if they proceed from the spirit and the unspeakable groanings of the heart, especially when our necessity is such as will not suffer any long prayer. Every prayer is long enough if it be fervent and proceed from a heart that understandeth the necessity of the saints. Martin Luther.
Whole Psalm. The change of performers in this psalm is very evident; the pronoun in the first distich is in the first person singular, in the rest of psalm the first plural is used. Stephen Street.
Whole Psalm. This psalm has one distinction which is to be found in "scarcely any other piece in the Old Testament." In the Hebrew it has many rhymes. But these rhymes are purely accidental. They result simply from the fact that many words are used in it with the same inflections, and therefore with the same or similar terminations. Regularly recurring and intentional rhymes are not a characteristic of Hebrew poetry, any more than they were of Greek or Latin poetry. Samuel Cox.
Ver. 1. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes. He who previously lifted his eyes unto the hills, now hath raised his heart's eyes to the Lord himself. The Venerable Bede (672-735), in Neale and Littledale.
Ver. 1. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, etc. This is the sigh of the pilgrim who ascendeth and loveth, and ascendeth because he loveth. He is ascending from earth to heaven, and while he is ascending, unto whom shall he lift his eyes, but unto him that dwelleth in heaven? We ascend to heaven each time we think of God. In that ascent lies all goodness: if we would repent, we must look not on ourselves, but on him; if we would be humble, we must look not on ourselves, but on him; if we would truly love, we must look not on ourselves, but on him who dwelleth in the heavens. If we would have him turn his eyes from our sins, we must turn our eyes unto his mercy and truth. Plain Commentary.
Ver. 1. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes. Praying by the glances of the eye rather than by words; mine afflictions having swollen my heart too big for my mouth. John Trapp.
Ver. 1. Unto thee do I lift up mine eyes. You feel the greatness of the contrast these words imply. Earth and heaven, dust and deity; the poor, weeping, sinful children of mortality, the holy, ever blessed, eternal God: how wide is the interval of separation between them! But over the awful chasm, broader than ocean though it be, love and wisdom in the person of Jesus Christ, have thrown a passage, by which the most sinful may repair unafraid to his presence, and find the shame and the fears of guilt exchanged for the peace of forgiveness and the hope that is full of immortality. Robert Nisbet.
Ver. 1. There are many testimonies in the lifting up of the eyes to heaven. 1. It is the testimony of a believing, humble heart. Infidelity will never carry a man above the earth. Pride can carry a man no higher than the earth either. 2. It is the testimony of an obedient heart. A man that lifts up his eye to God, he acknowledgeth thus much, Lord, I am thy servant. 3. It is the testimony of a thankful heart; acknowledging that every good blessing, every perfect gift, is from the hand of God. 4. It is the testimony of a heavenly heart. He that lifts up his eyes to heaven acknowledgeth that he is weary of the earth; his heart is not there; his hope and desire is above. 5. It is the testimony of a devout heart: there is no part of the body besides the tongue that is so great an agent in prayer as the eye. Condensed from Richard Holdsworth.
Ver. 1. O thou that dwellest in the heavens. "That sittest." The Lord is here contemplated as enthroned in heaven, where he administers the affairs of the Universe, executes judgment, and hears prayer. James G. Murphy.
Ver. 1,2. The lifting up the eyes, implies faith and confident persuasion that God is ready and willing to help us. The very lifting up of the bodily eyes towards heaven is an expression of this inward trust: so David in effect saith, From thee, Lord, I expect relief, and the fulfilling of thy promises. So that there is faith in it, that faith which is the evidence of things not seen. How great soever the darkness of our calamities be, though the clouds of present troubles thicken about us, and hide the Lord's care and loving kindness from us, yet faith must look through all to his power and constancy of truth and love. The eye of faith is a clear, piercing, eagle eye: Moses "endured, as seeing him who is invisible:" Heb 11:27. Faith seeth things afar off in the promises (Heb 11:13), at a greater distance than the eye of nature can reach to. Take it either for the eye of the body, or the mind, faith will draw comfort not only from that which is invisible, but also from that which is future as well as invisible; its supports lie in the other world, and in things which are yet to come. Thomas Manton.
Ver. 1,2. In the first strophe the poet places himself before us as standing in the presence of the Majesty of Heaven, with his eyes fixed on the hand of God, absorbed in watchful expectation of some sign or gesture, however slight, which may indicate the divine will. He is like a slave standing silent but alert, in the presence of the Oriental "lord", with banns folded on his breast, and eyes fixed on his master, seeking to read, and to anticipate, if possible, his every wish. He is like a maiden in attendance on her mistress, anxiously striving to see her mind in her looks, to discover and administer to her moods and wants. The grave, reserved Orientals, as we know, seldom speak to their attendants, at least on public occasions. They intimate their wishes and commands by a wave of the hand, by a glance of the eye, by slight movements and gestures which might escape notice, were they not watched for with eager attention. Their slaves "hang upon their faces; "they" fasten their eyes" on the eyes of their master; they watch and obey every turn of his hand, every movement of his finger. Thus the Psalmist conceives of himself as waiting on God, looking to him alone, watching for the faintest signal, bent on catching and obeying it. Samuel Cox.
Ver. 1. The eyes of faith.
1. Need uplifting.
2. See best upward.
3. Have always something to see upward.
4. Let us look up, and so turn our eyes from too much introspection and retrospection.
Ver. 1.
1. The language of Adoration: "Thou that dwellest in the heavens."
2. The language of Confession.
(a) Of need.
(b) Of Helplessness.
3. The language of Supplication: "Unto thee, "etc.
4. The language of Expectation; as shown in Ps 123:2.
G.R.
Psalms 123:2*
Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
The Biblical Illustrator1887 · Public DomainOn vv1, 2, 4Unto Thee lift I up mine eyes.
Psa_123:1-4
Unto Thee lift I up mine eyes.
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The prayer of the eyes
The prayer of the eyes. Have you never seen it in the eyes of patient poverty, of distress, of oppression, of the sick child? This prayer recognizes Gods glory (verse 1) and Gods graciousness (verse 3). It is the prayer of silence, of deference, of reverence, of trustfulness. It is beseeching, waiting, observant prayer. All this is implied in verses 1, 2. It is the prayers of eyes that watch carefully the signs of the hands of the King.
I. That watch for His directing hand.
1. In things temporal.
2. To spiritual service.
II. That watch for His delivering and vindicating hand. He will avenge His people for the sorrow produced by the scorn of easeful souls, and by the spite of the proud (verse 4). No law acts more surely than the law of retribution.
III. That watch for His supplying hand. What ministers wait on maul Even God becomes mans minister; and employs all natural forces and all angelic beings, and all the agencies of grace on mans behalf.
IV. That watch for His correcting hand. The contempt and scorn of the enemy are often His discipline, bitter disciplines that exceedingly fill the soul of the humble people of God with shame and grief. But eyes of prayer look beyond the disciplines to the glory which they forecast, and are patient.
V. That watch for His rewarding hand. Alsted has called this psalm The Eye of Hope. And an upward glancing expectant hopefulness is the very spirit of it. The prayer of the eyes is the prayer of expectation; and the vision of the King shall yet broaden into the vision of the inheritance which awaits His true people, who now have few friends and comforters. (R. Corlett Cowell.)
The devout suffering soul
I. The attitude of a devout soul.
1. Up-looking (verse 1). Physically, man is the only being on earth upon whom the Creator has conferred an erect countenance, as if his very physical formation were intended to teach him that his eyes should be raised towards the skies, and that he should hold intercourse with Him who dwells in heaven. Other animals look down upon the ground, their faces are bent towards the earth. Man is God-like, erect, with native honour clad. The heathen themselves recognized this seal of divinity on the brow of man, and, in the beautiful language of the Greek, the word man describes him as a being whose honour it is to look up. But mentally so conscious are we of dependence on God, that even the worst of men are forced at times to look up to Him in the heavens. From Him alone cometh our help. This is the regular attitude of a devout soul, looking up to the Infinite. Is there a more sublime mood of being than this? The millions are looking down to worldly things and worldly pleasures, and the highest objects on which most look are the little social magnates of the hour. But the true soul looks up to the Infinite Father.
2. Up-looking for a practical purpose (verse 2). The hand is the symbol of power, by the slaves eyes being turned towards his masters hand is meant that he watches carefully for the least intimation of his will. Or the hand may be taken as the instrument of giving, and the reference may be to the slaves absolute dependence on his master. Or it may be the chastising hand that is meant: as the slave looks with entreaty to his masters deprecating punishment (Isa_9:13), so the psalmists eyes are turned wistfully to God, until He have pity. The tone of the psalm, however, indicates hopeful trust rather than humble submission. The future of His people is entirely in His hands: He will be sure some day to have mercy on His own.
II. The need of a suffering soul (verse 3). Some suggest the circumstances narrated in Neh_2:19; Neh_4:1-5, as suitable to the composition of this psalm: others prefer the times of persecution under Antiochus Epiphanes: others, again, suggest, on the grounds of similarity of language, common authorship with Psa_120:1-7. What is the need of a suffering soul? Mercy--to calm, succour, strengthen, guide, and deliver. IV conclusion:--.This psalm is a lesson of meekness. When we ere fancying ourselves scorned or forgotten, what have we to do but to look up to God and entreat His favour? It is pity for ourselves, and not vengeance on our foes, that we should seek. At the same time, we must be ready to obey like slaves waiting for some token of their masters will. (Homilist.)
