Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 123:4

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Psalms 123:4. Those that are at ease — The Babylonians, who, having subdued all the people of the neighbouring nations, lived at ease, had none to contend with them, and now became luxurious, indolent, and insolent: they were contemptuous and proud.

ANALYSIS OF THE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-THIRD PSALM

The oppressed followers of God make application to him for mercy. In this application they express three things: -

I. Their confidence in God.

II. Prayer for mercy.

III. An account of their oppressors.

I. Their trust in God.

1. "Unto thee lift I up mine eyes." We trust in thee alone.

2. "O thou that dwellest in the heavens." Infinitely raised above us; but affected with our miserable condition, and always ready to help us.

This he shows by a double similitude: -

1. "As the eyes of servants," i.e., men-servants, "look unto the hand of their masters."

2. "As the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress:" both might be beaten; and here both beg to be saved from farther stripes.

3. "So our eyes," c. God's children are always looking up to him.

4. "Until that he have mercy" abate his stripes, and take off his hand.

II. Their prayer for mercy.

1. Before they lifted their eyes to God, but now they cry for mercy.

For this crying, they give the following reasons: -

1. "We are exceedingly filled with contempt." To suffer contempt is much; to be filled with it is more; and to be exceedingly filled with it is worst of all.

2. We are scorned: they join words and actions to show how much they despise us.

III. They give the character of those by whom they suffer.

1. They are at ease - loaded with wealth, and sunk in indolence.

2. They are proud - puffed up with a sense of their own importance; and this leads them to despise others. Proud men are for the most part empty, shallow-pated men: and contempt and scorn from such wounds deeply; especially if they rise, as they often do, from the dunghill. The sick lion in the fable found it extremely galling to be kicked by the foot of an ass.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms 120-124 To Jerusalem for worship

Each of the fifteen Psalms 120:0 to 134 is entitled ‘A Song of Ascents’ (RSV; NIV). These psalms were apparently sung by worshippers from the country areas as they made the journey up to Jerusalem for the various annual festivals.

Whether or not the psalms were written for this purpose, they have been arranged in a sequence that reflects the feelings of the travellers. They provide expressions of worship for the travellers as they set out from distant regions, travel through the country, come to Jerusalem, and finally join in the temple ceremonies.
The collection opens with a cry from one who lives in a distant region and is bitterly persecuted by his neighbours (120:1-2). Their insults pierce him like sharp arrows and burn him like red-hot coals. He prays that God’s punishment of them will be just as painful (3-4). He is tired of being victimized. He feels as if he lives in a far-off land where he is surrounded by attackers from hostile tribes. He will set out for Jerusalem and seek some peace and refreshment of spirit in God’s house (5-7).
As he journeys through the hill country, the man knows that God who made the hills cares for him (121:1-2). Even when he sleeps by the roadside at night, God, who never sleeps, watches over him (3-4). God protects him from dangers by day and by night (5-6). Surely, God will take him to Jerusalem and bring him safely home again (7-8).
In the excitement of anticipation, the traveller pictures his dream as fulfilled. He recalls a psalm of David and pictures himself at last standing in Jerusalem as David once did (122:1-2). He sees it as a beautiful, well-built city, where the tribes of Israel are united in their worship of God, and where God rules his people through the throne of David (3-5). He prays that God will always preserve the city and prosper its people (6-8). He himself will do all he can for the city’s good (9).
Ungodly people mock the poor traveller, and others who have now joined him, for putting up with such hardships just to attend a religious festival in Jerusalem. The worshippers ask God to give them some relief by silencing those who mock them (123:1-4).
The persecuted travellers once more recall the experience of David and sing one of his psalms that reflects their own experience. As David was persecuted, so are they. Only through God’s grace and power have they been kept from much worse treatment (124:1-3). Their enemies are as violent and destructive as a raging flood (4-5), as cruel as wild animals (6) and as cunning as bird-trappers (7), but the travellers have the great Creator on their side (8).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

“Unto thee do I lift up mine eyes, O thou that sittest in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their master, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress; So our eyes look unto Jehovah our God, Until he have mercy upon us. Have mercy upon us, O Jehovah, have mercy upon us; For we are exceedingly filled with contempt. Our soul is exceedingly filled With the scoffing of those that are at ease, And with the contempt of the proud.”

Regarding the date and authorship of this psalm, nothing is definitely known. “The only circumstance which throws any light on its origin is the statement in Psalms 123:3-4 that the people of God were exposed to derision and contempt.”Albert Barnes’ Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. III, p. 239. Of course, that could have been the case in a number of circumstances in the long history of the chosen people.

