Psalm 123

Despite the sequential number of this psalm, this is no "Sesame Street" experience. This is a heavy psalm, full of anguish and honesty. Eugene Peterson's book A Long Obedience in the Same Direction has been very helpful with the other Songs of Ascents, but not this time. Peterson calls this an "instance of service." In my view this is a psalm of desperation.

Here's my translation:

A song of the festival caravans.
To You I lift my eyes--
the One dwelling in the heavens.
Now, just as the eyes of servants on the hand of their masters,
just as the eyes of a maidservant on the hand of her mistress,
in that exact same way are our eyes on the LORD our God
until He is gracious to us.
Be gracious to us, O LORD, be gracious to us,
for we have had more contempt than we can handle.
The derision of those who are at ease and the contempt of the proud
are too much for our soul.

To me this is a desperate cry. Those speaking have been bent to the point of breaking, and they cannot take any more. I really appreciate the honesty of this psalm. Robert Alter translates: 'Grant us grace, LORD, grant us grace, for we are sorely sated with scorn.' It is good to know that other faithful members of God's family have been pushed to the very edge, too. And yet, despite their dire situation, they respond by turning to the LORD. The psalmist lifts His eyes to God. And He who dwells in the heavens is there...as always. He sees all. He knows all.
And so the child of God turns to Him.

In a way, this psalm is an appeal to the character of God. You see the trouble we are in, Lord. You are good. You are able. You love us. Help us! We will not turn away until you do.

Two well known teachers, John Calvin and Charles Spurgeon, comment on this Godward look. Calvin sees this as a look of emancipation. To me, Spurgeon's description is more exact. He sees the psalmist as one who is looking reverently, obediently, attentively, continually, expectantly, singly, submissively, and imploringly.

How many times have you been desperate? Have you responded with such faithfulness? Spurgeon continues:

Blessed are those servants whom their Master shall find so doing. Waiting upon the Lord is a posture suitable for both earth and heaven: it is, indeed, in every place the right and fitting condition for a servant of the Lord. Nor may we leave the posture so long as we are by grace dwellers in the realm of mercy. It is a great mercy to be enabled to wait for mercy.

Nobody wants such mercy. Waiting in desperation is a miserable place to be, but it's somewhere that most of us will probably spend some hard time. The good news is that Jesus has been there...and abides there with us even now. I close with a quote from Amy Carmichael's book His Thoughts Said...His Father Said:

But still the son felt like a long shore on which all the waves of pain of all the world were beating. His Father drew near to him and said, 'There is only one shore long enough for that. Upon My love, that long, long shore, those waves are beating now; but you can be one with Me. And I promise you that there shall be an end, and all tears shall be wiped from off all faces.'

God is faithful. He lives to "grant us grace."

Look to Him.