The habit of looking upward
Dr. Culross told of a Spanish fable about a family that had nothing very remarkable about them, but there was this which seemed to signalize them from other families in the neighbourhood--every member of the family had a peculiar habit of looking upward. They became scattered in the course of years, hut wherever one of them went, somehow or other they were always known by their neighbours and friends by this one peculiar habit. That is a very good family to belong to, and I trust that all here to-night do belong to it, and live looking upward. You know that story about Michael Angelo. He was so accustomed to look up at the fresco ceilings of the various churches and cathedrals upon which he worked, that he actually got into the habit of looking up. His head seemed to get that peculiar direction given to it, so that even when he was walking along the streets of Rome, there he was, looking upward. Let us remember, then, this first thing that we are called upon to do in the motto--Look up, not down. (J. S. Poulton.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Expositor's Bible1887 · Public DomainOn v1Psalms 123
Psalms 123
A SIGH and an upward gaze and a sigh! No period is more appropriate, as that of this psalm, than the early days after the return from exile, when the little community, which had come back with high hopes, found themselves a laughingstock to their comfortable and malicious neighbours. The contrast of tone with the joy of the preceding psalm is very striking. After the heights of devout gladness have been reached, it is still needful to come down to stern realities of struggle, and these can only be faced when the eye of patient dependence and hope is fixed on God.
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That attitude is the great lesson of this brief and perfect expression of wistful yet unfaltering trust joined with absolute submission. The upward look here is like. but also unlike, that in Psalms 121, in that this is less triumphant, though not less assured, and has an expression of lowly submission in the appealing gaze. Commentators quote illustrations of the silent observance of the masters look by his rows of slaves; but these are not needed to elucidate the vivid image. It tells its own story. Absolute submission to Gods hand, whether it wields a rod or lavishes gifts or points to service, befits those whose highest honour is to be His slaves. They should stand where they can see Him; they should have their gaze fixed upon Him; they should look with patient trust, as well as with eager willingness to start into activity when He indicates His commands.
The sigh for deliverance, in the second half of the psalm, is no breach of that patient submission. Trust and resignation do not kill natural shrinking from contempt and scorn. It is enough that they turn shrinking into supplication and lamentations into appeals to God. He lets His servants make their moan to Him, and tell how full their souls have long been of mens scorn. As a plea with Him the psalmist urges the mockers "ease." In their security and full-fed complacency, they laughed at the struggling band, as men gorged with material good ever do at enthusiasts; but it is better to be contemned for the difficulties which cleaving to the ruins of Gods city brings, than to be the contemners in their selfish abundance. They are further designated as "haughty," by a word which the Hebrew margin reads as two words, meaning "proud ones of the oppressors"; but this is unnecessary, and the text yields a good meaning as it stands, though the word employed is unusual.
This sweet psalm, with all its pained sense of the mockers gibes and their long duration, has no accent of impatience. Perfect submission, fixed observance, assured confidence that, "till He is gracious," it is best to bear what He sends, befit His servants, and need not hinder their patient cry to Him, nor their telling Him how long and hard their trial has been.
William Robertson Nicoll, ed., The Expositor's Bible (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1887–1910) — public domain. 65 of 66 books (1 Corinthians is not separately keyed, as that volume carries no machine-parseable verse references); section-level commentary keyed to the opening verse. Introductory and overview sections not keyed to a specific passage are excluded.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary1892 · Public DomainOn v1Since the time when it was produced by its…
INTRODUCTION
Since the time when it was produced by its now unknown author, when was not this hymn of hope a favourite with God’s people? The pensive individual might use this form of meditation and prayer with comfort and edification in view of his private distresses; the tuneful company might probably beguile the way to or from Jerusalem with its plaintive cry; and it was fit to be chanted in the courts of Zion, in the name of the Church universal. After the afflicted pilgrims of Israel, in their successive generations, troubled Christians have repeated it in all countries; and it still describes the griefs and aspirations of the tempted servants of the Lord, as, in their various degrees, they “climb the steep ascent to heaven.”—The Caravan and Temple.
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THE HEAVENWARD GLANCE
(Psa_123:1-2)
I. Is directed to One who is enthroned in glorious majesty. “Unto Thee lift I up mine eyes, O Thou that dwellest in the heavens” (Psa_123:1). From God’s footstool of hills and altars the suppliant looks up into the face of the Master. “The Lord’s throne is in heaven: His eyes behold, His eyelids try, the children of men” (Psa_11:4). All the glories of the upper world circle round that lofty throne, and borrow their meaning and their lustre from Him who sitteth thereon. To Him cherubim and seraphim continually do cry, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts.” The starry constellations render Him ceaseless homage, and obey His mandate. The heavenly intelligences live in His smile, and rejoice in His service. The splendour of the greatest earthly monarch is extinguished by the glory of the Heavenly King. And it is to this glorious Ruler that man is permitted to direct his inquiring gaze, and from whom he must derive his mightiest help.
II. Is directed to One who has supreme government and power. “Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress” (Psa_123:2). The Divine Hand—
(1) Guides. The Eastern ruler, reticent and sparing in words, directs his attendants and agents by signs, and they are his best servants and least likely to incur sorrow who, not from fear but love, are swift to notice and obey the slightest movements of his speaking hand. The heart must be in the eyes that wait upon Jehovah.
“Leave to His sovereign sway
To choose and to command,
So shalt thou wondering own His way,
How wise, how strong His hand.”
(2) Supplies. Servants look to their masters for sustenance (Pro_31:15). So must we look to God for daily bread, and for needed grace (Psa_145:16).
(3) Protects. If the servant meet with opposition in his work, if he is wronged and injured, he looks to his master for protection. God is the shield of His people, not like the martial shield covering a portion of the person, but guarding every part (Gen_15:1; Psa_5:12). When threatened by our spiritual foes, we look to God for shelter and protection.
(4) Corrects. God smites with the same hand with which He guides and protects. Harmer observes—“As a slave ordered by a master or mistress to be chastised for a fault turns his imploring eyes to that superior till the motion of the hand appears which puts an end to the punishment, so our eyes are up to Thee, our God, till Thy hand shall give the signal for putting an end to our sorrows; for our enemies, O Lord, we are sensible, are only executing Thy orders, and chastening us according to Thy pleasure.” It is wise for us humbly to submit to the mighty Hand of God.
(5) Rewards. The hand of the world is filled with tempting rewards, but, like the fabled fruit of Sodom, they turn into bitter dust and ashes between the teeth of its votaries. But the faithful servants of Jehovah are rewarded with satisfying and endless pleasures.
III. Is directed to One who is rich in mercy. “The Lord our God, have mercy upon us” (Psa_123:2). Stung with a sharp sense of guilt, oppressed with the burden of multiplied troubles, and conscious of utter helplessness, the sinner turns a piteous gaze to Him whose mercy as well as righteousness endures for ever. “Lord, in trouble have they visited Thee; they poured out a prayer when Thy chastening was upon them” (Isa_26:16). The severity of God is tempered with mercy. “He delighteth in mercy.”
IV. Is persevering and triumphant. “So our eyes wait upon the Lord our God until that He have mercy upon us” (Psa_123:2). The believing soul fixes its eye upon the Divine mercy, and keeps it there till the gracious answer comes. We remain unblessed for lack of steady fixedness in our faith. Persevering faith is ever triumphant.
LESSONS:—
1. Man must look heavenward for all true help.
2. God never disappoints the humble and sincere suppliant.
SARCASM THE CAUSE OF PUNGENT SUFFERING
(Psa_123:3-4)
I. That sarcasm is a common weapon of the enemies of God.
1. It is used by the worldly minded. “The scorning of those that are at ease.” When the Jews, who had returned from captivity, were engaged in rebuilding the Temple and city of Jerusalem, they were much tried by the interference of certain dwellers in Samaria, who seemed ready to declare themselves Israelites or Pagans, as it might suit their interests; and when they were rejected as unfit to engage in so sacred a work, they did all they could to hinder and annoy. They misrepresented the motives of the Jews to the Persian king, who then held rule over Palestine; and poured contempt and derision on the struggling patriots (Comp. Ezr_4:1-3; Neh_2:19-20; Neh_4:1-4). “In every succeeding age the protesting and conservative faithful, the heart and bone of the undying Church, have been first courted, and then bantered and baffled by their worldly-minded and semi-heathen neighbours. The world about and among them, divided by rival idolatries, is united in jealousy, hatred, and scorn of the true Israel. The Samaritans will join the working church, if in so doing they may carnally benefit themselves; but when their help, which would be ruin, is not accepted, they unscrupulously hinder, misrepresent, and despise God’s children” (The Caravan and Temple).
2. It is used by the intellectually proud. “And with the contempt of the proud.” The scorner is deluded by the most despicable vanity. He assumes a superiority of knowledge, of virtue, and of authority over all others, of which all the time he is most lamentably destitute. Pride of intellect is the most dangerous form of self-deception, and the most hopeless of reformation.
“He that is proud eats up himself. Pride is
His own glass, his own trumpet, his own chronicle;
And whatever praises itself but in
The deed, devours the deed in the praise.”
—Shakespeare.
It is easier to sneer than to argue and to scoff at goodness, than to imitate it.
II. That sarcasm is the cause of pungent suffering to God’s people. “We are exceedingly filled with contempt.” It is hard to bear the blame of a wrong of which we are wholly innocent, to have our holiest motives misinterpreted, our failings exaggerated, our best actions maligned, and our God insulted and blasphemed. The suffering is increased when the injured one is powerless to respond or retaliate, and when a sensitive and passionate nature is to be held in check while writhing under a sense of injustice and cruelty. When John Nelson, a vigorous and successful lay-helper of Wesley, was impressed as a soldier, he was subjected to very aggravating insults from a pompous young ensign. “It was very difficult to bear,” said the stalwart Yorkshire mason, “when I knew how easily I could tie the head and heels of the young stripling together.” But suffering endured for Christ’s sake is a very potent element in moral discipline, and in the perfecting of the Christian character.
III. That the suffering occasioned by sarcasm is counterbalanced by the consolations of the Divine mercy.
“O Lord, have mercy upon us.” The mercy of God never fails. From the inhumanity of man the tortured soul turns to the Divine mercy for comfort and strength. It then learns that the suffering occasioned by sarcasm is only brief in duration, and that it is made the means of attaining a higher righteousness and an ampler reward (Rom_8:28).
