Psalms 123 commentary

Our Lord Jesus has taught us to look unto God in prayer as our Father in heaven. In every prayer a good man lifts up his soul to God; especially when in trouble. We desire mercy from him; we hope he will show us mercy, and we will continue waiting on him till it come. The eyes of a servant are to his master's directing hand, expecting that he will appoint him his work. And also to his supplying hand. Servants look to their master or their mistress for their portion of meat in due season. And to God we must look for daily bread, for grace sufficient; from him we must receive it thankfully. Where can we look for help but to our Master? And, further, to his protecting hand. If the servant is wronged and injured in his work, who should right him, but his master? And to his correcting hand. Whither should sinners turn but to him that smote them? They humble themselves under God's mighty hand. And lastly, to his rewarding hand. Hypocrites look to the world's hand, thence they have their reward; but true Christians look to God as their Master and their Rewarder. God's people find little mercy with men; but this is their comfort, that with the Lord there is mercy. Scorning and contempt have been, are, and are likely to be, the lot of God's people in this world. It is hard to bear; but the servants of God should not complain if they are treated as his beloved Son was. Let us then, when ready to faint under trials, look unto Jesus, and by faith and prayer cast ourselves upon the mercy of God.

PSALM 123

In this Psalm, the faithful oppressed with the cruel tyranny of their enemies, beseech God to deliver them, there being no other source of hope left for them except in his protection.

A Song of Degrees.

Psalm 123:1-4

1. I lift up my eyes to thee, who dwellest in the heavens. 2. Behold! as the eyes of servants look “Look” is a supplement taken from the French version. to the hand of their roadsters; as the eyes of a handmaid look to the hand of her mistress, so do our eyes to Jehovah our God, until he have mercy upon us. 3. Have mercy upon us O Jehovah have mercy upon us; for we are greatly cloyed with reproach. 4. Our soul is in itself greatly cloyed with the mockery of men who are rich, and with the contempt of the proud.

1. I lift my eyes to thee, who dwellest in the heavens. It is uncertain at what time, or even by what Prophet, this Psalm was composed. I do not think it probable that David was its author; because, when he bewails the persecutions which he suffered in the time of Saul, it is usual with him to inter-pose some particular references to himself. My opinion, then, rather is, that this form of prayer was composed for all the godly by some Prophet, either when the Jews were captives in Babylon, or when Antiochus Epiphanes exercised towards them the most relentless cruelty. Be this as it may, the Holy Spirit, by whose inspiration the Prophet delivered it to the people, calls upon us to have recourse to God, when — ever wicked men unrighteously and proudly persecute, not one or two of the faithful only, but the whole body of the Church. Moreover, God is here expressly called the God who dwelleth in the heavens, not simply to teach his people to estimate the divine power as it deserves, but also that, when no hope of aid is left for them on earth, yea rather, when their condition is desperate, just as if they were laid in the grave, or as if they were lost in a labyrinth, they should then remember that the power of God remains in heaven in unimpaired and infinite perfection. Thus these words seem to contain a tacit contrast between the troubled and confused state of this world and God’s heavenly kingdom, from whence he so manages and governs all things, that whenever it pleases him, he calms all the agitations of the world, comes to the rescue of the desperate and the despairing, restores light by dispelling darkness, and raises up such as were cast down and laid prostrate on the ground. This the Prophet confirms by the verb lift up; which intimates, that although all worldly resources fail us, we must raise our eyes upward to heaven, where God remains unchangeably the same, despite the mad impetuosity of men in turning all things here below upside down.

PSALM 123

Psa 123:1-4. An earnest and expecting prayer for divine aid in distress.

1. (Compare Psa 121:1).

thou that dwellest--literally, "sittest as enthroned" (compare Psa 2:4; 113:4, 5).

2. Deference, submission, and trust, are all expressed by the figure. In the East, servants in attending on their masters are almost wholly directed by signs, which require the closest observance of the hands of the latter. The servants of God should look (1) to His directing hand, to appoint them their work; (2) to His supplying hand (Psa 104:28), to give them their portion in due season; (3) to His protecting hand, to right them when wronged; (4) to His correcting hand (Is 9:13; 1Pe 5:6; compare Ge 16:6); (5) to His rewarding hand.

3. contempt--was that of the heathen, and, perhaps, Samaritans (Ne 1:3; 2:19).

4. of those that are at ease--self-complacently, disregarding God's law, and despising His people.

Unto thee lift I up mine eyes - We have no hope but in thee; our eyes look upward; we have expectation from thy mercy alone.

As the eyes of servants - We now wait for thy commands, feeling the utmost readiness to obey them when made known to us. The words may be understood as the language of dependence also. As slaves expect their support from their masters and mistresses, so do we ours from thee, O Lord! Or, As servants look to their masters and mistresses, to see how they do their work, that they may do it in the same way; so do we, O Lord, that we may learn of thee, and do thy work in thy own Spirit, and after thy own method. Some think that there is a reference here to the chastisement of slaves by their masters, who, during the time they are receiving it, keep their eyes fixed on the hand that is inflicting punishment upon them, professing deep sorrow, and entreating for mercy. And this sense seems to be countenanced by the following words: -

Have mercy upon us, O Lord - Chastise us no more; we will no more revolt against thee.

We are exceedingly filled with contempt - We not only suffer grievously from our captivity, but are treated in the most contemptuous maner by our masters.

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

Look - For supply of their wants, and for help and defence against their oppressors. Until - Until he help and save us.

1 UNto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

Unto thee onely, because all other persons either cannot, or will not, help me.

Marginal references: Psal. 115. 3.

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 .

Either, 1. for supply of their wants, which comes from their masters hand: or, 2. for pity, the hand being the instrument whereby masters commonly correct their servants, and looking to the hand may express the posture of one supplicating for mercy: or rather, 3. for help and defence against their oppressors. For servants were unable to defend themselves, and were not allowed to wear defensive weapons, but expected and had protection from their masters in case of injury. For this phrase of having ones eyes towards another both in this and other sacred Books, constantly notes expectation and desire of help from them, as Psal. 25. 15. & 69. 4. Isa. 17. 7. Ezek. 23. 27. and oft elsewhere. And the phrase of Gods having mercy upon another, doth most commonly signifie that act or effect of his mercy in helping and delivering him.

