The Lord Will

Psalms

Psalm 123

KJV

1

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

2

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.

3

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

4

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

Overview

Psalm 123 is a short Song of Ascents in which worshipers lift their eyes to God, wait for his mercy, and lament prolonged contempt from the self-secure and proud.

Setting and context

The heading identifies Psalm 123 as a Song of Ascents. Its four verses move from upward attention to dependent waiting and then to a communal plea for mercy under sustained contempt. The servant imagery is metaphorical and must not be used to legitimize slavery or abusive authority.

Themes

Dependence on God · Mercy · Lament under contempt · Humility without coercion

Key passages

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Questions readers ask

What is Psalm 123 about? It is a prayer for mercy from people who have endured sustained contempt, framed by attentive dependence on God. Does Psalm 123 support slavery or unquestioning submission? No. The servant-hand comparison functions as a metaphor for attentive dependence on God and does not authorize abusive human power.