LESSONS:—
1. The holiest do not escape the attacks of the adversary.
2. The bitterness of sarcasm is its unscrupulousness.
3. The Divine mercy should be sought in every time of suffering.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Sermon Bible1900 · Public DomainOn v1I. Wherever we see a master with a family…
Psa 123:2
I. Wherever we see a master with a family of servants, we see a living parable of Almighty God and His Church; and out of their duties and behaviour to one another we may obtain much good instruction regarding our own behaviour towards Him. (1) St. Paul says, "Servants, be subject to your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling;" and do we not know that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom, and that the very description of the temper which suits the Gospel is to have grace whereby to serve God in reverence and godly fear? (2) St. Paul bids servants be obedient to their masters in singleness of heart; that is, that in setting about their work they should simply have an eye to their masters’ service, and not rather to their own convenience and pleasure: and this, again, is the very thing so much commended in Christian people, that they should serve God in simplicity and godly sincerity. (3) The same Apostle adds that what we do for our masters should be done not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; that is, we are not to have one way of doing our work when they are in sight and another when they are out of sight: and this, again, is like the care which becomes all Christians to make their conduct agree with their prayers, their weekdays with their Sundays, their ordinary behaviour with their direct service of their Lord. (4) Whereas all manner of servants among men naturally and justly look onward to the time of receiving their wages, as a hireling, according to Job’s saying, seeketh the reward of his work, so we are instructed to look on to the recompense of our eternal reward, knowing, as St. Paul goes on, that "whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free."
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II. All the qualities of a good servant are summed up in one word: fidelity; or, as it is is described by the psalmist in the text, "his eyes wait upon the hand of his master." So the faithful and dutiful Christian, he who has true love and thankfulness to the Father and God of his whole life, does not wait for express commands, but does what he sincerely thinks his Maker will be pleased with. Such simple, unwearied obedience, not asking questions, but performing duties—this is what God delights to honour.
J. Kehle, Sermons for the Christian Year, Sundays after Trinity, Thirteenth to End, p. 1.
References: Psa 123:2.—Expositor, 3rd series, vol. iv., p. 80. Psalm 123—S. Cox, ’The Pilgrim Psalms, p. 68. Psa 124:7.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxviii., No. 1696. Psalm 124—S. Cox, The Pilgrim Psalms, p. 86. Psa 125:1.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxiv., No. 1450. Psa 125:2.—Ibid., vol. iii., No. 101. Psalm 125—S. Cox, The Pilgrim Psalms, p. 110.
The Sermon Bible, ed. William Robertson Nicoll (1888–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
F. W. Grant1903 · Public DomainOn v1God only sufficient.
God only sufficient.
A song of the ascents.
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The first psalm here, as in the former one, is only the distress, which yet has not gone as far as it will go. Jehovah is the one resource; and as dwelling in the heavens, not in Zion. But these eyes that turn to heaven are servants’ eyes: the spirit of obedience is in their hearts; and along with this the conscious need of grace. The pride of man is here the trial, as before his deceitfulness and spirit of strife. But the latter blazes out again in the next psalm.
F. W. Grant, The Numerical Bible (4th ed., 1903) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. R. Dummelow1909 · Public DomainOn v1The Psalmist looks up steadfastly to God, and expresses…
The Psalmist looks up steadfastly to God, and expresses his confidence in Him.
4. The scorning of those, etc.] the mocking of them that are at ease—heathen oppressors living in careless security. The circumstances are similar to those in Psalms 120.
J. R. Dummelow, A Commentary on the Holy Bible (Macmillan, 1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield1917 · Public DomainOn v1A Song of degrees
A Song of degrees
(See Scofield "Psa 120:1").
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann1924 · Public DomainOn v1Trust in the Lord in the Midst of Anguish.
Trust in the Lord in the Midst of Anguish.
A song of degrees, setting forth the psalmist’s earnest prayer for mercy on account of the distress which has beset him.
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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, 1Pe 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.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0On vv1, 3General Information:
General Information:
Parallelism is common in Hebrew poetry. (See: Poetry and Parallelism)
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song of ascents
Possible meanings are 1) "song people sang while going up to Jerusalem for a celebration" or 2) "song people sang while going up the steps into the temple" or 3) "song whose words are like steps." See how you translated this in Psalms 120:1
I lift up my eyes
Here the author refers to his eyes because that is the part of the body used for seeing. AT: "I look to you" (See: Metonymy)
enthroned
sitting on a throne and ruling as king
as the eyes of servants ... as the eyes of a maid ... so our eyes look
These three phrases have similar meanings. The third phrase, about the Israelites, is being compared to how the servants and maids look to their masters and mistresses for help. In each case "eyes" refers to the whole person. (See: Parallelism and Synecdoche)
master's hand ... mistress's hand
Here "hand" refers to the provision for needs. AT: "master's provision ... mistress's provision" (See: Metonymy)
maid
servant girl
mistress
woman who has authority over servant girls
has mercy on us
The abstract noun "mercy" can be stated as an action. AT: "act mercifully toward us" (See: Abstract Nouns)
Tyndale Open Study Notes2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0On v1Ps 123 This lament on the psalmist’s lowly position…
Ps 123 This lament on the psalmist’s lowly position expresses vivid trust in the Lord (123:1-2). The psalmist prays for God’s favor on the community, as the reality of evil surrounds them (123:3-4). The poet looks beyond Jerusalem (Ps 122) to God’s throne in heaven.
GEBible — Godless Engineer's Bible App
John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain On vv1–3 1. I lift my eyes to thee, who dwellest…
1. I lift my eyes to thee, who dwellest in the heavens. It is uncertain at what time, or even by what Prophet, this Psalm was composed. I do not think it probable that David was its author; because, when he bewails the persecutions which he suffered in the time of Saul, it is usual with him to inter-pose some particular references to himself. My opinion, then, rather is, that this form of prayer was composed for all the godly by some Prophet, either when the Jews were captives in Babylon, or when Antiochus Epiphanes exercised towards them the most relentless cruelty. Be this as it may, the Holy Spirit, by whose inspiration the Prophet delivered it to the people, calls upon us to have recourse to God, when — ever wicked men unrighteously and proudly persecute, not one or two of the faithful only, but the whole body of the Church. Moreover, God is here expressly called the God who dwelleth in the heavens, not simply to teach his people to estimate the divine power as it deserves, but also that, when no hope of aid is left for them on earth, yea rather, when their condition is desperate, just as if they were laid in the grave, or as if they were lost in a labyrinth, they should then remember that the power of God remains in heaven in unimpaired and infinite perfection. Thus these words seem to contain a tacit contrast between the troubled and confused state of this world and God’s heavenly kingdom, from whence he so manages and governs all things, that whenever it pleases him, he calms all the agitations of the world, comes to the rescue of the desperate and the despairing, restores light by dispelling darkness, and raises up such as were cast down and laid prostrate on the ground. This the Prophet confirms by the verb lift up; which intimates, that although all worldly resources fail us, we must raise our eyes upward to heaven, where God remains unchangeably the same, despite the mad impetuosity of men in turning all things here below upside down.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv2–3 He compareth the condition of the godly, to servants…
He compareth the condition of the godly, to servants that are destitute of all help, assuring that when all other helps fail, God is ever at hand and like himself.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv1–4 Psa 123:1 « A Song of degrees. » Unto…
Psa 123:1 « A Song of degrees. » Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
Ver. 1. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes] Praying by them rather than by words, mine afflictions having swollen my heart too big for my mouth. {See Trapp on "Psa 121:1"}
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv1–4 Unto thee only, because all other persons either cannot…
Unto thee only, because all other persons either cannot or will not help me.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On v1 We have here,
We have here,
I. The solemn profession which God's people make of faith and hope in God, Psa 123:1, Psa 123:2. Observe, 1. The title here given to God: O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Our Lord Jesus has taught us, in prayer, to have an eye to God as our Father in heaven; not that he is confined there, but there especially he manifests his glory, as the King in his court. Heaven is a place of prospect and a place of power; he that dwells there beholds thence all the calamities of his people and thence can send to save them. Sometimes God seems to have forsaken the earth, and the enemies of God's people ask, Where is now your God? But then they can say with comfort, Our God is in the heavens. O thou that sittest in the heavens (so some), sittest as Judge there; for the Lord has prepared his throne in the heavens, and to that throne injured innocency may appeal. 2. The regard here had to God. The psalmist himself lifted up his eyes to him. The eyes of a good man are ever towards the Lord, Psa 25:15. In every prayer we lift up our soul, the eye of our soul, to God, especially in trouble, which was the case here. The eyes of the people waited on the Lord, Psa 123:2. We find mercy coming towards a people when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, are towards the Lord, Zac 9:1. The eyes of the body are heaven-ward. Os homini sublime dedit - To man he gave an erect mien, to teach us which way to direct the eyes of the mind. Our eyes wait on the Lord, the eye of desire and prayer, the begging eye, and the eye of dependence, hope, and expectation, the longing eye. Our eyes must wait upon God as the Lord, and our God, until that he have mercy upon us. We desire mercy from him, we hope he will show us mercy, and we will continue our attendance on him till the mercy come. This is illustrated (Psa 123:2) by a similitude: Our eyes are to God as the eyes of a servant, and handmaid, to the hand of their master and mistress. The eyes of a servant are, (1.) To his master's directing hand, expecting that he will appoint him his work, and cut it out for him, and show him how he must do it. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? (2.) To his supplying hand. Servants look to their master, or their mistress, for their portion of meat in due season, Pro 31:15. And to God must we look for daily bread, for grace sufficient; from him we must receive it thankfully. (3.) To his assisting hand. If the servant cannot do his work himself, where must he look for help but to his master? And in the strength of the Lord God we must go forth and go on. (4.) To his protecting hand. If the servant meet with opposition in his work, if he be questioned for what he does, if he be wronged and injured, who should bear him out and right him, but his master that set him on work? The people of God, when they are persecuted, may appeal to their Master, We are thine; save us. (5.) To his correcting hand. If the servant has provoked his master to beat him, he does not call for help against his master, but looks at the hand that strikes him, till it shall say, "It is enough; I will not contend for ever." The people of God were now under his rebukes; and whither should they turn but to him that smote them? Isa 9:13. To whom should they make supplication but to their Judge? They will not do as Hagar did, who ran away from her mistress when she put some hardships upon her (Gen 16:6), but they submit themselves to and humble themselves under God's mighty hand. (6.) To his rewarding hand. The servant expects his wages, his well-done, from his master. Hypocrites have their eye to the world's hand; thence they have their reward (Mat 6:2); but true Christians have their eye to God as their rewarder.
