August 1, 2017

LIFT UP YOUR EYES!

Psalm 123

Scott Jones
Tuesday's Devo

August 1, 2017

Tuesday's Devo

August 1, 2017

Central Truth

When we experience the scorn and contempt of the world, there is One enthroned in heaven who sees our plight and extends mercy to us.

Key Verse | Psalm 123:1

To you I lift up my eyes,
O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
(Psalms 123:1)

 

Psalm 123

Our Eyes Look to the LORD Our God

A Song of Ascents.

To you I lift up my eyes,
    O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
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.

Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us,
    for we have had more than enough of contempt.
Our soul has had more than enough
    of the scorn of those who are at ease,
    of the contempt of the proud.

Dive Deeper | Psalm 123

Even though Jones is a Welsh name, 75 percent of my ancestry is from Scotland. When I experience scorn and contempt, my natural instinct is to paint my face blue and look for a broadsword. Psalm 123 offers a better way—humbly waiting for God’s mercy. Say what?

Traveling to worship in Jerusalem, the Israelites climbed from the Jordan River, which is below sea level, up to Jerusalem, approximately 2,500 feet above sea level. As they ascended, they sang the “Songs of Ascent.” Psalm 123 is one of these hymns.

Life was not easy for the Jews. They were surrounded by enemies who scoffed at their belief in Yahweh. They must have felt like they had endured “more than enough of contempt” (verse 3). Psalm 123 has three themes: lament, humility, and hope. In verses 3 and 4, the psalmist cries out over the contempt and scorn from Israel’s enemies. Humility is the theme of verse 2. Like servants, dependent on their master, Israel humbly submits to God and awaits His mercy. The psalmist lifts up his eyes to the Lord, the One who is “enthroned in the heavens” (verse 1). This is his hope, and he repeats it: “so our eyes look to the Lord our God till he has mercy upon us” (verse 2). This psalm has been called the “eye of hope.”

Things have not changed much in two millennia. There is still plenty of scorn and contempt around for those that serve Yahweh. It appears to be increasing, as the world seeks to purge Christ from the public square. What are we to do? Our opponents will not be won over by clever arguments and angry confrontations, but by a heart changed by the Spirit. Psalm 123 gives us direction. We should humbly submit to God and, like servants, depend on Him alone for deliverance. Patiently, we must accept His timing and wait with hope, our eyes fixed on Him. We can be confident that we will receive the mercy of the God who is enthroned in the heavens.

Discussion Questions

1. Do you know the God who is enthroned in the heavens? If not, have you considered the free gift of peace with God available to you through His Son, Jesus? (Romans 5:1-10)

2. Have you faced scorn and contempt for your faith in Jesus? Remember the world rejected Jesus first (John 15:18-25). How does that help you fix your eyes on the God enthroned in the heavens?

3. Jesus is our mediator with God (1 Timothy 2:5), a high priest who has been tempted also, and who can sympathize with us (Hebrews 4:15). How can this help you make the decision to depend on Jesus?

4. Contempt and scorn tempt us to seek revenge. How can you choose to walk by the Spirit and avoid gratifying the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16)? What are some ways that Psalm 123 can help you encourage those with whom you are in community when they face scorn and contempt? (1 Thessalonians 5:11)