Until he graciously help and save us.

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

With opprobrious words and injuries.

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

With the scornful and contemptuous carriage of thine and our enemies, who live in great ease and glory, whilst we, thy people, are overwhelmed with manifold calamities.

Marginal references: Or, The [illegible: 1+ letters] lent. 2 Kings 9. 28.

Upward Glance to the Lord in Times of Contempt

This Psalm is joined to the preceding Psalm by the community of the divine name Jahve our God. Alsted (died 1638) gives it the brief, ingenious inscription oculus sperans. It is an upward glance of waiting faith to Jahve under tyrannical oppression. The fact that this Psalm appears in a rhyming form, “as scarcely any other piece in the Old Testament” (Reuss), comes only from those inflexional rhymes which creep in of themselves in the tephilla style.

Psa 123:1-2

The destinies of all men, and in particular of the church, are in the hand of the King who sits enthroned in the unapproachable glory of the heavens and rules over all things, and of the Judge who decides all things. Up to Him the poet raises his eyes, and to Him the church, together with which he may call Him “Jahve our God,” just as the eyes of servants are directed towards the hand of their lord, the eyes of a maid towards the hand of her mistress; for this hand regulates the whole house, and they wait upon their winks and signs with most eager attention. Those of Israel are Jahve’s servants, Israel the church is Jahve’s maid. In His hand lies its future. At length He will take compassion on His own. Therefore its longing gaze goes forth towards Him, without being wearied, until He shall graciously turn its distress. With reference to the i of היּשׁבי, vid., on Psa 113:1-9, Psa 114:1-8. אדוניהם is their common lord; for since in the antitype the sovereign Lord is meant, it will be conceived of as plur. excellentiae, just as in general it occurs only rarely (Gen 19:2, Gen 19:18; Jer 27:4) as an actual plural.

Psa 123:3-4

The second strophe takes up the “be gracious unto us” as it were in echo. It begins with a Kyrie eleison, which is confirmed in a crescendo manner after the form of steps. The church is already abundantly satiated with ignominy. רב is an abstract “much,” and רבּה, Psa 62:3, something great (vid., Böttcher, Lehrbuch, §624). The subjectivizing, intensive להּ accords with Psa 120:6 - probably an indication of one and the same author. בּוּז is strengthened by לעג, like בּז in Eze 36:4. The article of הלּעג is restrospectively demonstrative: full of such scorn of the haughty (Ew. §290, d). הבּוּז is also retrospectively demonstrative; but since a repetition of the article for the fourth time would have been inelegant, the poet here says לגאיונים with the Lamed, which serves as a circumlocution of the genitive. The Masora reckons this word among the fifteen “words that are written as one and are to be read as two.” The Kerî runs viz., לגאי יונים, superbis oppressorum (יונים, part. Kal, like היּונה Zep 3:1, and frequently). But apart from the consideration that instead of גּאי, from the unknown גּאה, it might more readily be pointed גּאי, from גּאה (a form of nouns indicating defects, contracted גּא), this genitival construction appears to be far-fetched, and, inasmuch as it makes a distinction among the oppressors, inappropriate. The poet surely meant לגאיונים or לגּאיונים. This word גּאיון (after the form רעיון, אביון, עליון) is perhaps an intentional new formation of the poet. Saadia interprets it after the Talmudic לגיון, legio; but how could one expect to find such a Grecized Latin word (λεγεών) in the Psalter! dunash ben-Labrat (about 960) regards גאיונים as a compound word in the signification of הגּאים היונים. In fact the poet may have chosen the otherwise unused adjectival form גּאיונים because it reminds one of יונים, although it is not a compound word like דּביונים. If the Psalm is a Maccabaean Psalm, it is natural to find in לגאיונים an allusion to the despotic domination of the יונים.

Grateful Acknowledgments.

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, v. 1, 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, Ps. xxv. 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, v. 2. We find mercy coming towards a people when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, are towards the Lord, Zech. ix. 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 (v. 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, Prov. xxxi. 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? Isa. ix. 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 (Gen. xvi. 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 (Matt. vi. 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 (v. 3, 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 (Ps. xxxv. 20), the excellent ones of the earth and yet undervalued, Lam. iv. 1, 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 xii. 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, Ps. xlii. 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, Gal. iv. 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.

PSAL. CXXIII.

A Song of degrees.

VNto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that sittest in the heavens. Loe, as the eyes of servants are unto the hand of their Masters; as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistresse; so our eyes unto Iehovah our God, untill that hee be gracious unto us. Be gracious to us Iehovah, be gracious to us; for wee are very much filled with contempt. Our soule it is very much filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, the contempt of the proud.

Annotations. SIttest] that is, reignest, governest, judgest: for heaven is Gods throne, Esai. 66. 1. Vers. 2. that he be gracious] or shew mercie; this noteth continuall prayer without fainting, as Luke 18. 1,—7. Vers. 4. it is or, to it selfe, as Psal. 120. 6. of the proud] or, be to the proud; as a Prayer that the evill may turne upon themselves.

PSAL. CXXIII.

VNto thee life I up mine eyes] Praying by them rather than by words, mine afflictions having ſwoln my heart too bigge for my mouth. See the [illegible: 1 span] Pſal. 121.1.

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

Verſ. 3. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, have mercy] This is prece[illegible: 1 letter] fundere, calum tundere, miſericerdiem exterquert, as Tertulli[illegible: 1 letter]n hath it: to wring mercy out of Gods holy hands, by out utmoſt importunity.

For we are exceedingly filled with contempt] We are made the very ſc[illegible: 2 letters] 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 ſheweth an utter diſ-reſpect, which iſſueth from the very ſuperfluity of malice.