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II. The humble address which God's people present to him in their calamitous condition (Psa 123:3, Psa 123:4), wherein, 1. They sue for mercy, not prescribing to God what he shall do for them, nor pleading any merit of their own why he should do it for them, but, Have mercy upon us, O Lord! have mercy upon us. We find little mercy with men; their tender mercies are cruel; there are cruel mockings. But this is our comfort, that with the Lord there is mercy and we need desire no more to relieve us, and make us easy, than the mercy of God. Whatever the troubles of the church are, God's mercy is a sovereign remedy. 2. They set forth their grievances: We are exceedingly filled with contempt. Reproach is the wound, the burden, they complain of. Observe, (1.) Who were reproached: "We, who have our eyes up to thee." Those who are owned of God are often despised and trampled on by the world. Some translate the words which we render, those that are at ease, and the proud, so as to signify the persons that are scorned and contemned. "Our soul is troubled to see how those that are at peace, and the excellent ones, are scorned and despised." The saints are a peaceable people and yet are abused (Psa 35:20), the excellent ones of the earth and yet undervalued, Lam 4:1, Lam 4:2. (2.) Who did reproach them. Taking the words as we read them, they were the epicures who lived at ease, carnal sensual people, Job 12:5. The scoffers are such as walk after their own lusts and serve their own bellies, and the proud such as set God himself at defiance and had a high opinion of themselves; they trampled on God's people, thinking they magnified themselves by vilifying them. (3.) To what degree they were reproached: "We are filled, we are surfeited with it. Our soul is exceedingly filled with it." The enemies thought they could never jeer them enough, nor say enough to make them despicable; and they could not but lay it to heart; it was a sword in their bones, Psa 42:10. Note, [1.] Scorning and contempt have been, and are, and are likely to be, the lot of God's people in this world. Ishmael mocked Isaac, which is called persecuting him; and so it is now, Gal 4:29. [2.] In reference to the scorn and contempt of men it is matter of comfort that there is mercy with God, mercy to our good names when they are barbarously used. Hear, O our God! for we are despised.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv1–4 Unto thee lift I up mine eyes,.... Not only…
Unto thee lift I up mine eyes,.... Not only the eyes of his body, this being a prayer gesture; see Mat 14:19; but the eyes of his mind and understanding, opened by the Spirit of God; particularly the eye of faith, by which he looked for and expected help and salvation from the Lord. The phrase is expressive of holy confidence in God, and a comfortable hope of receiving good things from him; as, on the contrary, when persons are ashamed and confounded with a sense of their sins, and the aggravations of them, and of their own unworthiness and vileness; and, on account of the same, almost out of all hope, cannot lift up their eyes to heaven, or their face before God, Ezr 9:6;
O thou that dwellest in the heavens; the heaven of heavens, the third heaven, the seat of angels and glorified saints; and though the Lord is everywhere, and fills heaven and earth with his presence, and cannot be contained any where; yet here is the more visible display of his glory; here he keeps his court; this is his palace, and here his throne is prepared, and on it he sits (d); so some render the word here; as the Judge of the whole earth, and takes a view of all men and their actions; and, as the God of nature and providence, governs and orders all things after his own will; and, as the God of grace, sits on a throne of grace, kindly inviting and encouraging his people to come unto him: and therefore the psalmist addresses him as such; see Ecc 5:2, Mat 6:9. The Targum is,
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"O thou that sittest on a throne of glory in heaven!''
(d) "sedens", Montanus, Gejerus; "qui sedes", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius, Michaelis; so Ainsworth.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv1–2 The psalmist expresses and prays for deliverance from trouble,…
The psalmist expresses and prays for deliverance from trouble, ver. 1-4. A song of degrees.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv1–4 The prayer and faith of the godly, 1, 2.
PSALM CXXIII
The prayer and faith of the godly, 1, 2.
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They desire to be delivered from contempt, 3, 4.
NOTES ON PSALM CXXIII
This Psalm is probably a complaint of the captives in Babylon relative to the contempt and cruel usage they received. The author is uncertain.
Verse 1. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes] We have no hope but in thee; our eyes look upward; we have expectation from thy mercy alone.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv1, 3 Psa 123:1-2. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes…
Psa 123:1-2. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes — Though all human help fail us in this sore distress, yet I do not despair of relief from thee; O thou that dwellest in the heavens — Whose majesty and power incomparably excel those of all earthly monarchs. Behold, as the eyes of servants, &c. — “Behold how not only I, but the rest of thy faithful people wait upon thee, submitting ourselves to this severe punishment, as poor slaves do to the stroke of their offended master or mistress, and resolving to bear it patiently till thou, our Lord, who dost inflict it, wilt be pleased to show thyself our most gracious God, and in much pity toward us remove it.” — Bishop Patrick. In justification of this interpretation of the bishop, it may be observed that “masters had a power, not only of commanding, but of severely punishing their servants,” and that therefore this looking to the hand, &c., is thought by some “to denote the servant, under chastisement, turning his eyes, and looking to the hand that strikes, and beseeching and importuning for mercy; an argument of a meek, patient, and reforming disposition.” Others, however, rather think it denotes servants looking to their masters for help and defence against their enemies and oppressors. For servants were unable to defend themselves, and were not allowed to wear defensive weapons, but expected and received protection from their masters in case of injury. Accordingly, this phrase, of having one’s eyes toward others, both in this and the other sacred books, constantly signifies the expectation and desire of help from them. And the phrase of God’s having mercy upon a person, generally signifies his mercifully helping and delivering him.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv1–4 Unto thee - To God.
Unto thee - To God.
Lift I up mine eyes - In supplication and prayer. Nature prompts us to look up when we address God, as if he dwelt above us. It is the natural prompting of the heart that he must be the most exalted of all beings, dwelling above all. See Psa 121:1.
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O thou that dwellest in the heavens - Whose home - whose special home - is in heaven - above the sky. This is in accordance with the common feelings of people, and the common description of God in the Bible, though it is true also that God is everywhere. Compare Psa 2:4; Psa 11:4.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures 1864 · Public Domain On v1 Psalms 123
Psalms 123
A Song of degrees
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Unto thee lift I up mine eyes,
O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants
Look unto the hand of their masters,
And as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress;
So our eyes wait upon the Lord our God,
Until that he have mercy upon us.
3 Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us:
For we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
4 Our soul is exceedingly filled
With the scorning of those who are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
Contents and Composition.—The situation in which the poet was placed may be compared with Neh_2:19. From this situation an ardent prayer for a manifestation of the Divine mercy arises, with an upward look of faith to that God, who is exalted above all the world, and is its Sovereign. “This is a heavy sigh from an anguish-stricken heart, which looks all around and seeks friends, protectors, and comforters, but can find none. Therefore it says: where shall I find refuge, poor, despised man that I am? I am not strong enough to defend myself; wisdom and counsel fail me amidst the multitude of the onsets of my enemies; therefore come I to Thee, O my God; unto Thee do I lift up mine eyes, O Thou that dwellest in the heavens!” (Luther). The Psalmist declares, first, in the singular number, what he does personally, but immediately thereafter he employs the plural, as a member and representative of a large community.
[The circumstances described in Neh_2:12 ff. are generally accepted as the situation of the writer of the Psalm. The following is the view of Perowne: “The Psalm is either the sigh of an exile, towards the close of the captivity, looking in faith and patience for the deliverance, which he had reason to hope was now nigh at hand, or it is the sigh of those who, having already returned to their native land, were still exposed to the scorn and contempt of the Samaritans and others, who, favored by the Persian Government, took every opportunity of harassing and insulting the Jews, comp. Neh_2:19 with Psa_123:4.” Delitzsch thinks that it is possibly a Maccabean Psalm, in which case the last word of the poem might allude “to the despotic rule of the יְוָנִים” (Ionians, sons of Javan, the Western nations generally). With reference to the character of the psalm, he quotes the beautiful expression of Alsted (died 1633), who styles it, oculus sperans, the eye of hope—J. F .M]..
[Ver.1b, should perhaps be rendered: Oh, Thou that sittest in the heavens!: that is, God is addressed as one who is enthroned as king, and who can therefore be appealed to for sovereign aid. This also supports the exposition of Psa_123:2, defended below.—J. F. M.].
Psa_123:2. Upon the hand of their masters. The look is probably not directed to the punishing hand, which administers deserved chastisement, Gen_16:6 f. (Aben Ezra, Kimchi, Ewald, Hengst.), or to the hand giving the sign for the punishment to cease (Rosenmüller). It would be better to regard it as the hand that scatters blessings, affords protection and sustenance, Psa_104:27 f.; Psa_145:15 f. (Chald., Calv., Geier, J. H. Mich., Köster, et al.). But perhaps the most correct interpretation is that which is based upon the relation of dependence, so distinctly expressed, and understands the hand which controls the household, the disposing hand, to be referred to, from which the dependants have to expect confidently the supply of all their needs, (De Wette, Hupf., Del.). [Delitzsch: “The Israelites are Jehovah’s servants, the Church of Israel is Jehovah’s handmaid. In His hand lies her future destiny. He will at last have compassion on His Own. Therefore is her longing unwearied gaze cast upwards to Him, until He shall remove her oppression.”—J. F. M.].
