Psalm 123

To Thee I lift up my eyes,

O Thou who art enthroned 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 the Lord our God,

Until He shall be gracious to us.

3 Be gracious to us, O Lord, be gracious to us;

For we are greatly filled with contempt.

4 Our soul is greatly filled

With the scoffing of those who are at ease,

And with the contempt of the proud.

Commentary on PSALM 123 by Martin Girard

It is very likely that this psalm was written at a “low” time when the Jews were still captives in Babylon. As they suffered the scorning and ridicule of their ungodly tormentors, they looked expectantly to their God for deliverance. The individual believer today needs the same attitude of waiting upon the Lord daily for guidance and direction: “Our eyes wait upon the LORD, our God, until He have mercy upon us” (v. 2).

Lord You know what Israel

Has gone through

And is now going through. 

Many despise them

And their soul is filled with contempt;

With the contempt of many.

 

Lord draw them to You.

May they look to You.

May they look to You for

Mercy and help.

 

Lord may we all look to You;

May we look to You as servants

Look to their masters and as a maid

Looks to her mistress—

Waiting for Your help.

 

Lord be gracious to us

And don’t let us be overcome

By those who despise us.

 

And when we are filled up

With their contempt,

Let us always call on You for help;

That our soul would be filled instead

With Your grace and love.

 

Fill us Lord, and let us not be bitter.