Bible Commentaries

Psalms 123:1 « A Song of degrees. » Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

Ver. 1. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes] Praying by them rather than by words, mine afflictions having swollen my heart too big for my mouth. {See Trapp on "Psalms 121:1"}

Psalms 123:2 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.

Ver. 2. Behold, as the eyes of servants] For direction, defence, maintenance, mercy in time of correction, help when the service is too hard, &c.; so do our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, viz. for direction and benediction.

Psalms 123:3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.

Ver. 3. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy] This is preces fundere, coelum tundere, misericordiam extorquere, as Tertullian hath it; to wring mercy out of God’s holy hands, by our utmost importunity.

For we are exceedingly filled with contempt] We are made the very scum and scorn of our proud imperious enemies. This the nature of man is very impatient of, and can hardly brook; for there is none so mean but holdeth himself worthy of some regard; and a reproachful scorn showeth an utter disrespect, which issueth from the very superfluity of malice.

Psalms 123:4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, [and] with the contempt of the proud.

Ver. 4. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease] And therehence insolent and unsufferable, for κορος υβριν τικτει, ease breedeth forgetfulness, yea, it maketh men scornful and wrongful to others.