Psa_123:4. The idea of presumption is proper to the word שַׁאֲנָן. (=secure). [E. V.: who live at ease, which is the first signification of the word. J. F. M.]. It is here parallel to גאיּונים, which the Masorites reckon among the fifteen which are written as one word, but to be read as two. According to this the translation would be: of the pride of the oppressors. But it has been already explained by Aben Ezra and Kimchi as an adjective form, occurring only in this passage.
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
When we are in trouble upon earth, it is our comfort, that we have in heaven a God, into whose controlling hand we can commit all our cares.—If we are to act as servants of the Almighty, we must not merely raise our eyes to heaven: we must also yield our hearts to Him.—Servants of God must learn to endure contempt and scorn from the children of the world; out for this they have need of the faith and patience of the saints.—God’s hand of mercy and our hand of faith are put forth simultaneously.
Starke: All believers are looking up to heaven; and their Father in heaven is looking down. And thus neither faithfulness nor love grows less on either side until they meet.—That faith, which looks untiringly upon God, is something great and powerful, which is not to be found by the way, but must be gained by prayer and supplication.—He who, for the sake of Christ and God, can bear and suffer faithfully ridicule and contempt, has made great progress in one element of true religion.—Frisch; God regards those who are faithful and obedient. But I would that faithful servants and handmaids would regard the Lord who is over all.—Rieger: My faith waits for the Lord, and for what comforting deeds He shall do for me and display before me.–Richter: Unbelief first despises and then ridicules, and after despite and ridicule comes persecution.—Tholuck: As long as we look to human hands, hope and fear must alternate, but when those who dare to trust a merciful God, look only to His hands, assurance abides with them.—Guenther: No man can give, unless God previously fills and opens his hands.—Taube: After men have looked towards God, they run towards Him, and then they cannot be put to shame.
[Matt. Henry: The eyes of a servant are, (1) to his master’s directing hand, (2) to his supplying hand, (3) to his assisting hand, (4) to his protecting hand, (5) to his correcting hand, (6) to his rewarding hand.—Scott: Contempt is very hard to bear; but the servants of God should not complain, if they are treated as His beloved Son was.—Bp. Horne: Under the law of Moses, a master was to demand satisfaction, and to have it made him, for any hurt done to his servants. And shall not the best of masters avenge the wrongs done to those that serve Him?—Barnes: The Church has performed its duty better in the furnace of persecution, than it has in the gay scenes of the world.—J. F. M.].
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv1–3 1. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes—See note…
1. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes—See note on Psa_121:1. “Jehovah our God,” (Psa_123:2,) is the only helper of Israel, and from him alone is relief expected.
That dwellest in the heavens—See notes on Psa_113:4-6
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv1–4 1. lift I up] Lit. have I lifted up;…
1. lift I up] Lit. have I lifted up; I have long been and still am looking to Jehovah for the help which He alone can give. Cp. Psa_121:1; Psa_25:15.
O thou that dwellest in the heavens] Rather, O thou that sittest throned in heaven (cp. Psa_2:4), as the supreme King and Governor of the world. Cp. the frequent use of the phrase ‘God of heaven’ in Ezra and Nehemiah.
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1, 2. The eye of hope upturned to Jehovah.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv1–4 (1) O thou that dwellest.—O thou throned one.
(1) O thou that dwellest.—O thou throned one.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv1–4 Unto thee lift I up mine eyes. (comp. Psa_121:1,…
Unto thee lift I up mine eyes. (comp. Psa_121:1, where the psalmist "lifted up his eyes" to God"s dwelling-place) Now the expression is bolder. The eyes are lifted up to God himself. Oh thou that dwellest in the heavens. (comp. Psa_2:4 Psa_11:4 Isa_57:15 Isa_66:1)
Vers. 1-4. Our refuge in trouble.
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Beside and beyond the ordinary cares and vexations of this present time, there are
I TIMES OF PECULIAR TRIAL. It may be
(1) the nation that has to pass through this period; e.g. Israel in Egypt, and again the Jews in Babylon; or, in modern times, Poland or the Italian Duchies, or the kingdom of the Two Sicilies; or it may be
(2) the Church of Christ, understanding by this either the large aggregate community, or the body of believing men and women meeting in one place (e.g. the Church at Philippi, the Church at Thessalonica); or it may be
(3) the individual man as he goes on his way through mortal life. Hard and bitter trial may come in one or more of many ways; but the text points to that of oppression, the cruel treatment of the weaker by the stronger. This may come in the form of positive ill treatment of imprisonment) of "despoiling of goods," of exile, of physical violence. But that which was in the psalmist"s mind, and that which is most likely to be included in our experience, is contemptuous disregard, an arrogant assumption of superiority. We may find ourselves placed under those of whom we feel that they have missed their way, and are in the darkness of error, while they are denouncing us as heretics; or those of whom we feel that they are a very long way from wisdom and worth, while they are treating us with disdain as if we were the enemies of Christ; or of those who are superciliously ridiculing our most sacred convictions, though they have no other or better proof of the rightness of their own creed than that it is the faith of a majority. And if we have to bear this "contempt of the proud" from day to day, if it is as the dropping of water upon the stone, which wears out the hardest substance, we may find it to be all but intolerable; we may not only wince, but writhe under it; our soul may be "exceedingly filled" with the scorning of those that are at ease. Whither, then, shall we turn? If there be no escape from it, as there often is not, we must find
II OUR REFUGE IN GOD. (Vers. 1, 2) When we have vainly looked around for help from man, "we lift up our eyes" to God to him that "dwelleth in the heavens.
1. We recognize the fact that he has power to deliver us.
2. We believe that, in his Divine wisdom, he can interpose on our behalf without any disturbance of his system of Divine government.
3. We are sure that our suffering is not a matter of indifference to his heart, and that our cry enters his ear.
4. We must not be impatient or distrustful if the time or method of our choice should not prove to be his chosen time or way of deliverance.
5. We do well to continue our prayer for relief "until he have pity upon us" and rescue us.
6. Meantime we should
(1) let our trouble draw us nearer to our Divine Friend in all hallowed fellowship;
(2) loosen our tie to this present world;
(3) enable us to give to all that witness our course another illustration that the upholding grace of God can triumph over the enmity and cruelty of man.
HOMILIES BY S. CONWAY Vers. 1-4. "Unto thee lift I up mine eyes.
These psalms are called "Songs of Degrees." For some thought that they were sung on the steps that led from one court to another in the temple of the Lord, and so they were called the songs of degrees, or steps. But though this explanation has been long abandoned, nevertheless, in these psalms, thus far, there has been an ascent as from step to step. See the sadness of the first of them. (Ps 120) That rises to trust in the blessed keeping of God. That to joy and delight in drawing near to the house of God. Now this rises higher still, and lifts up its eyes unto God himself. The psalm reveals to us much concerning the writer.
I HE IS A MAN WHO BELIEVES IN GOD. God is as real to him as, and more than, any fellow-man could be. The atheistic doubts or the polytheistic imaginations come not near him: he is so sure that God is, that he turns his eyes to the heavens where he dwelt, as when he was speaking to a fellow-man he would turn his eyes to him. Strong faith in God is the only power which will cause any of us to lift up our eyes as does the psalmist here.
II A MAN WHO LONGED AFTER GOD. For in this uplifted eye the longing look is clearly traceable. It is not merely that he believes that God is, but also that he is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him, (Jas 1) and therefore he will diligently seek him.
III HE IS A MAN OF HUMBLE HEART. He likens himself to a slave watching for the beckoning of his master"s hand, to know what he would have done. Orientals do not speak to their attendant servants, as we do, but by beckoning and gesture they make known their will. The servants humbly watch and wait, continuously, patiently, and attentively, that they may miss no movement of the master"s or mistress"s hand which will signify their will. So does the psalmist wait, thus humbly, patiently, attentively, and in this case, it should seem, beseechingly, for the help needed.
IV HIS REFUGE UNDER DEEPEST DISTRESS IS IN GOD. (Ver. 3) His lot was hard to bear, almost unbearable; but he could and did turn to God. May we not see Christ in this psalm? Let it tell of ourselves. S.C.
HOMILIES BY R. TUCK Ver. 1. Our uplook to God.
This is the characteristic possibility for humanity. The cattle have no uplooking eyes, and no yearning hearts to find expression by uplooking eyes. Man can look up, pierce the veil of sense, and see the unseen, and realize relations with the Divine. Indeed, he is not himself until he does. But to get the fixed uplook often is, and may well be, the issue of a lifelong moral discipline. The need for turning to God comes out of distressed earthly conditions. The restored exiles in Jerusalem were full of anxieties and perplexities; they could get no heart-rest by the worrying, which is represented by "looking down." They found it by looking up and away to the steadfast heavens to him "that sitteth in the heavens." "The uplifted eyes naturally and instinctively represent the state of heart which fixes desire, hope, confidence, and expectation upon the Lord." Manton says, "The lifting up the eyes implies faith and confident persuasion that God is ready and willing to help us. The very lifting up of the bodily eyes towards heaven is an expression of this inward trust." R. Holdsworth gives the following outline: There are many testimonies in the lifting up of the eyes to heaven.
1. It is the testimony of a believing, humble heart. Neither infidelity nor pride ever carries a man above the earth.
2. It is the testimony of an obedient heart. A man that lifts his eye up to God acknowledgeth this much, "Lord, I am thy servant.
3. It is the testimony of a thankful heart; acknowledging that every good blessing, every perfect gift, is from the hand of God.
4. The testimony of a heavenly heart. He that lifts up his eyes to heaven acknowledgeth that he is weary of the earth; his heart is not there; his hope and desire are above.
5. It is the testimony of a devout heart. There is no part of the body besides the tongue that is so great an agent in prayer as the eye.
I THE UPLOOK TO GOD MAY BE BUT OCCASIONAL. And that is so far well. Man must be busy with earthly things; but his heart should be as a metal spring tied down. It flies upward at every instant of release.
II THE UPLOOK TO GOD MAY BE FIXED AND PERMANENT. A set of the eyes, because there is a set of the heart. The fixed level of human eyes, and of soul-eyes, varies most remarkably. R.T.