We cannot fully agree with Leupold who said of this psalm that, “There is nothing powerful, moving, or sublime that finds expression here. A quiet submissive tone prevails throughout. It is subdued in character; there is no loud complaint, or impetuous plea.”H. C. Leupold, p. 878. It is these very qualities which, to us, makes the psalm so attractive. McCaw found in this psalm, “A glad certainty of mercy for the defamed,”New Bible Commentary Revised, p. 531. which he contrasted with the “Sad theme of expectation of God’s judgment on the defamers in Psalms 120.”Ibid.

“O thou that sittest in the heavens” “It was doubtless this very first verse that led to this psalm’s selection for the collection of processional songs. `God is still on his throne,’ is the reassuring message for the pilgrims,”Leslie C. Allen, p. 161. making their tiresome and dangerous journey to Jerusalem.

“As the eyes of servants... as the eyes of a maid” The imagery here is drawn from the behavior of ancient slaves, whose conduct is eloquently described by Barnes. In some oriental palaces or `great houses’ there were many slaves who customarily stood in silence, intensely prepared to do the bidding of their masters, looking steadily upon the hands of their `lords,’ who usually signaled their desires by motions of the hand.Albert Barnes’ Commentary on the Old Testament, op. cit., p. 240.

“Until he have mercy upon us” There is a patient waiting upon the will of God here which is very beautiful. It reminds us of what Jesus said, “In your patience ye shall win your souls” (Luke 21:19). There is exhibited here no anxious hurry or any doubt whatever. There is a calm and certain assurance that God, in his own time and manner, will provide the needed relief.

“Have mercy upon us… we are exceedingly filled with contempt” We hardly know what to make of Leupold’s comment here that, “The psalmist did not even venture to pray for mercy.”H. C. Leupold, p. 880. To us, it appears that the double appeal, “Have mercy upon us; have mercy upon us” has all the elements of effective prayer. It is almost like the prayer of the publican in Luke 18:13, lacking only the confession of sin.

“Contempt” It is significant here that contempt is the only opposition mentioned; but as Kidner noted, “Contempt is cold steel; it goes deeper into the spirit than any other kind of rejection. In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ ranked it even more murderous than anger.”Derek Kidner, Vol. II, p. 435. “Whosoever shall say to a brother, `Thou fool,’ shall be in danger of the hell of fire” (Matthew 5:22 b).

In the face of the contemptuous scorn and hatred of the unbelieving world around us, Christians can identify with this psalm. “The words here can speak for our contemporaries under persecution and can give us words to pray in unison with them.”Ibid.

“The scoffing of those who are at ease… the contempt of the proud” These lines identify the source of the contempt mentioned in the preceding verse. “Those who are at ease,” and “the proud” are reference to the world’s wealthy and affluent. We appreciate the discerning words of Addis regarding such people.

“The contempt of the proud may have been caused by their own wealth, and by the poverty of the godly. `Poor’ and `godly’ are almost synonymous. The Hebrew Bible often uses one and the same word for `poor,’ `afflicted’ and `humble.’“W. E. Addis, p. 393.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Our soul is exceedingly filled - Thoroughly sated. This verse states the nature and the source of the contempt which they were called to bear.

With the scorning of those that are at ease - According to one view of these “Psalms of Degrees” (see the Introduction to Psalms 120:1-7) this would be an instance of an “ascent” in the sense, or of the going up of the thought, where in Psalms 123:3 there was mention made in general of “contempt,” and in this verse the thought is carried onward and upward, or there is an additional idea which gives intensity to it. It is the scorn proceeding from those who are at ease; that is, the frivolous, the affluent, the proud. The word scorning means derision, mockery. The idea in the Hebrew is derived from stammering, which the word properly means; and then, mockery, as repeating over the words of another, or imitating the voice of one in derision. Compare Psalms 2:4; Job 22:19. The phrase “those that are at ease” properly refers to those who are tranquil or quiet, Job 12:5; Isaiah 32:18; Isaiah 33:20; and then it is used of those who are living at ease; those who are living in self-indulgence and luxury, Amos 6:1; Isaiah 32:9, Isaiah 32:11. Here it would seem to refer to those who, in our language, are “in easy circumstances;” the affluent; those who are not compelled to toil: then, the frivolous, the fashionable, those in the upper walks of life. The contempt was aggravated by the fact that it came from that quarter; not from the low, the ignorant, the common, but from those who claimed to be refined, and who were distinguished in the world of gaiety, of rank, and of fashion. This, even for good people (such is human nature), is much more hard to bear than contempt is when it comes from those who are in the lower walks of life. In the latter case, perhaps, we feel that we can meet contempt with contempt; in the former we cannot. We disregard the opinions of those who are beneath us; there are few who are not affected by the opinions entertained of them by those who are above them.

