Psalm 123: Fixed, Fastened, and Focused
Remember: “Psalms 120 through 134 comprise what is known as the Songs of
Ascent or the Songs of Degrees. They are wonderful psalms because they were the
songs that were sung when the Jewish people made their pilgrimages three times a
year to Jerusalem to worship the Lord and fellowship with him during the Feast of
Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles…As they journeyed toward Jerusalem during
these three feasts or festivals, they would sing, or chant, these psalms on the way”
(Courson).
I. Verse 1: “I lift my eyes up to you, to You whose throne is in heaven.”
A. Eyes are important in Scripture; Jesus himself called them “the lamp of the
body,” and explained that “if your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be
full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of
darkness” (Matthew 6:22-23 and Luke 11:34). So, what we set our eyes
upon is very important, indeed.
B. When Jesus read from Scripture, Luke tells us that “The eyes of everyone in
the synagogue were fastened on him” (4:20), and the writer of Hebrews says
that behavior is the recipe for successful living: “…let us run with
perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the
pioneer and perfecter of faith…Consider Him who endured such opposition
from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (12:1-2). Peter
learned that lesson well as he fixed his eyes on Jesus and experienced the
miracle of walking on water, but when his eyes looked down, left, or right at
the waves…he sank. When our eyes are fixed on Christ, we’ll not just run,
we’ll soar on wings like eagles, high above the tumultuous waves of life, and
fight our battles as more than conquerors! Therefore, brothers and sisters,
“we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is
seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). Lift
your eyes to Him because when your eyes wander elsewhere, your
confidence wavers, and the waves will win.
II. Verse 2: “As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a
maid look to her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till He shows us
His mercy.”
A. Slaves fix their eyes on their master’s hand in submissive obedience to
receive direction, provision, protection, and discipline; after years of
watching the master, a slave knows him or her so well that the will of the
master can be anticipated.
B. When our eyes are fixed on our Master’s hand, we accept our need of His
direction and provision in our lives, and most importantly, as we rely on that
mighty hand to provide and direct, we learn how far above our ways His
ways are, and naturally walk in obedience, needing His loving discipline less
and less.
III. Verses 3-4: “Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy on us, for we have
endured much contempt. We have endured much ridicule from the proud, much
contempt from the arrogant.”
A. A slave understands that everything that happens in his life is determined by
his master, so if he desires mercy from others’ contempt or ridicule, only his
master’s protective hand can provide it.
B. So, it’s important to note that the writer doesn’t ask for his enemy’s mercy;
he asks for God’s. He pours out his complaint about his enemy’s abuse, and
then he abruptly stops writing. What else can a slave do but lift his eyes up
to the master, fastening his gaze there rather than on the hurtful
circumstances, then cry out in pain to the Master to provide His mercy and
protection?
Have mercy on us,
O LORD.
Give us wisdom
to lift our eyes up
to You,
fastening them
there,
so we do not
grow weary
and lose heart.
Amen and Amen.