HOMILIES BY C. SHORT Vers. 1-4. The ultimate Refuge.
"Unto thee lift I up mine eyes," etc. "This psalm," says J. J. S. Perowne, "is either the sigh of the exile towards the close of the Captivity, looking in faith and patience for the deliverance which he hoped was now at hand; or the sigh of those who, having returned, were still exposed to the scorn and contempt of the Samaritans and others who harassed and insulted the Jews." God was their Refuge from such men, as he is the ultimate Refuge from all the ills and evils of this life.
I THE PSALMIST FINDS HOPE IN GOD"S SUPREMACY. Enthroned in the heavens the Judge of all controversies among his creatures, who will vindicate the righteous cause. Greatest power of service to humanity under his control.
II THE GRACIOUS MERCY OF GOD IS HIS ALL-SUFFICIENT REFUGE FROM THE CONTEMPT AND PERSECUTION OF MAN.
III SENSE OF DEPENDENCE UPON GOD NECESSARY TO REALIZE HIS HELP. As the lower must always depend on the higher.
IV THE VISION AND CONTEMPLATION OF GOD NECESSARY TO THE SENSE OF DEPENDENCE. Looking away from man up to God, as the servant studies the face of his master in order to read his duty. S.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Charles H. Spurgeon 1885 · Public Domain On vv1–4 A Song of degrees. We are climbing. The first…
A Song of degrees. We are climbing. The first step (Ps. 120) saw us lamenting our troublesome surroundings, and the next saw us lifting or eyes to the hills and resting in assured security; from this we rose to delight in the house of the Lord; but here we look to the Lord himself, and this is the highest ascent of all by many degrees. The eyes are now looking above the hills, and above Jehovah's footstool on earth, to his throne in the heavens. Let us know it as "the Psalm of the eyes". Old authors call it Oculus "Sperans", or the eye of hope. It is a short Psalm, written with singular art, containing one thought, and expressing if in a most engaging manner. Doubtless it would be a favourite song among the people of God. It has been conjectured that this brief song, or rather sigh, may have first been heard in the days of Nehemiah, or under the persecutions of Antiochus. It may be so, but there is no evidence of it; it seems to us quite as probable that afflicted ones in all periods after David's time found this psalm ready to their hand If it appears to describe days remote from David, it is all the more evident that the Psalmist was also a prophet, and sang what he saw in vision.
Ver. 1. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes. It is good to have some one to look up to. The Psalmist looked so high that he could look no higher. Not to the hills, but to the God of the hills he looked. He believed in a personal God, and knew nothing of that modern pantheism which is nothing more than atheism wearing a fig leaf. The uplifted eyes naturally and instinctively represent the state of heart which fixes desire, hope, confidence, and expectation upon the Lord. God is everywhere, and yet it is most natural to think of him as being above us, in that glory land which lies beyond the skies. "O thou that dwellest in the heavens", just sets forth,the unsophisticated idea of a child of God in distress: God is, God is in heaven, God resides in one place, and God is evermore the same, therefore will I look to him. When we cannot look to any helper on a level with us, it is greatly wise to look above us; in fact, if we have a thousand helpers, our eyes should still be toward the Lord. The higher the Lord is the better for our faith, since that height represents power, glory, and excellence, and these will be all engaged on our behalf. We ought to be very thankful for spiritual eyes; the blind men of this world, however much of human learning they may possess, cannot behold our God, for in heavenly matters they are devoid of sight. Yet we must use our eyes with resolution, for they will not go upward to the Lord of themselves, but they incline to look downward, or inward, or anywhere but to the Lord: let it be our firm resolve that the heavenward glance shall not be lacking. If we cannot see God, at least we will look towards him. God is in heaven as a king in his palace; he is here revealed, adored, and glorified: thence he looks down on the world and sends succours to his saints as their needs demand; hence we look up, even when our sorrow is so great that we can do no more. It is a blessed condescension on God's part that he permits us to lift up our eyes to his glorious high throne; yea, more, that he invites and even commands us so to do. When we are looking to the Lord in hope, it is well to tell him so in prayer: the Psalmist uses his voice as well as his eye. We need not speak in prayer; a glance of the eye will do it all; for
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"Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear,
The upward glancing of an eye
When none but God is near."
Still, it is helpful to the heart to use the tongue, and we do well to address ourselves in words and sentences to the God who heareth his people. It is no small joy that our God is always at home: he is not on a journey, like Baal, but he dwells in the heavens. Let us think no hour of the day inopportune for waiting upon the Lord; no watch of the night too dark for us to look to him.
Whole Psalm. This psalm (as ye see) is but short, and therefore a very fit example to show the force of prayer not to consist in many words, but in fervency of spirit. For great and weighty matters may be comprised in a few words, if they proceed from the spirit and the unspeakable groanings of the heart, especially when our necessity is such as will not suffer any long prayer. Every prayer is long enough if it be fervent and proceed from a heart that understandeth the necessity of the saints. Martin Luther.
Whole Psalm. The change of performers in this psalm is very evident; the pronoun in the first distich is in the first person singular, in the rest of psalm the first plural is used. Stephen Street.
Whole Psalm. This psalm has one distinction which is to be found in "scarcely any other piece in the Old Testament." In the Hebrew it has many rhymes. But these rhymes are purely accidental. They result simply from the fact that many words are used in it with the same inflections, and therefore with the same or similar terminations. Regularly recurring and intentional rhymes are not a characteristic of Hebrew poetry, any more than they were of Greek or Latin poetry. Samuel Cox.
Ver. 1. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes. He who previously lifted his eyes unto the hills, now hath raised his heart's eyes to the Lord himself. The Venerable Bede (672-735), in Neale and Littledale.
Ver. 1. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, etc. This is the sigh of the pilgrim who ascendeth and loveth, and ascendeth because he loveth. He is ascending from earth to heaven, and while he is ascending, unto whom shall he lift his eyes, but unto him that dwelleth in heaven? We ascend to heaven each time we think of God. In that ascent lies all goodness: if we would repent, we must look not on ourselves, but on him; if we would be humble, we must look not on ourselves, but on him; if we would truly love, we must look not on ourselves, but on him who dwelleth in the heavens. If we would have him turn his eyes from our sins, we must turn our eyes unto his mercy and truth. Plain Commentary.
Ver. 1. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes. Praying by the glances of the eye rather than by words; mine afflictions having swollen my heart too big for my mouth. John Trapp.
Ver. 1. Unto thee do I lift up mine eyes. You feel the greatness of the contrast these words imply. Earth and heaven, dust and deity; the poor, weeping, sinful children of mortality, the holy, ever blessed, eternal God: how wide is the interval of separation between them! But over the awful chasm, broader than ocean though it be, love and wisdom in the person of Jesus Christ, have thrown a passage, by which the most sinful may repair unafraid to his presence, and find the shame and the fears of guilt exchanged for the peace of forgiveness and the hope that is full of immortality. Robert Nisbet.
Ver. 1. There are many testimonies in the lifting up of the eyes to heaven. 1. It is the testimony of a believing, humble heart. Infidelity will never carry a man above the earth. Pride can carry a man no higher than the earth either. 2. It is the testimony of an obedient heart. A man that lifts up his eye to God, he acknowledgeth thus much, Lord, I am thy servant. 3. It is the testimony of a thankful heart; acknowledging that every good blessing, every perfect gift, is from the hand of God. 4. It is the testimony of a heavenly heart. He that lifts up his eyes to heaven acknowledgeth that he is weary of the earth; his heart is not there; his hope and desire is above. 5. It is the testimony of a devout heart: there is no part of the body besides the tongue that is so great an agent in prayer as the eye. Condensed from Richard Holdsworth.
Ver. 1. O thou that dwellest in the heavens. "That sittest." The Lord is here contemplated as enthroned in heaven, where he administers the affairs of the Universe, executes judgment, and hears prayer. James G. Murphy.
Ver. 1,2. The lifting up the eyes, implies faith and confident persuasion that God is ready and willing to help us. The very lifting up of the bodily eyes towards heaven is an expression of this inward trust: so David in effect saith, From thee, Lord, I expect relief, and the fulfilling of thy promises. So that there is faith in it, that faith which is the evidence of things not seen. How great soever the darkness of our calamities be, though the clouds of present troubles thicken about us, and hide the Lord's care and loving kindness from us, yet faith must look through all to his power and constancy of truth and love. The eye of faith is a clear, piercing, eagle eye: Moses "endured, as seeing him who is invisible:" Heb 11:27. Faith seeth things afar off in the promises (Heb 11:13), at a greater distance than the eye of nature can reach to. Take it either for the eye of the body, or the mind, faith will draw comfort not only from that which is invisible, but also from that which is future as well as invisible; its supports lie in the other world, and in things which are yet to come. Thomas Manton.
Ver. 1,2. In the first strophe the poet places himself before us as standing in the presence of the Majesty of Heaven, with his eyes fixed on the hand of God, absorbed in watchful expectation of some sign or gesture, however slight, which may indicate the divine will. He is like a slave standing silent but alert, in the presence of the Oriental "lord", with banns folded on his breast, and eyes fixed on his master, seeking to read, and to anticipate, if possible, his every wish. He is like a maiden in attendance on her mistress, anxiously striving to see her mind in her looks, to discover and administer to her moods and wants. The grave, reserved Orientals, as we know, seldom speak to their attendants, at least on public occasions. They intimate their wishes and commands by a wave of the hand, by a glance of the eye, by slight movements and gestures which might escape notice, were they not watched for with eager attention. Their slaves "hang upon their faces; "they" fasten their eyes" on the eyes of their master; they watch and obey every turn of his hand, every movement of his finger. Thus the Psalmist conceives of himself as waiting on God, looking to him alone, watching for the faintest signal, bent on catching and obeying it. Samuel Cox.
Ver. 1. The eyes of faith.