And with the contempt of the proud - Those who are lifted up; either in rank, in condition, or in feeling. The essential idea is, that it was the contempt of those to whom mankind look up. Religious people have always had much of this to encounter, and often it is in fact a more severe test of the reality and power of religion than the loss of goods, or than bodily pains and penalties. We can bear much if we have the respect - the praise - of those above us; it is a very certain test of the reality and the power of our religion when we can bear the scorn of the great, the noble, the scientific, the frivolous, and the fashionable. Piety is more frequently checked and obscured by this than it is by persecution. It is more rare that piety shines brightly when the frivolous and the fashionable flown upon it than when princes attempt to crush it by power. The church has performed its duty better in the furnace of persecution than it has in the “happy” scenes of the world.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 123:1-4 :

Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of a servant 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. Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt ( Psalms 123:1-3 ).

That is, the people around are just contemptuous towards us.

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

So Lord, we're going to lift up our eyes to You who dwell in heaven. Our eyes are going to be fixed on Thee, not upon those around us who are giving us such a hard time.

How important it is when we're going through trials to fix our eyes upon the Lord. So many times we get our eyes upon people and we get in these interpersonal conflicts with people and we're watching to see what he's going to do next. Just waiting. Best to just get your eyes fixed on the Lord. And so he said, "As the servant watches his master's hand."

Now the servant was constantly watching, especially at a dinner or whatever, when the guests were there, the servant the whole time would watch his master's hand. For the master would give certain signals with his hand, expecting the servant to pick up on those signals. It was the duty of the servant if things are getting out of order, if the wine is getting low or something, the master would just give a signal with his hand and the servant knew exactly what he was saying. And thus, the whole time the servant's eyes would be glued upon the master's hands waiting for a signal. Because if the master should signal and the servant is off someplace else and his mind someplace else, and he's not on his toes, then he's really in trouble. Constantly watching.

And the same with the maidservants. Watching the mistress, watching the hand continually, because it was with the hand that they gave their beckons, their signals. Not wanting to speak to the servants or directions were given to them by hand movements. And so, "Even as a servant keeps his eye on his master's hand, Lord, I'm going to keep my eyes glued on You." That's a good policy. Just keep your eyes glued on the Lord. The junk that you don't see is not going to hurt you. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 123

The composer of this psalm voiced dependence on the Lord and petitioned Him for grace, since Israel’s enemies ridiculed her for her trust in Yahweh. It is a combination of individual and community lament.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

2. Desire for grace 123:3-4

The Israelites needed more grace because their pagan neighbors, who were leading comfortable lives, were ridiculing them for their trust in Yahweh.

It is appropriate to request additional divine enablement to bear the criticism and mocking of unbelievers who ridicule faith in God. However, we should maintain a realistic attitude of dependence on God as we petition Him and wait for Him to grant our request.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease,.... That are in easy and affluent circumstances; abound in the things of this world, and have more than heart can wish; have no outward trouble, as other men, or as the saints have; nor any uneasiness of mind, on account of sin and their eternal state: they have been at ease from their youth; Satan, that has the possession of them, keeps the goods in peace; and their consciences are seared as with a red hot iron, and they are past feeling; though they are far from having any true solid peace of mind: and such persons are generally scorners of the saints, and load them with their gibes and jeers in a most insolent manner; which makes it very irksome and grievous to bear;

[and] with the contempt of the proud: who are proud of their natural abilities; of their wealth and riches, and of their honours and high places: and such are generally scorners, and deal in proud wrath; and, through their pride, persecute the poor saints with their reproaches, and by other ways; see Proverbs 21:24. Some understand by these characters, "that are at ease", or "quiet" f, and are "proud", or "excellent" g, as the phrases may be rendered, such described by them as are the objects, and not the authors, of scorn and contempt; even the saints, who are the quiet in the land, and the excellent in the earth; those precious sons of Zion, who are disesteemed by the men of the world, Psalms 35:20.

f השאננים "pacatorum", Montanus; "tranquillorum", Piscator, Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis. g גאיונים "excellentium", Hammond; a rad. גאה "eminuit", Gejerus; so an eminent Rabbi with the Jews is called "Gaon", as R. Saadiah Gaon, &c.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

A song of degrees.

      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.