Verſ. 4. Our ſoul is exceedingly filled with the ſcorn of thoſe that are at eaſe] And there-hence inſolent, and unſufferable, [non-Latin text not transcribed], fulneſs breedeth forgetfulneſs, yea it maketh men ſcornful, and wrongful to others.

Unto thee lift I up mine eyes. It is good to have some one to look up to. The Psalmist looked so high that he could look no higher. Not to the hills, but to the God of the hills he looked. He believed in a personal God, and knew nothing of that modern pantheism which is nothing more than atheism wearing a fig leaf. The uplifted eyes naturally and instinctively represent the state of heart which fixes desire, hope, confidence, and expectation upon the Lord. God is everywhere, and yet it is most natural to think of him as being above us, in that glory land which lies beyond the skies. "O thou that dwellest in the heavens", just sets forth,the unsophisticated idea of a child of God in distress: God is, God is in heaven, God resides in one place, and God is evermore the same, therefore will I look to him. When we cannot look to any helper on a level with us, it is greatly wise to look above us; in fact, if we have a thousand helpers, our eyes should still be toward the Lord. The higher the Lord is the better for our faith, since that height represents power, glory, and excellence, and these will be all engaged on our behalf. We ought to be very thankful for spiritual eyes; the blind men of this world, however much of human learning they may possess, cannot behold our God, for in heavenly matters they are devoid of sight. Yet we must use our eyes with resolution, for they will not go upward to the Lord of themselves, but they incline to look downward, or inward, or anywhere but to the Lord: let it be our firm resolve that the heavenward glance shall not be lacking. If we cannot see God, at least we will look towards him. God is in heaven as a king in his palace; he is here revealed, adored, and glorified: thence he looks down on the world and sends succours to his saints as their needs demand; hence we look up, even when our sorrow is so great that we can do no more. It is a blessed condescension on God's part that he permits us to lift up our eyes to his glorious high throne; yea, more, that he invites and even commands us so to do. When we are looking to the Lord in hope, it is well to tell him so in prayer: the Psalmist uses his voice as well as his eye. We need not speak in prayer; a glance of the eye will do it all; for —

"Prayer is the burden of a sigh,

The falling of a tear,

The upward glancing of an eye

When none but God is near."

Still, it is helpful to the heart to use the tongue, and we do well to address ourselves in words and sentences to the God who heareth his people. It is no small joy that our God is always at home: he is not on a journey, like Baal, but he dwells in the heavens. Let us think no hour of the day inopportune for waiting upon the Lord; no watch of the night too dark for us to look to him.

Behold —for it is worthy of regard among men, and O that the Majesty of heaven would also note it, and speedily send the mercy which our waiting spirits seek. See, O Lord, how we look to thee, and in thy mercy look on us. This Behold has, however, a call to us to observe and consider. Whenever saints of God have waited upon the Lord their example has been worthy of earnest consideration. Sanctification is a miracle of grace; therefore let us behold it. For God to have wrought in men the spirit of service is a great marvel, and as such let all men turn aside and see this great sight. "As the eyes of servants (or slaves) look unto the hand of their masters." They stand at the end of the room with their hands folded watching their lord's movements. Orientals speak less than we do, and prefer to direct their slaves by movements of their hands: hence, the domestic must fix his eyes on his master, or he might miss a sign, and so fail to obey it: even so, the sanctified man lifts his eyes unto God, and endeavours to learn the divine will from every one of the signs which the Lord is pleased to use. Creation, providence, grace; these are all motions of Jehovah's hand, and from each of them a portion of our duty is to be learned; therefore should we carefully study them, to discover the divine will. "And as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress, "this second comparison may be used because Eastern women are even more thorough than the men in the training of their servants. It is usually thought that women issue more commands, and are more sensitive of disobedience, than the sterner sex. Among the Roman matrons female slaves had a sorry time of it, and no doubt it was the same among the generality of Eastern ladies. "Even so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God." Believers desire to be attentive to each and all of the directions of the Lord; even those which concern apparently little things are not little to us, for we know that even for idle words we shall be called to account, and we are anxious to give in that account with joy, and not with grief. True saints, like obedient servants, look to the Lord their God reverentially: they have a holy awe and inward fear of the great and glorious One. They watch, obediently, doing his commandments, guided by his eye. Their constant gaze is fixed attentively on all that comes from the Most High; they give earnest heed, and fear lest they should let anything slip through inadvertence or drowsiness. They look continuously, for there never is a time when they are off duty; at all times they delight to serve in all things: Upon the Lord they fix their eyes expectantly, looking for supply, succour, and safety from his hands, waiting that he may have mercy upon them. To him they look singly, they have no other confidence, and they learn to look submissively, waiting patiently for the Lord, seeking both in activity and suffering to glorify his name. When they are smitten with the rod they turn their eyes imploringly to the hand which chastens, hoping that mercy will soon abate the rigour of the affliction. There is much more in the figure than we can display in this brief comment; perhaps it will be most profitable to suggest the question. —Are we thus trained to service? Though we are sons, have we learned the full obedience of servants? Have we surrendered self, and bowed our will before the heavenly Majesty? Do we desire in all things to be at the Lord's disposal? If so, happy are we. Though we are made joint heirs with Christ, yet for the present we differ little from servants, and may be well content to take them for our model.

Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us. He hangs upon the word "mercy, "and embodies it in a vehement prayer: the very word seems to hold him, and he harps upon it. It is well for us to pray about everything, and turn everything into prayer; and especially when we are reminded of a great necessity we should catch at it as a keynote, and pitch our tune to it. The reduplication of the prayer before us is meant to express the eagerness of the Psalmist's spirit and his urgent need: what he needed speedily he begs for importunately. Note that he has left the first person singular for the plural. All the saints need mercy; they all seek it; they shall all have it, therefore we pray —"have mercy upon us". A slave when corrected looks to his master's hand that the punishment may cease, and even so we look to the Lord for mercy, and entreat for it with all our hearts. Our contemptuous opponents will have no mercy upon us; let us not ask it at their hands, but turn to the God of mercy, and seek his aid alone. "For we are exceedingly filled with contempt, "and this is an acid which eats into the soul. Observe the emphatic words. Contempt is bitterness, wormwood mingled with gall; he that feels it may well cry for mercy to his God. Filled with contempt, as if the bitter wine had been poured in till it was up to the brim. This had become the chief thought of their minds, the peculiar sorrow of their hearts. Excluding all other feelings, a sense of scorn monopolized the soul and made it unutterably wretched. Another word is added adverbially —exceedingly filled. Filled even to running over, as if pressed down and then heaped up. A little contempt they could bear, but now they were satiated with it, and weary of it. Do we wonder at the threefold mention of mercy when this master evil was in the ascendant? Nothing is more wounding, embittering, festering than disdain. When our companions make little of us we are far too apt to make little of ourselves and of the consolations prepared for us. Oh to be filled with communion, and then contempt will run off from us, and never be able to fill us with its biting vinegar.

Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease. Knowing no troubles of their own, the easy ones grow cruel and deride the people of the Lord. Having the godly already in secret contempt, they show it by openly scorning them. Note those who do this: they are not the poor, the humble, the troubled, but those who have a merry life of it, and are self content. They are in easy circumstances; they are easy in heart through a deadened conscience, and so they easily come to mock at holiness; they are easy from needing nothing, and from having no severe toil exacted from them; they are easy as to any anxiety to improve, for their conceit of themselves is boundless. Such men take things easily, and therefore they scorn the holy carefulness of those who watch the hand of the Lord. They say, Who is the Lord that we should obey his voice? and then they turn round with a contemptuous look and sneer at those who fear the Lord. Woe unto them that are at case in Zion; their contempt of the godly shall hasten and increase their misery. The injurious effect of freedom from affliction is singularly evident here. Place a man perfectly at case and he derides the suffering godly, and becomes himself proud in heart and conduct. "And with the contempt of the proud". The proud think so much of themselves that they must needs think all the less of those who are better than themselves. Pride is both contemptible and contemptuous. The contempt of the great ones of the earth is often peculiarly acrid: some of them, like a well known statesman, are "masters of gibes and flouts and sneers", and never do they seem so much at home in their acrimony as when a servant of the Lord is the victim of their venom. It is easy enough to write upon this subject, but to be selected as the target of contempt is quite another matter. Great hearts have been broken and brave spirits have been withered beneath the accursed power of falsehood, and the horrible blight of contempt. For our comfort we may remember that our divine Lord was despised and rejected of men, yet he ceased not from his perfect service till he was exalted to dwell in the heavens. Let us bear our share of this evil which still rages under the sun, and let us firmly believe that the contempt of the ungodly shall turn to our honour in the world to come: even now it serves as a certificate that we are not of the world, for if we were of the world the world would love us as its own.

Whole Psalm. This psalm (as ye see) is but short, and therefore a very fit example to show the force of prayer not to consist in many words, but in fervency of spirit. For great and weighty matters may be comprised in a few words, if they proceed from the spirit and the unspeakable groanings of the heart, especially when our necessity is such as will not suffer any long prayer. Every prayer is long enough if it be fervent and proceed from a heart that understandeth the necessity of the saints. —Martin Luther.

Whole Psalm. The change of performers in this psalm is very evident; the pronoun in the first distich is in the first person singular, in the rest of psalm the first plural is used. —Stephen Street.

Whole Psalm. This psalm has one distinction which is to be found in "scarcely any other piece in the Old Testament." In the Hebrew it has many rhymes. But these rhymes are purely accidental. They result simply from the fact that many words are used in it with the same inflections, and therefore with the same or similar terminations. Regularly recurring and intentional rhymes are not a characteristic of Hebrew poetry, any more than they were of Greek or Latin poetry. —Samuel Cox.

Unto thee lift I up mine eyes. He who previously lifted his eyes unto the hills, now hath raised his heart's eyes to the Lord himself. —The Venerable Bede (672-735), in Neale and Littledale.

Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, etc. This is the sigh of the pilgrim who ascendeth and loveth, and ascendeth because he loveth. He is ascending from earth to heaven, and while he is ascending, unto whom shall he lift his eyes, but unto him that dwelleth in heaven? We ascend to heaven each time we think of God. In that ascent lies all goodness: if we would repent, we must look not on ourselves, but on him; if we would be humble, we must look not on ourselves, but on him; if we would truly love, we must look not on ourselves, but on him who dwelleth in the heavens. If we would have him turn his eyes from our sins, we must turn our eyes unto his mercy and truth. —Plain Commentary.

Unto thee lift I up mine eyes. Praying by the glances of the eye rather than by words; mine afflictions having swollen my heart too big for my mouth. —John Trapp.

Unto thee do I lift up mine eyes. You feel the greatness of the contrast these words imply. Earth and heaven, dust and deity; the poor, weeping, sinful children of mortality, the holy, ever blessed, eternal God: how wide is the interval of separation between them! But over the awful chasm, broader than ocean though it be, love and wisdom in the person of Jesus Christ, have thrown a passage, by which the most sinful may repair unafraid to his presence, and find the shame and the fears of guilt exchanged for the peace of forgiveness and the hope that is full of immortality. —Robert Nisbet.

There are many testimonies in the lifting up of the eyes to heaven. 1. It is the testimony of a believing, humble heart. Infidelity will never carry a man above the earth. Pride can carry a man no higher than the earth either. 2. It is the testimony of an obedient heart. A man that lifts up his eye to God, he acknowledgeth thus much, —Lord, I am thy servant. 3. It is the testimony of a thankful heart; acknowledging that every good blessing, every perfect gift, is from the hand of God. 4. It is the testimony of a heavenly heart. He that lifts up his eyes to heaven acknowledgeth that he is weary of the earth; his heart is not there; his hope and desire is above. 5. It is the testimony of a devout heart: there is no part of the body besides the tongue that is so great an agent in prayer as the eye. —Condensed from Richard Holdsworth.