1. Need uplifting.
2. See best upward.
3. Have always something to see upward.
4. Let us look up, and so turn our eyes from too much introspection and retrospection.
Ver. 1.
1. The language of Adoration: "Thou that dwellest in the heavens."
2. The language of Confession.
(a) Of need.
(b) Of Helplessness.
3. The language of Supplication: "Unto thee, "etc.
4. The language of Expectation; as shown in Ps 123:2.
G.R.
Psalms 123:2*
Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 4 Unto Thee lift I up mine eyes.
Psa_123:1-4
Unto Thee lift I up mine eyes.
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The prayer of the eyes
The prayer of the eyes. Have you never seen it in the eyes of patient poverty, of distress, of oppression, of the sick child? This prayer recognizes Gods glory (verse 1) and Gods graciousness (verse 3). It is the prayer of silence, of deference, of reverence, of trustfulness. It is beseeching, waiting, observant prayer. All this is implied in verses 1, 2. It is the prayers of eyes that watch carefully the signs of the hands of the King.
I. That watch for His directing hand.
1. In things temporal.
2. To spiritual service.
II. That watch for His delivering and vindicating hand. He will avenge His people for the sorrow produced by the scorn of easeful souls, and by the spite of the proud (verse 4). No law acts more surely than the law of retribution.
III. That watch for His supplying hand. What ministers wait on maul Even God becomes mans minister; and employs all natural forces and all angelic beings, and all the agencies of grace on mans behalf.
IV. That watch for His correcting hand. The contempt and scorn of the enemy are often His discipline, bitter disciplines that exceedingly fill the soul of the humble people of God with shame and grief. But eyes of prayer look beyond the disciplines to the glory which they forecast, and are patient.
V. That watch for His rewarding hand. Alsted has called this psalm The Eye of Hope. And an upward glancing expectant hopefulness is the very spirit of it. The prayer of the eyes is the prayer of expectation; and the vision of the King shall yet broaden into the vision of the inheritance which awaits His true people, who now have few friends and comforters. (R. Corlett Cowell.)
The devout suffering soul
I. The attitude of a devout soul.
1. Up-looking (verse 1). Physically, man is the only being on earth upon whom the Creator has conferred an erect countenance, as if his very physical formation were intended to teach him that his eyes should be raised towards the skies, and that he should hold intercourse with Him who dwells in heaven. Other animals look down upon the ground, their faces are bent towards the earth. Man is God-like, erect, with native honour clad. The heathen themselves recognized this seal of divinity on the brow of man, and, in the beautiful language of the Greek, the word man describes him as a being whose honour it is to look up. But mentally so conscious are we of dependence on God, that even the worst of men are forced at times to look up to Him in the heavens. From Him alone cometh our help. This is the regular attitude of a devout soul, looking up to the Infinite. Is there a more sublime mood of being than this? The millions are looking down to worldly things and worldly pleasures, and the highest objects on which most look are the little social magnates of the hour. But the true soul looks up to the Infinite Father.
2. Up-looking for a practical purpose (verse 2). The hand is the symbol of power, by the slaves eyes being turned towards his masters hand is meant that he watches carefully for the least intimation of his will. Or the hand may be taken as the instrument of giving, and the reference may be to the slaves absolute dependence on his master. Or it may be the chastising hand that is meant: as the slave looks with entreaty to his masters deprecating punishment (Isa_9:13), so the psalmists eyes are turned wistfully to God, until He have pity. The tone of the psalm, however, indicates hopeful trust rather than humble submission. The future of His people is entirely in His hands: He will be sure some day to have mercy on His own.
II. The need of a suffering soul (verse 3). Some suggest the circumstances narrated in Neh_2:19; Neh_4:1-5, as suitable to the composition of this psalm: others prefer the times of persecution under Antiochus Epiphanes: others, again, suggest, on the grounds of similarity of language, common authorship with Psa_120:1-7. What is the need of a suffering soul? Mercy--to calm, succour, strengthen, guide, and deliver. IV conclusion:--.This psalm is a lesson of meekness. When we ere fancying ourselves scorned or forgotten, what have we to do but to look up to God and entreat His favour? It is pity for ourselves, and not vengeance on our foes, that we should seek. At the same time, we must be ready to obey like slaves waiting for some token of their masters will. (Homilist.)
The habit of looking upward
Dr. Culross told of a Spanish fable about a family that had nothing very remarkable about them, but there was this which seemed to signalize them from other families in the neighbourhood--every member of the family had a peculiar habit of looking upward. They became scattered in the course of years, hut wherever one of them went, somehow or other they were always known by their neighbours and friends by this one peculiar habit. That is a very good family to belong to, and I trust that all here to-night do belong to it, and live looking upward. You know that story about Michael Angelo. He was so accustomed to look up at the fresco ceilings of the various churches and cathedrals upon which he worked, that he actually got into the habit of looking up. His head seemed to get that peculiar direction given to it, so that even when he was walking along the streets of Rome, there he was, looking upward. Let us remember, then, this first thing that we are called upon to do in the motto--Look up, not down. (J. S. Poulton.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Expositor's Bible 1887 · Public Domain On v1 Psalms 123
Psalms 123
A SIGH and an upward gaze and a sigh! No period is more appropriate, as that of this psalm, than the early days after the return from exile, when the little community, which had come back with high hopes, found themselves a laughingstock to their comfortable and malicious neighbours. The contrast of tone with the joy of the preceding psalm is very striking. After the heights of devout gladness have been reached, it is still needful to come down to stern realities of struggle, and these can only be faced when the eye of patient dependence and hope is fixed on God.
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That attitude is the great lesson of this brief and perfect expression of wistful yet unfaltering trust joined with absolute submission. The upward look here is like. but also unlike, that in Psalms 121, in that this is less triumphant, though not less assured, and has an expression of lowly submission in the appealing gaze. Commentators quote illustrations of the silent observance of the masters look by his rows of slaves; but these are not needed to elucidate the vivid image. It tells its own story. Absolute submission to Gods hand, whether it wields a rod or lavishes gifts or points to service, befits those whose highest honour is to be His slaves. They should stand where they can see Him; they should have their gaze fixed upon Him; they should look with patient trust, as well as with eager willingness to start into activity when He indicates His commands.
The sigh for deliverance, in the second half of the psalm, is no breach of that patient submission. Trust and resignation do not kill natural shrinking from contempt and scorn. It is enough that they turn shrinking into supplication and lamentations into appeals to God. He lets His servants make their moan to Him, and tell how full their souls have long been of mens scorn. As a plea with Him the psalmist urges the mockers "ease." In their security and full-fed complacency, they laughed at the struggling band, as men gorged with material good ever do at enthusiasts; but it is better to be contemned for the difficulties which cleaving to the ruins of Gods city brings, than to be the contemners in their selfish abundance. They are further designated as "haughty," by a word which the Hebrew margin reads as two words, meaning "proud ones of the oppressors"; but this is unnecessary, and the text yields a good meaning as it stands, though the word employed is unusual.
This sweet psalm, with all its pained sense of the mockers gibes and their long duration, has no accent of impatience. Perfect submission, fixed observance, assured confidence that, "till He is gracious," it is best to bear what He sends, befit His servants, and need not hinder their patient cry to Him, nor their telling Him how long and hard their trial has been.
William Robertson Nicoll, ed., The Expositor's Bible (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1887–1910) — public domain. 65 of 66 books (1 Corinthians is not separately keyed, as that volume carries no machine-parseable verse references); section-level commentary keyed to the opening verse. Introductory and overview sections not keyed to a specific passage are excluded.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary 1892 · Public Domain On v1 Since the time when it was produced by its…
INTRODUCTION
Since the time when it was produced by its now unknown author, when was not this hymn of hope a favourite with God’s people? The pensive individual might use this form of meditation and prayer with comfort and edification in view of his private distresses; the tuneful company might probably beguile the way to or from Jerusalem with its plaintive cry; and it was fit to be chanted in the courts of Zion, in the name of the Church universal. After the afflicted pilgrims of Israel, in their successive generations, troubled Christians have repeated it in all countries; and it still describes the griefs and aspirations of the tempted servants of the Lord, as, in their various degrees, they “climb the steep ascent to heaven.”—The Caravan and Temple.
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THE HEAVENWARD GLANCE
(Psa_123:1-2)
I. Is directed to One who is enthroned in glorious majesty. “Unto Thee lift I up mine eyes, O Thou that dwellest in the heavens” (Psa_123:1). From God’s footstool of hills and altars the suppliant looks up into the face of the Master. “The Lord’s throne is in heaven: His eyes behold, His eyelids try, the children of men” (Psa_11:4). All the glories of the upper world circle round that lofty throne, and borrow their meaning and their lustre from Him who sitteth thereon. To Him cherubim and seraphim continually do cry, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts.” The starry constellations render Him ceaseless homage, and obey His mandate. The heavenly intelligences live in His smile, and rejoice in His service. The splendour of the greatest earthly monarch is extinguished by the glory of the Heavenly King. And it is to this glorious Ruler that man is permitted to direct his inquiring gaze, and from whom he must derive his mightiest help.
II. Is directed to One who has supreme government and power. “Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress” (Psa_123:2). The Divine Hand—
(1) Guides. The Eastern ruler, reticent and sparing in words, directs his attendants and agents by signs, and they are his best servants and least likely to incur sorrow who, not from fear but love, are swift to notice and obey the slightest movements of his speaking hand. The heart must be in the eyes that wait upon Jehovah.
“Leave to His sovereign sway
To choose and to command,
So shalt thou wondering own His way,
How wise, how strong His hand.”
(2) Supplies. Servants look to their masters for sustenance (Pro_31:15). So must we look to God for daily bread, and for needed grace (Psa_145:16).
(3) Protects. If the servant meet with opposition in his work, if he is wronged and injured, he looks to his master for protection. God is the shield of His people, not like the martial shield covering a portion of the person, but guarding every part (Gen_15:1; Psa_5:12). When threatened by our spiritual foes, we look to God for shelter and protection.
