Psalms — Chapter 123

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1Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

2Behold, 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.

3Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.

4Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.

1Unto thee do I lift up mine eyes, O thou that sittest in the heavens.

2Behold, as the eyes of servants [look] unto the hand of their master, As the eyes of a maid unto the hand of her mistress; So our eyes [look] unto Jehovah our God, Until he have mercy upon us.

3Have mercy upon us, O Jehovah, have mercy upon us; For we are exceedingly filled with contempt.

4Our soul is exceedingly filled With the scoffing of those that are at ease, And with the contempt of the proud. Psalm 124 A Song of Ascents; of David.

1A song of ascents. I look up toward you, the one enthroned in heaven.

2Look, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a female servant look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes will look to the Lord, our God, until he shows us favor.

3Show us favor, O Lord, show us favor! For we have had our fill of humiliation, and then some.

4We have had our fill of the taunts of the self-assured, of the contempt of the proud.

1To you I do lift up my eyes, you who sit in the heavens.

2Behold, 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 Yahweh, our God, until he has mercy on us.

3Have mercy on us, Yahweh, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt.

4Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scoffing of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud.

Summary
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
Videos
Reflection

Summary

A Song of Ascents — the psalmist lifts his eyes to God in heaven as a servant looks to the hand of his master, pleading for mercy because the people are filled with the contempt of the proud.

Authorship & Background

Author: Multiple authors — primarily David (73 psalms attributed), plus Asaph (12), Sons of Korah (11), Solomon (2), Moses (1), Heman (1), Ethan (1), and anonymous. The Psalter was compiled over approximately 1000 years and served as Israel's hymnal and prayer book. The book is divided into five 'books' (1-41, 42-72, 73-89, 90-106, 107-150), paralleling the five books of Moses. Key themes: worship, lament, praise, trust, kingship, creation, wisdom, Messianic prophecy, and the full range of human emotion brought before God.
Classification: Song of Ascents / Communal Lament Attributed Author: Anonymous (superscription: "A Song of degrees") Key Themes: Looking to God for mercy, patient waiting as a servant, contempt from the proud, humble dependence on God
Historical Context: Psalm 123 is the fourth Song of Ascents — a short prayer of four verses from a people experiencing contempt and scorn from those "at ease" (the arrogant wealthy). The central image is stunning: eyes fixed on God's hand like a servant watching a master for the slightest signal. The psalm likely reflects post-exilic Israel, despised by surrounding nations. It teaches that when scorned by the world, the proper response is not retaliation but looking upward — fixing your gaze on God's hand, waiting for His mercy to act.
Structure:
  • Eyes Lifted to God (v.1)
  • The Servant's Gaze (v.2)
  • Plea for Mercy (v.3)
  • The Weight of Contempt (v.4)

Map & Geography

  • No specific geographic locations are referenced in this chapter.

Videos

The Bible Project — Psalms Overview

Reflection

  • 1. Fix your eyes on God's hand (v.2). When you face contempt or scorn, don't fixate on the scorners. Look at God's hand. Watch for His signal, His provision, His timing.
  • 2. "Until" (v.2). Keep looking until mercy comes. Patience is not passive — it's active watching. Don't give up before God acts.
  • 3. Being filled with contempt is painful (vv.3-4). Scripture acknowledges this pain without minimizing it. Being despised by the comfortable and proud is real suffering. Bring it to God.