      We have here,

      I. The solemn profession which God's people make of faith and hope in God, Psalms 123:1; Psalms 123:2. Observe, 1. The title here given to God: O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Our Lord Jesus has taught us, in prayer, to have an eye to God as our Father in heaven; not that he is confined there, but there especially he manifests his glory, as the King in his court. Heaven is a place of prospect and a place of power; he that dwells there beholds thence all the calamities of his people and thence can send to save them. Sometimes God seems to have forsaken the earth, and the enemies of God's people ask, Where is now your God? But then they can say with comfort, Our God is in the heavens. O thou that sittest in the heavens (so some), sittest as Judge there; for the Lord has prepared his throne in the heavens, and to that throne injured innocency may appeal. 2. The regard here had to God. The psalmist himself lifted up his eyes to him. The eyes of a good man are ever towards the Lord,Psalms 25:15. In every prayer we lift up our soul, the eye of our soul, to God, especially in trouble, which was the case here. The eyes of the people waited on the Lord,Psalms 123:2; Psalms 123:2. We find mercy coming towards a people when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, are towards the Lord,Zechariah 9:1. The eyes of the body are heaven-ward. Os homini sublime dedit--To man he gave an erect mien, to teach us which way to direct the eyes of the mind. Our eyes wait on the Lord, the eye of desire and prayer, the begging eye, and the eye of dependence, hope, and expectation, the longing eye. Our eyes must wait upon God as the Lord, and our God, until that he have mercy upon us. We desire mercy from him, we hope he will show us mercy, and we will continue our attendance on him till the mercy come. This is illustrated (Psalms 123:2; Psalms 123:2) by a similitude: Our eyes are to God as the eyes of a servant, and handmaid, to the hand of their master and mistress. The eyes of a servant are, (1.) To his master's directing hand, expecting that he will appoint him his work, and cut it out for him, and show him how he must do it. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? (2.) To his supplying hand. Servants look to their master, or their mistress, for their portion of meat in due season, Proverbs 31:15. And to God must we look for daily bread, for grace sufficient; from him we must receive it thankfully. (3.) To his assisting hand. If the servant cannot do his work himself, where must he look for help but to his master? And in the strength of the Lord God we must go forth and go on. (4.) To his protecting hand. If the servant meet with opposition in his work, if he be questioned for what he does, if he be wronged and injured, who should bear him out and right him, but his master that set him on work? The people of God, when they are persecuted, may appeal to their Master, We are thine; save us. (5.) To his correcting hand. If the servant has provoked his master to beat him, he does not call for help against his master, but looks at the hand that strikes him, till it shall say, "It is enough; I will not contend for ever." The people of God were now under his rebukes; and whither should they turn but to him that smote them?Isaiah 9:13. To whom should they make supplication but to their Judge? They will not do as Hagar did, who ran away from her mistress when she put some hardships upon her (Genesis 16:6), but they submit themselves to and humble themselves under God's mighty hand. (6.) To his rewarding hand. The servant expects his wages, his well-done, from his master. Hypocrites have their eye to the world's hand; thence they have their reward (Matthew 6:2); but true Christians have their eye to God as their rewarder.

      II. The humble address which God's people present to him in their calamitous condition (Psalms 123:3; Psalms 123:4), wherein, 1. They sue for mercy, not prescribing to God what he shall do for them, nor pleading any merit of their own why he should do it for them, but, Have mercy upon us, O Lord! have mercy upon us. We find little mercy with men; their tender mercies are cruel; there are cruel mockings. But this is our comfort, that with the Lord there is mercy and we need desire no more to relieve us, and make us easy, than the mercy of God. Whatever the troubles of the church are, God's mercy is a sovereign remedy. 2. They set forth their grievances: We are exceedingly filled with contempt. Reproach is the wound, the burden, they complain of. Observe, (1.) Who were reproached: "We, who have our eyes up to thee." Those who are owned of God are often despised and trampled on by the world. Some translate the words which we render, those that are at ease, and the proud, so as to signify the persons that are scorned and contemned. "Our soul is troubled to see how those that are at peace, and the excellent ones, are scorned and despised." The saints are a peaceable people and yet are abused (Psalms 35:20), the excellent ones of the earth and yet undervalued, Lamentations 4:1; Lamentations 4:2. (2.) Who did reproach them. Taking the words as we read them, they were the epicures who lived at ease, carnal sensual people, Job 12:5. The scoffers are such as walk after their own lusts and serve their own bellies, and the proud such as set God himself at defiance and had a high opinion of themselves; they trampled on God's people, thinking they magnified themselves by vilifying them. (3.) To what degree they were reproached: "We are filled, we are surfeited with it. Our soul is exceedingly filled with it." The enemies thought they could never jeer them enough, nor say enough to make them despicable; and they could not but lay it to heart; it was a sword in their bones, Psalms 42:10. Note, [1.] Scorning and contempt have been, and are, and are likely to be, the lot of God's people in this world. Ishmael mocked Isaac, which is called persecuting him; and so it is now, Galatians 4:29. [2.] In reference to the scorn and contempt of men it is matter of comfort that there is mercy with God, mercy to our good names when they are barbarously used. Hear, O our God! for we are despised.