(4) Corrects. God smites with the same hand with which He guides and protects. Harmer observes—“As a slave ordered by a master or mistress to be chastised for a fault turns his imploring eyes to that superior till the motion of the hand appears which puts an end to the punishment, so our eyes are up to Thee, our God, till Thy hand shall give the signal for putting an end to our sorrows; for our enemies, O Lord, we are sensible, are only executing Thy orders, and chastening us according to Thy pleasure.” It is wise for us humbly to submit to the mighty Hand of God.
(5) Rewards. The hand of the world is filled with tempting rewards, but, like the fabled fruit of Sodom, they turn into bitter dust and ashes between the teeth of its votaries. But the faithful servants of Jehovah are rewarded with satisfying and endless pleasures.
III. Is directed to One who is rich in mercy. “The Lord our God, have mercy upon us” (Psa_123:2). Stung with a sharp sense of guilt, oppressed with the burden of multiplied troubles, and conscious of utter helplessness, the sinner turns a piteous gaze to Him whose mercy as well as righteousness endures for ever. “Lord, in trouble have they visited Thee; they poured out a prayer when Thy chastening was upon them” (Isa_26:16). The severity of God is tempered with mercy. “He delighteth in mercy.”
IV. Is persevering and triumphant. “So our eyes wait upon the Lord our God until that He have mercy upon us” (Psa_123:2). The believing soul fixes its eye upon the Divine mercy, and keeps it there till the gracious answer comes. We remain unblessed for lack of steady fixedness in our faith. Persevering faith is ever triumphant.
LESSONS:—
1. Man must look heavenward for all true help.
2. God never disappoints the humble and sincere suppliant.
SARCASM THE CAUSE OF PUNGENT SUFFERING
(Psa_123:3-4)
I. That sarcasm is a common weapon of the enemies of God.
1. It is used by the worldly minded. “The scorning of those that are at ease.” When the Jews, who had returned from captivity, were engaged in rebuilding the Temple and city of Jerusalem, they were much tried by the interference of certain dwellers in Samaria, who seemed ready to declare themselves Israelites or Pagans, as it might suit their interests; and when they were rejected as unfit to engage in so sacred a work, they did all they could to hinder and annoy. They misrepresented the motives of the Jews to the Persian king, who then held rule over Palestine; and poured contempt and derision on the struggling patriots (Comp. Ezr_4:1-3; Neh_2:19-20; Neh_4:1-4). “In every succeeding age the protesting and conservative faithful, the heart and bone of the undying Church, have been first courted, and then bantered and baffled by their worldly-minded and semi-heathen neighbours. The world about and among them, divided by rival idolatries, is united in jealousy, hatred, and scorn of the true Israel. The Samaritans will join the working church, if in so doing they may carnally benefit themselves; but when their help, which would be ruin, is not accepted, they unscrupulously hinder, misrepresent, and despise God’s children” (The Caravan and Temple).
2. It is used by the intellectually proud. “And with the contempt of the proud.” The scorner is deluded by the most despicable vanity. He assumes a superiority of knowledge, of virtue, and of authority over all others, of which all the time he is most lamentably destitute. Pride of intellect is the most dangerous form of self-deception, and the most hopeless of reformation.
“He that is proud eats up himself. Pride is
His own glass, his own trumpet, his own chronicle;
And whatever praises itself but in
The deed, devours the deed in the praise.”
—Shakespeare.
It is easier to sneer than to argue and to scoff at goodness, than to imitate it.
II. That sarcasm is the cause of pungent suffering to God’s people. “We are exceedingly filled with contempt.” It is hard to bear the blame of a wrong of which we are wholly innocent, to have our holiest motives misinterpreted, our failings exaggerated, our best actions maligned, and our God insulted and blasphemed. The suffering is increased when the injured one is powerless to respond or retaliate, and when a sensitive and passionate nature is to be held in check while writhing under a sense of injustice and cruelty. When John Nelson, a vigorous and successful lay-helper of Wesley, was impressed as a soldier, he was subjected to very aggravating insults from a pompous young ensign. “It was very difficult to bear,” said the stalwart Yorkshire mason, “when I knew how easily I could tie the head and heels of the young stripling together.” But suffering endured for Christ’s sake is a very potent element in moral discipline, and in the perfecting of the Christian character.
III. That the suffering occasioned by sarcasm is counterbalanced by the consolations of the Divine mercy.
“O Lord, have mercy upon us.” The mercy of God never fails. From the inhumanity of man the tortured soul turns to the Divine mercy for comfort and strength. It then learns that the suffering occasioned by sarcasm is only brief in duration, and that it is made the means of attaining a higher righteousness and an ampler reward (Rom_8:28).
LESSONS:—
1. The holiest do not escape the attacks of the adversary.
2. The bitterness of sarcasm is its unscrupulousness.
3. The Divine mercy should be sought in every time of suffering.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Sermon Bible 1900 · Public Domain On v1 I. Wherever we see a master with a family…
Psa 123:2
I. Wherever we see a master with a family of servants, we see a living parable of Almighty God and His Church; and out of their duties and behaviour to one another we may obtain much good instruction regarding our own behaviour towards Him. (1) St. Paul says, "Servants, be subject to your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling;" and do we not know that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom, and that the very description of the temper which suits the Gospel is to have grace whereby to serve God in reverence and godly fear? (2) St. Paul bids servants be obedient to their masters in singleness of heart; that is, that in setting about their work they should simply have an eye to their masters’ service, and not rather to their own convenience and pleasure: and this, again, is the very thing so much commended in Christian people, that they should serve God in simplicity and godly sincerity. (3) The same Apostle adds that what we do for our masters should be done not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; that is, we are not to have one way of doing our work when they are in sight and another when they are out of sight: and this, again, is like the care which becomes all Christians to make their conduct agree with their prayers, their weekdays with their Sundays, their ordinary behaviour with their direct service of their Lord. (4) Whereas all manner of servants among men naturally and justly look onward to the time of receiving their wages, as a hireling, according to Job’s saying, seeketh the reward of his work, so we are instructed to look on to the recompense of our eternal reward, knowing, as St. Paul goes on, that "whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free."
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II. All the qualities of a good servant are summed up in one word: fidelity; or, as it is is described by the psalmist in the text, "his eyes wait upon the hand of his master." So the faithful and dutiful Christian, he who has true love and thankfulness to the Father and God of his whole life, does not wait for express commands, but does what he sincerely thinks his Maker will be pleased with. Such simple, unwearied obedience, not asking questions, but performing duties—this is what God delights to honour.
J. Kehle, Sermons for the Christian Year, Sundays after Trinity, Thirteenth to End, p. 1.
References: Psa 123:2.—Expositor, 3rd series, vol. iv., p. 80. Psalm 123—S. Cox, ’The Pilgrim Psalms, p. 68. Psa 124:7.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxviii., No. 1696. Psalm 124—S. Cox, The Pilgrim Psalms, p. 86. Psa 125:1.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxiv., No. 1450. Psa 125:2.—Ibid., vol. iii., No. 101. Psalm 125—S. Cox, The Pilgrim Psalms, p. 110.
The Sermon Bible, ed. William Robertson Nicoll (1888–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
F. W. Grant 1903 · Public Domain On v1 God only sufficient.
God only sufficient.
A song of the ascents.
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The first psalm here, as in the former one, is only the distress, which yet has not gone as far as it will go. Jehovah is the one resource; and as dwelling in the heavens, not in Zion. But these eyes that turn to heaven are servants’ eyes: the spirit of obedience is in their hearts; and along with this the conscious need of grace. The pride of man is here the trial, as before his deceitfulness and spirit of strife. But the latter blazes out again in the next psalm.
F. W. Grant, The Numerical Bible (4th ed., 1903) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. R. Dummelow 1909 · Public Domain On v1 The Psalmist looks up steadfastly to God, and expresses…
The Psalmist looks up steadfastly to God, and expresses his confidence in Him.
4. The scorning of those, etc.] the mocking of them that are at ease—heathen oppressors living in careless security. The circumstances are similar to those in Psalms 120.
J. R. Dummelow, A Commentary on the Holy Bible (Macmillan, 1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On v1 A Song of degrees
A Song of degrees
(See Scofield "Psa 120:1").
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On v1 Trust in the Lord in the Midst of Anguish.
Trust in the Lord in the Midst of Anguish.
A song of degrees, setting forth the psalmist’s earnest prayer for mercy on account of the distress which has beset him.
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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, 1Pe 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.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv1, 3 General Information:
General Information:
Parallelism is common in Hebrew poetry. (See: Poetry and Parallelism)
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song of ascents
Possible meanings are 1) "song people sang while going up to Jerusalem for a celebration" or 2) "song people sang while going up the steps into the temple" or 3) "song whose words are like steps." See how you translated this in Psalms 120:1
I lift up my eyes
Here the author refers to his eyes because that is the part of the body used for seeing. AT: "I look to you" (See: Metonymy)
enthroned
sitting on a throne and ruling as king
as the eyes of servants ... as the eyes of a maid ... so our eyes look
These three phrases have similar meanings. The third phrase, about the Israelites, is being compared to how the servants and maids look to their masters and mistresses for help. In each case "eyes" refers to the whole person. (See: Parallelism and Synecdoche)
master's hand ... mistress's hand
Here "hand" refers to the provision for needs. AT: "master's provision ... mistress's provision" (See: Metonymy)
maid
servant girl
mistress
woman who has authority over servant girls
has mercy on us
The abstract noun "mercy" can be stated as an action. AT: "act mercifully toward us" (See: Abstract Nouns)
translationWords
heaven
servant
lord
hand
Yahweh
God
mercy
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v1 Ps 123 This lament on the psalmist’s lowly position…
Ps 123 This lament on the psalmist’s lowly position expresses vivid trust in the Lord (123:1-2). The psalmist prays for God’s favor on the community, as the reality of evil surrounds them (123:3-4). The poet looks beyond Jerusalem (Ps 122) to God’s throne in heaven.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.