Psalm 123

Psalms 123:1-2

The Hebrew title marks this too as a Song of degrees, one of the fifteen ascent psalms, this one carrying no author's name. The eyes lifted to God who dwells in the heavens are matched by the servant's eyes fixed on a master's hand and the maiden's on her mistress, a picture of complete dependence, watching for the smallest sign of favor. Gill and the older writers take the picture as both submission and expectancy, a servant who watches for instruction and for release alike.

Psalms 123:3-4

The mercy asked for is repeated in the same breath, have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us, and the bench reads the doubling as a mark of real and pressing contempt rather than formal complaint. Exceedingly filled with contempt and exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease name two sources of the pressure, the proud and the comfortable alike. Barnes notes the psalm gives no name and no occasion, so the prayer fits any season in which the faithful bear scorn from those who suffer none of their trouble.