Psalms 123:1-4·~1 min
I Lift Up My Eyes to You
The speaker lifts his eyes to the enthroned God and describes the community's posture as one of attentive waiting, like servants looking to the hand that governs them. That patient gaze becomes a cry for mercy, because the people have been worn down by the contempt of the arrogant and those who live at ease.
A1 song of ascents. 2As the eyes of servants 3Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy, 4We have endured much scorn from the arrogant,
Section summaryThe psalm opens by lifting the eyes to the God enthroned in heaven, then compares that posture to servants watching a master's hand and a maid watching her mistress. From that picture of patient dependence it turns into a repeated plea for mercy, because the people have endured more than enough contempt from the proud and the complacent.
Role in the chapterThis section functions as a compact communal plea. It teaches that under scorn the faithful do not first answer their mockers; they fix their eyes on God, wait for his initiative, and ask for mercy until he acts.