Read Psalm 123
Questions from the Scripture text: What type of song is this (superscript)? To where is the psalmist now lifting his eyes (Psalm 123:1a, cf. Psalm 121:1)? Where does He dwell (Psalm 123:1b)? Who are examples (Psalm 123:2a–b) of the humility, dependence, and devotion, with which God’s people look to Him (verse 2c)? For Him to do what (verse 2d)? What are they crying out (Psalm 123:3a)? Why—with what are they filled (verse 3b)? What part of them is filled (Psalm 123:4a)? With what from whom (verse 4b)? And from whom else (verse 4c)?
For what can the lowly hope? Psalm 123 looks forward to the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the lowly can hope for God’s mercy.
God is the highest. There seems to have been a progression from Psalm 121. Now, instead of looking to the hills, asking where help comes from, and concluding it comes from YHWH (cf. Psalm 121:1–2), the psalmist looks directly to the Lord. God isn’t located to any one place, but He has made the world with various heavens of increasing splendor, so that we can extrapolate to that place where He most expresses His glory (cp. 2 Corinthians 12:2; Psalm 8:1; Psalm 19:1).
We are the lowest. We look to the Lord as servants. There is a humble pleading implied in Psalm 123:2, both by the focus on the eyes in verse 2 and by the household/family relation of the servant and maidservant. But the humility and pleading are much intensified by Psalm 123:3-4, where their soul is filled with being shamed and despised. This is often the experience of the Christian in this world. If it were not, the Lord would not give us this song to sing. And even when the proud are not despising us, we often feel this way about our sinfulness, which drives us to the same Lord.
But it is He Who has compassion upon us. How ridiculous and disgusting that there are those proud who are at ease in themselves (Psalm 123:4), and that they scorn the lowly with contempt! But, praise be to God! He Who is infinitely above all is not so high that He would scorn us or even disregard us, but He is full of grace, full of compassion, in which He shows us mercy. We innately know that this is great in a master of a house with his servant. But God is infinitely higher than that master, and we are far lower than the servant, so how great is His compassion toward us!
When have you been scorned and despised? When have you been lowest before God? What is your hope, then?
Sample prayer: Lord, we are so lowly—in our own eyes and despised by others. And You are exalted above all the heavens. You have set Your glory in them and above them. But You, Who are so exalted, have taken us to be Your servants of Your house. Now, we come to You, confident in Your grace, and waiting upon You to draw us near and help us worship You through Christ, in Whose Name we ask it, AMEN!
Suggested Songs: ARP123A “I Lift My Eyes to You” or TPH122B “My Heart Was Glad to Hear the Welcome Sound”
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