O thou that dwellest in the heavens. "That sittest." The Lord is here contemplated as enthroned in heaven, where he administers the affairs of the Universe, executes judgment, and hears prayer. —James G. Murphy.

The lifting up the eyes, implies faith and confident persuasion that God is ready and willing to help us. The very lifting up of the bodily eyes towards heaven is an expression of this inward trust: so David in effect saith, From thee, Lord, I expect relief, and the fulfilling of thy promises. So that there is faith in it, that faith which is the evidence of things not seen. How great soever the darkness of our calamities be, though the clouds of present troubles thicken about us, and hide the Lord's care and loving kindness from us, yet faith must look through all to his power and constancy of truth and love. The eye of faith is a clear, piercing, eagle eye: Moses "endured, as seeing him who is invisible:" Heb 11:27. Faith seeth things afar off in the promises (Heb 11:13), at a greater distance than the eye of nature can reach to. Take it either for the eye of the body, or the mind, faith will draw comfort not only from that which is invisible, but also from that which is future as well as invisible; its supports lie in the other world, and in things which are yet to come. —Thomas Manton.

The lifting up the eyes, implies faith and confident persuasion that God is ready and willing to help us. The very lifting up of the bodily eyes towards heaven is an expression of this inward trust: so David in effect saith, From thee, Lord, I expect relief, and the fulfilling of thy promises. So that there is faith in it, that faith which is the evidence of things not seen. How great soever the darkness of our calamities be, though the clouds of present troubles thicken about us, and hide the Lord's care and loving kindness from us, yet faith must look through all to his power and constancy of truth and love. The eye of faith is a clear, piercing, eagle eye: Moses "endured, as seeing him who is invisible:" Heb 11:27. Faith seeth things afar off in the promises (Heb 11:13), at a greater distance than the eye of nature can reach to. Take it either for the eye of the body, or the mind, faith will draw comfort not only from that which is invisible, but also from that which is future as well as invisible; its supports lie in the other world, and in things which are yet to come. —Thomas Manton.

In the first strophe the poet places himself before us as standing in the presence of the Majesty of Heaven, with his eyes fixed on the hand of God, absorbed in watchful expectation of some sign or gesture, however slight, which may indicate the divine will. He is like a slave standing silent but alert, in the presence of the Oriental "lord", with banns folded on his breast, and eyes fixed on his master, seeking to read, and to anticipate, if possible, his every wish. He is like a maiden in attendance on her mistress, anxiously striving to see her mind in her looks, to discover and administer to her moods and wants. The grave, reserved Orientals, as we know, seldom speak to their attendants, at least on public occasions. They intimate their wishes and commands by a wave of the hand, by a glance of the eye, by slight movements and gestures which might escape notice, were they not watched for with eager attention. Their slaves "hang upon their faces; "they" fasten their eyes" on the eyes of their master; they watch and obey every turn of his hand, every movement of his finger. Thus the Psalmist conceives of himself as waiting on God, looking to him alone, watching for the faintest signal, bent on catching and obeying it. —Samuel Cox.

In the first strophe the poet places himself before us as standing in the presence of the Majesty of Heaven, with his eyes fixed on the hand of God, absorbed in watchful expectation of some sign or gesture, however slight, which may indicate the divine will. He is like a slave standing silent but alert, in the presence of the Oriental "lord", with banns folded on his breast, and eyes fixed on his master, seeking to read, and to anticipate, if possible, his every wish. He is like a maiden in attendance on her mistress, anxiously striving to see her mind in her looks, to discover and administer to her moods and wants. The grave, reserved Orientals, as we know, seldom speak to their attendants, at least on public occasions. They intimate their wishes and commands by a wave of the hand, by a glance of the eye, by slight movements and gestures which might escape notice, were they not watched for with eager attention. Their slaves "hang upon their faces; "they" fasten their eyes" on the eyes of their master; they watch and obey every turn of his hand, every movement of his finger. Thus the Psalmist conceives of himself as waiting on God, looking to him alone, watching for the faintest signal, bent on catching and obeying it. —Samuel Cox.

Behold. An ordinary word, but here it hath an extraordinary position. Ordinarily it is a term of attention, used for the awakening of men, to stir up their admiration and audience; but here it is a word not only prefixed for the exciting of men, but of God himself. David is speaking to God in his meditations. "Behold, " saith he. As we take it with respect to God, so it is a precatory particle: he beseeches God to look down upon him, while he looks up unto God: Look on us, as we look to thee; "Behold, Lord, as the eyes of servants, "etc. If we take it as it hath respect to man, so it is an exemplary particle, to stir them up to do the like. "Behold" what we do, and do likewise; let your eyes be like ours. "Behold, as the eyes of servants are to the hand of their masters, so are our eyes to the Lord our God." Let yours have the same fixing. So it is a word that draws all eyes after it to imitation. —Richard Holdsworth.

Behold as the eyes of servants look, etc. For direction, defence, maintenance, mercy in time of correction, help when the service is over hard, etc., "so do our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, "viz., for direction and benediction. —John Trapp.

Eyes of servants unto the hand, etc. Our eyes ought to be to the hand of the Lord our God: —First, that we may admire his works. Secondly, that we may show that our service is pleasant to us; and to show our dependence on such a benign, mighty, and bountiful hand. Thirdly, that we may evince to him our love, and devoted willingness to do all things which he shall command by the slightest movement of a finger. Fourthly, that from him we may receive food, and all things necessary for sustenance. Fifthly, that he may be a defence for us against the enemies that molest us, either by smiting them with the sword, or by shooting of arrows; or by repelling others by the movement of a finger; or, at least, by covering us with the shield of his goodwill. Sixthly and lastly, that, moved by mercy, he would cease from chastisement. —Condensed from Le Blanc.

