# 42 2021 Dev. Psalm 123:2. Our Eyes! Read all of Psalm 123 first. The purpose of these devotionals is to draw closer to God and grow spiritually by applying His Word to our daily living. All passages are taken from the NIV.
Psalm 123:2b “Our eyes look to the Lord God”
Intro. Ps. 120-137 is a series of Psalms that include 15 “songs of ascent.” Songs of ascent were sung at the temple by the Priests walking up the 15 steps entering the sanctuary, also sung by pilgrims going up to Jerusalem for the three feasts required, Pentecost, Passover and Tabernacles, as well as during the return from Babylon back to Jerusalem.
Psalm 123 is a song of ascent of two stanzas that is a prayer as well. This Psalm appears to be a prayer song about the journey through life as opposed to a journey to Jerusalem.
V.1. “I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven.” We are blessed to know what “enthroned in heaven” means and what that looks like (Rev. 4). The Psalmist is entreating for the community to the God of Heaven and Earth, the only legitimate God among the myriads of gods at the time. He is speaking from a place of weakness as we all are today as followers of Jesus.
V.2. “As the eyes of slaves,” both male and female, slaves in that day and still today have no aspirations, no freedom, no recourse, no way out, death being the only way the bondage is broken. It is used here as a simile highlighting complete bondage and hopelessness. Unfortunately, this is looking and feeling more and more real today. Mandates: no exemptions, careers lost, firings from every kind of job no-matter its importance, no freedom of movement, arrests on college campuses for non compliance. Is that what we are facing, arrest and incarceration while the real criminals run free? Ask yourself? See for yourself!
V.2 b. “so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till He shows us His mercy.” Our fist defense is prayer and the second is responsible action.
V.3. The Psalmist continues with his petition: “Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us,” there is “no end of contempt” on Christianity, on followers of Jesus and on conservative values.
V.4. “We have endured no end of ridicule from the arrogant, the proud.” The humility of the followers of Jesus, the wisdom of the Word of God, the restraint of the Holy Spirit on the world, is ridiculed and held in contempt. “So our eyes look to the Lord our God, my help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Ps. 121). But it does not end there because, today in America, there is a debilitating hopelessness among all races who are true Christians and true conservatives. Since our help comes from the Lord, what will be your thinking and action? I pray that we will live our faith, promote our values at every opportunity, stand our ground, and vote for wise and sensible people no matter what party or creed. Our help comes from God, amen!
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