HAVE MERCY ON US, LORD
Key verse: 123:1
NIV
Psalm 123
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to you,
to you who sit enthroned(A) in heaven.
2 As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord(B) our God,
till he shows us his mercy.
3 Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us,
for we have endured no end of contempt.
4 We have endured no end
of ridicule from the arrogant,
of contempt from the proud.
Cross references
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
Our Eyes Look to the Lord Our God
A Song of (A)Ascents.123 To you I (B)lift up my eyes,
O you who are (C)enthroned in the heavens!
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants
look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maidservant
to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
till he has mercy upon us.
3 (D)Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
for we have had more than enough of (E)contempt.
4 Our soul has had more than enough
of (F)the scorn of (G)those who are at ease,
of the contempt of (H)the proud.
Read full chapter
123 To you I (B)lift up my eyes,
O you who are (C)enthroned in the heavens!
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants
look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maidservant
to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
till he has mercy upon us.
3 (D)Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
for we have had more than enough of (E)contempt.
4 Our soul has had more than enough
of (F)the scorn of (G)those who are at ease,
of the contempt of (H)the proud.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
First, till he shows us his mercy (1-2). The Psalmist lifted up his eyes to the Lord, and sought him-the Sovereign Lord who is enthroned in heaven. He looked to the Lord as a slave looks to the hand of his master. It was complete dependence, as the mind of a servant has. This was how the Psalmist described those who seek God with such a single minded purpose. What was he seeking so intently? It was God's mercy. The one who is our king rules us in his mercy. His mercy is what his people long for-to see it, know it and experience it in all things. Second, we have endured no end of contempt (3-4). Under what conditions did the Psalmist pray for mercy? His plea came at the very time that God's people were being ridiculed and treated with contempt by the arrogant and proud-God's enemies. It may have seemed like the time to pray for relief, but the Psalmist deeply accepted their trial in God's sovereign will. There he prayed to meet the God who is enthroned and ruling all things in his mercy.
Prayer: Lord, you are Lord and sovereign of all. Please rule your servants in mercy and help us to seek and meet you in all things.
One Word: Have mercy on us