As the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, etc. A traveller says, "I have seen a fine illustration of this passage in a gentleman's house at Damascus. The people of the East do not speak so much or so quick as those in the West, and a sign of the hand is frequently the only instructions given to the servants in waiting. As soon as we were introduced and seated on the divan, a wave of the master's hand indicated that sherbet was to be served. Another wave brought coffee and pipes; another brought sweetmeats. At another signal dinner was made ready. The attendants watched their master's eye and hand, to know his will and do it instantly." Such is the attention with which we ought to wait upon the Lord, anxious to fulfil his holy pleasure, —our great desire being, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" An equally pointed and more homely illustration may be seen any day, on our own river Thames, or in any of our large seaport towns, where the call boy watches attentively the hand of the captain of the boat, and conveys his will to the engine men. —The Sunday at Home.

As the eyes of slaves, watching anxiously the least movement, the Smallest sign of their master's will. The image expresses complete and absolute dependence. Savary (in his Zetters on Egypt, p. 135), says, "The slaves stand silent at the bottom of the rooms with their hands crossed over their breasts. With their eyes fixed upon their master they seek to anticipate every one of his wishes." ...In the Psalm the eye directed to the hand of God is the "oculus sperans", the eye which waits, and hopes, and is patient, looking only to him and none other for help. —J.J. Stewart Perowne.

As the eyes of servants, etc. The true explanation, I should apprehend, is this: As a slave, ordered by a master or mistress to be chastised for a fault, turns his or her imploring eyes to that superior, till that motion of the hand appears that puts an end to the bitterness that is felt; so our eyes are up to thee, our God, till thy hand shall give the signal for putting an end to our sorrows: for our enemies, O Lord, we are sensible, are only executing thy orders, and chastening us according to thy pleasure. —Thomas Harmer.

Servants. Note how humbly the faithful think of themselves in the sight of God. They are called and chosen to this dignity, to be the heirs and children of God, and are exalted above the angels, and yet, notwithstanding, they count themselves no better in God's sight than "servants." They say not here, Behold, like as children look to the hand of their fathers, but "as servants" to the hand of their masters. This is the humility and modesty of the godly, and it is so far off that hereby they lose the dignity of God's children, to the which they are called, that by this means it is made to them more sure and certain. —Martin Luther.

From the everyday conduct of domestic servants we should learn our duty Godwards. Not without cause did our Saviour take his parables from common, everyday things, from fields, vines, trees, marriages, etc., that thus we might have everywhere apt reminders. —Martin Geier.

Servants. "A Maiden". Consider that there be two sorts of servants set down here, man servants and maid servants; and this is to let us know that both sexes may be confident in God. Not only may men be confident in the power of God, but even women also, who are more frail and feeble. Not only may women mourn to God for wrongs done to them, and have repentance for sin, but they may be confident in God also. And therefore see, in that rehearsal of believers and cloud of witnesses, not only is the faith of men noted and commended by the Spirit of God, but also the faith of women: and among the judges, Deborah, Jael, etc., are commended as worthies, and courageous in God. And the women also in the New Testament are noted for their following of Christ —even when all fled from him, then they followed him. —From a Sermon by Alexander Henderson, 1583-1646.

Servants. "A Maiden". We know how shamefully servants were treated in ancient times, and what reproaches must be cast upon them, whilst yet they durst not move a finger to repel the outrage. Being therefore deprived of all means of defending themselves, the only thing which remained for them to do was, what is here stated, to crave the protection of their masters. The same explanation is equally applicable to the case of handmaids. Their condition was indeed shameful and degrading; but there is no reason why we should be ashamed of, or offended at, being compared to slaves, provided God is our defender, and takes our lives under his guardianship; God, I say, who purposely disarms us and strips us of all worldly aid, that we may learn to rely upon his grace, and to be contented with it alone. It having been anciently a capital crime for bondmen to carry a sword or any other weapon about them, and as they were exposed to injuries of every description, their masters were wont to defend them with so much the more spirit, when anyone causelessly did them violence. Nor can it be doubted that God, when he sees us placing an exclusive dependence upon his protection, and renouncing all confidence ib our resources, will, as our defender, encounter and shield us from all the molestation nthat shall be offered to us. —John Calvin

Observe the covenant name, "Jehovah our God": it is sweet to wait upon a covenant God. Because of that covenant he will show mercy to us; but we may have to wait for it. "Until that he have mercy upon us:". God hath his time and season, and we must wait until it cometh. For the trial of our faith our blessed Lord may for awhile delay, but in the end the vision will be fulfilled. Mercy is that which we need, that which we look for, that which our Lord will manifest to us. Even those who look to the Lord, with that holy look which is here described, still need mercy, and as they cannot claim it by right they wait for it till sovereign grace chooses to vouchsafe it. Blessed are those servants whom their Master shall find so doing. Waiting upon the Lord is a posture suitable both for earth and heaven: it is, indeed, in every place the right and fitting condition for a servant of the Lord. Nor may we leave the posture so long as we are by grace dwellers in the realm of mercy. It is a great mercy to be enabled to wait for mercy, so much the more spirit, when anyone causelessly did them violence. Nor can it be doubted that God, when he sees us placing an exclusive dependence upon his protection, and renouncing all confidence in our own resources, will, as our defender, encounter and shield us from all the molestation that shall be offered to us. —John Calvin.

Hand. With the hand we demand, we promise, we call, dismiss, threaten, entreat, supplicate, deny, refuse, interrogate, admire, reckon, confess, repent; express fear, express shame, express doubt; we instruct, command, unite, encourage, swear, testify, accuse, condemn, acquit, insult, despise, defy, disdain, flatter, applaud, bless, abase, ridicule, reconcile, recommend, exalt, regale, gladden, complain, afflict, discomfort, discourage, astonish; exclaim, indicate silence, and what not? with a variety and a multiplication that keep pace with the tongue. —Michael de Montaigne, 1533-1592.

Masters. It is said of Mr. George Herbert, that divine poet, that, to satisfy his independency upon all others, and to quicken his diligence in God's service, he used in his ordinary speech, when he made mention of the blessed name of Jesus, to add, "my Master." And, without any doubt, if men were unfeignedly of his mind, their respects would be more to Christ's command, to Christ's will, to Christ's pleasure. —From Spencer's "Things New and Old."

