Unto Thee life I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.  Psalm 23:1

The unknown psalmist of Psalm 123 is not a stranger of grace.  He knows the hidden life of prayer with the Lord, his God.

 

The psalmist is a spiritual pilgrim in this world, traveling through this vale of tears.  His song is a pilgrim’s song for all times and places.  In this psalm we hear the eternal Word of God, and this Word explains the scorn and contempt (v. 3, 4) every true and sincere pilgrim experiences in his life.

Jesus Christ-once the great Pilgrim and Forerunner on the earth-spoke to His disciples, and thus to all His children, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hates you.  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.  Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord: (John 15:18-20a).  But the Lord also added, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33b). This makes them look to the Conqueror in the struggle, in whom believers are more than conquerors.

The psalmist’s eyes are lifted up unto God in prayer, in expectation that the Lord will look down upon him.  The eyes of the person who here prays are directed towards God so that the eyes of the Lord would be upon him.  He admits that he is dependent upon Jehovah’s help and grace in this time of trouble.

 A striking illustration is used to convey how strongly the eyes of the soul are fixed upon the Almighty.  Just think of a well-to-do slave-owning family in former days.  It sometimes happened that the master of the house punished his slave.  The slave begged painfully for mercy and intently watched the hand of his master until it ceased beating him.  Sometimes a slave looked continually unto the hand of her mistress to see if her mistress would offer a helping hand for a difficult task.  Looking so intently at the hand of the master or the mistress expresses a very strong degree of dependence.  This is also true of the psalmist, who is looking towards the Lord until that He have mercy upon him.

The psalmist includes the whole nation in his prayer.  They have been greatly scorned because of their deeds in this world, but not the Lord has mercy upon His people.  The Lord’s favor as a shield is given to them from heaven to help and protect them.

Dear congregation, we all need this shield in our life, particularly when we are oppressed by enemies in the battlefield of this life.

The psalmist continuously begs for mercy amidst hostile mockers, who, as it were, play a game with the people of Israel.  He begs that their scorn might stop and not be directed towards the people again.  They have had enough.  They are weary of it.  It is as if he cries out, “Lord, have mercy upon us.  O Lord, we are coming to Thee because their scorn is getting to be too much for us.  Our hope is in Thee."

We do not hear about the Lord’s answer to this prayer.  Yet, for this it is also true, “I am the Lord, I change not:  therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed” (Mal. 3:6).  Congregation of Sumtamon, continue to pray.

So to the Lord our eyes we raise,

Until His mercy He displays.

-Psalter 351:1

 

Read Psalm 123                                  Gembala T. Alimdam

Sing Psalter 351:1                              Classis Sumtamon, Sumtamon Papua, Indonesia