Christianity

Psalms 123As the Eyes of Servants

Summary

Psalm 123, a Song of Ascents, is a brief prayer that lifts the eyes to God who dwells in the heavens. As servants watch the hand of their masters and a maiden the hand of her mistress, so the community watches the LORD until he shows mercy. It ends with a repeated plea for mercy because the people are exceedingly filled with contempt, the scorning of those at ease and the contempt of the proud. Some readers connect it with the mockery Nehemiah faced.

Key verse

“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.”

Psalms 123:2

Themes

Watchful Dependence
Humility
Plea for Mercy
Enduring Contempt

Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

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.

Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.

Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.

Text: King James Version (1611/1769), public domain.

Across traditions

Christianity
Nehemiah 4: Mocked While Rebuilding
Nehemiah 4 describes Sanballat and Tobiah mocking the Jews rebuilding Jerusalem's walls, the kind of scorn from the proud that Psalm 123:4 laments.
Christianity
Psalm 121: Lifting Up the Eyes
Psalm 121 also begins by lifting up the eyes, there to the hills and here to God's heavenly throne, and both turn the gaze toward the LORD for help.

Questions about Psalms 123

What does 'the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters' mean?

Psalm 123:2 compares prayer to a servant watching for a master's signal: attentive, dependent and ready. The community waits on God in the same way until he shows mercy.

Who are 'those that are at ease' in Psalm 123?

Psalm 123:4 describes the scorning of those that are at ease and the contempt of the proud, comfortable people who look down on those who suffer. The psalm does not name them, and they may be foreign rulers or wealthy neighbors.