Our eyes wait. Here the Psalmist uses another word: it is the eye waiting. What is the reason of the second word? Now he leaves the similitude in the first line; for in the first line it is thus, —"As the eyes of servants look, and the eyes of a maiden look"; here it is the eye waits. There is good reason: to wait is more than to look: to wait is to look constantly, with patience and submission, by subjecting our affections and wills and desires to God's will; that is to wait, David in the second part, in the second line, gives a better word, he betters his copy. There is the duty of a Christian, to better his example; the eyes of servants look, David's eyes shall wait: "So our eyes wait". It is true, indeed this word is not in the original, therefore you may observe it is in a small letter in your Bibles, to note that it is a word of necessity, added for the supply of the sense, because the Holy Ghost left it not imperfect, but more perfect, that lie put not in the verb; because it is left to every man's heart to supply a verb to his own comfort, and a better he cannot than this. And that this word must be added appears by the next words: "until that he have mercy upon us". To look till he have mercy on us is to wait; so there is good reason why this word is added. If we look to the thing begged —"mercy" —it is so precious that we may wait for it. It was "servants" that he mentioned, and it is their duty to wait upon their masters; they wait upon their trenchers at meat; they wait when they go to bed and when they rise; they wait in every place. Therefore, because he had mentioned the first word, he takes the proper duty; there is nothing more proper to servants than waiting, and if we are the servants of God we must wait. There is good reason in that respect, because it is a word so significant, therefore the Spirit of God varies it; he keeps not exactly to the line, "So do our eyes look, "but he puts it, "So do our eyes wait." —Richard Holdsworth.

—Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us! Note how a godly man speaks. He does not say, "Have mercy upon me, O Lord have mercy upon me! because I am disgraced; "but, "Have mercy upon us, O Lord, for we are filled with contempt!" The godly man is not so grieved for his own and individual contempt as he is for the general contempt of the good and faithful. There is an accord of the godly, not only in the cross, but also in groanings, and in the invocation of divine grace. —Wolfgang Musculus.

For we are exceedingly filled. The Hebrew word here used means "to be saturated"; to have the appetite fully satisfied —as applied to one who is hungry or thirsty. Then it comes to mean to be entirely full, and the idea here is, that as much contempt had been thrown upon them as could be: they could experience no more. —Albert Barnes.

We are exceedingly filled with contempt. Men of the world regard the Temple Pilgrims and their religion with the quiet smile of disdain, wondering that those who have so much to engage them in a present life should be weak enough to concern themselves about frames and feelings, about an unseen God, and unknown eternity; and this is a trial they find it hard to bear. Their soul, too, is filled exceedingly with the scorning of those that are at ease. The prosperous of their neighbours declare that they have found the world a generous and happy scene to all who deserve its gifts. Poverty and sorrow they attribute to unworthiness alone. "Let them exert themselves" is the unfeeling cry; "let them bestir themselves instead of praying, and with them as with us it will soon be well"; and these words of harsh and unfeeling ignorance aye like poison to the wounds of the bleeding heart. They have further "the contempt of the proud" to mourn; of those who give expression to their fierce disdain by assailing them with words of contumely, and who seek to draw them by reproaches both from peace and from piety. These are still the trials of Zion's worshippers: silent contempt, open misrepresentation, fierce opposition. Religion, their last comfort, is despised; peace, their first desire, is denied. Anxious to devote themselves in the spirit of humble and earnest piety to the duties of their appointed sphere, they find enemies in open outcry and array against them. But God is their refuge, and to him they go. —Robert Nisbet.

Verses 3,4. The second strophe takes up the "have mercy upon us, " as it were in echo. It begins with a "Kyrie eleison", which is confirmed in a crescendo manner after the form of steps. —Franz Delitszch.

Exceedingly filled, or perhaps, "has long been filled." (Comp. Ps 120:6). This expression, together with the earnestness of the repeated prayer, "Be gracious unto us", shows that the "scorn" and "contempt" have long pressed upon the people, and their faith has accordingly been exposed to a severe trial. The more remarkable is the entire absence of anything like impatience in the language of the psalm. —J.J. Stewart Perowne.

The scorning of those that are at ease. When men go on prosperously, they are apt wrongfully to trouble others, and then to shout at them in their misery, and to despise the person and cause of God's people. This is the sure effect of great arrogancy and pride. They think they may do what they please; they have no changes, therefore they fear not God, but put forth their hands against such as be at peace with them (Ps 4:19,20); whilst they go on prosperously and undisturbed, they cannot abstain from violence and oppression. This is certainly pride, for it is a lifting up of the heart above God and against God and without God. And they do not consider his providence, which alternately lifts up and eases down, that adversity may not be without a cordial, nor prosperity without a curb and bridle. When men sit fast, and are well at ease, they are apt to be insolent and scornful. Riches and worldly greatness make men insolent and despisers of others, and not to care what burdens they impose upon them; they are entrenched within a mass of wealth and power and greatness, and so think none can call them to an account. —Thomas Manton.

Those that are at ease. The word always means such as are recklessly at their ease, the careless ones, such as those whom Isaiah bids, "rise up, tremble, be troubled; "for "many days and years shall ye be troubled" (Ps 32:9-11). It is that luxury and ease which sensualise the soul, and make it dull, stupid, hard hearted. —Edward Bonyerie Pusey (1800 —), in "The Minor Prophets".

Those that are at ease, who are regardless of the troubles of others. and expect none of their own. —James G. Murphy.

Whole Psalm. We have here,

1. The prayer of dependence, Ps 123:2.

2. The prayer of apprehension: "Unto thee", etc.

3. The spirit of obedience: "As the eyes of servants:" etc.

4. The patience of the saints: "Until he have mercy upon us." —R. Nisbet.

Whole Psalm. Eyes and no eyes.

1. EYES.

(a) Upward, in confidence, in prayer, in thought.

(b) "Unto, "in reverence, watchfulness, obedience.

(c) Inward, producing a cry for mercy.

2. No EYES.

(a) NO sight of the excellence of the godly.

(b) No sense of their own danger: "at ease."

(c) No humility before God: "proud."

(d) No uplifted eyes in hope, prayer, expectation.

The eyes of faith.

1. Need uplifting.

2. See best upward.

3. Have always something to see upward.

4. Let us look up, and so turn our eyes from too much introspection and retrospection.

1. The language of Adoration: "Thou that dwellest in the heavens."

2. The language of Confession.

(a) Of need.

(b) Of Helplessness.

3. The language of Supplication: "Unto thee, "etc.

4. The language of Expectation; as shown in Ps 123:2. —G.R.

Verse 2. (Ps 121:4 with this verse.) Two beholds.

1. God's watchful eye over us.

2. The saint's watchful eye upon God.

"Our eyes wait upon the Lord our God."

1. What it is to wait with the eye.

2. What peculiar aspect of the Lord suggests such waiting: "Jehovah our God." The covenant God is the trusted God.

3. What comes of such waiting —"mercy."

The guiding hand.

1. A beckoning hand —to go near.

2. A directing hand —to go here and there.

3. A quiescent hand —to remain where we are. —G.R.

Homely metaphors, or what may be learned from maids and their mistresses.

Verse 3 (first portion). The Sinner's Litany. The Saint's Entreaty.

Verse 3 (second portion). The world's contempt, the abundance of it, the reason of it, the bitterness of it, the comfort under it.

1. The occasion of the prayer: the contempt of men. This is often the most difficult to bear.

(a) Because it is most unreasonable. Why ridicule men for yielding to their own convictions of what is right?

(b) Most undeserved. True religion injures no man, but seeks the good of all.

(c) Most profane. To reproach the people of God because they are his people is to reproach God himself.

2. The subject of the prayer.

(a) The prayer: is not for justice, which might be desired, but for mercy.

(b) The plea: "For we are, "etc. The reproaches of men are an encouragement to look for special help from God. The harp hung upon the willows sends forth its sweetest tones. The less it is in human hands the more freely it is played upon by the Spirit of God. —G.R.

1. The occasion of the prayer: the contempt of men. This is often the most difficult to bear.

(a) Because it is most unreasonable. Why ridicule men for yielding to their own convictions of what is right?

(b) Most undeserved. True religion injures no man, but seeks the good of all.

(c) Most profane. To reproach the people of God because they are his people is to reproach God himself.

2. The subject of the prayer.

(a) The prayer: is not for justice, which might be desired, but for mercy.

(b) The plea: "For we are, "etc. The reproaches of men are an encouragement to look for special help from God. The harp hung upon the willows sends forth its sweetest tones. The less it is in human hands the more freely it is played upon by the Spirit of God. —G.R.

Those that are at ease.

1. Explain their state: "at ease."

2. Show their ordinary state of mind: "proud."

3. Denounce their frequent sin: scorn of the godly.

4. Exhibit their terrible danger.

The 123. Psalme. I lift vp mine eyes vnto thee, &c.

This Psalme (as ye see) is but short, The argument of the Psalme. and therefore a very fitte example to shew the force of prayer not to consist in many words, but in feruency of spirit. For great and weighty matters may be comprised in few words, if they proceede from the spirit & the vnspeakeable gronings of the heart, A breife praier in necessity carrieth power with it. especially when our necessity is such as will not suffer any long prayer. Euery prayer is long enough if it be feruent & proceede from a heart that vnderstandeth the necessitie of the Sainets: not in such small matters as y• world counteth great and weightie, as pouerty, losse of goods, and such other worldly incommodities, but when the Church is oppressed with violence and tyranny, when the name of God is prophaned with wicked doctrine, or if there be any thing else that either hindreth the glory of God or the saluation of soules, These perils can not well be vttered in prayer, and therfore the prayer of the faithfull is then most effectuous, when with griefe of heart and affliction of spirite they see these things, and earnestly thinke vpon them.

So this Psalme is a prayer against the mighty, rich, and welthy of the world, which either cruelly molest and vexe, or proudly deride and contemne the godly, as the last verse doth declare. And these are not onely such as preferre wicked doctrin, superstition & idolatrie before the vndefiled word of God: but euen such also as glory in the word and sound doctrine and will be counted louers & fauourers of the Gospell, and partakers with vs of the name and glory of Christ. Of such there was a great number amongst the people of Israel. For they had the lawe, sacrifices, and ceremonies instituted by Moises according to ye word of God. They had great plentie of Prophets and godly teachers: yet how they vsed them, the storyes doe declare. When Elisha sent the sonne of a Prophet vnto Iehu:4. Reg. 9. the other said: VVherefore commeth this madde fellow vnto thee? The Psalmes also & preachings of the Prophets concerning faith and true righteousnes before God, doe shew that they were contemned and derided of the multitude, yea & condemned as heretikes because they seemed; not to attribute so much to [illegible: 1 letter] sacrifices & ceremonies of y• law as they should do. Likewise Dauid was counted a seditious fellow, a rebel, a traitor, and charged with ambition and greedy desire to reigne. And afterwards when he went about to bring the arke of the Lord to Ierusalem, & with a good and a zealous mind expressed his ioy: Michol his wife receiued him with these words: Oh how glorious was the King of Israel this day: 2. Reg. 6. which was vncouered in the eyes of the maidens of his seruants, as a foole vncouereth him self: Now, we can not thinke that onely Michol did thus slanderously speake of yt kings doings: but there were (no doubt) other also in the court, men both of wisedom & dignitie which iudged the same. For what so euer he be that professeth & loueth the word vnfainedly, & zealously seketh the glory of God, he shalbe iudged and called of the cursed world & worldlings both a foolish & a mad man. That it hath bene alwaies so, the stories do declare, & also these our daies do witnes the same.

Wherfore this Psalme setteth before our eyes a goodly example: that for as much as we are compelled to see & suffer this contempt & despite of the proude & scornful, we should pray with Dauid against al such: that is, first against the pope & his whole kingdom of faces, for they doe not onely proudly contemne vs, but also cōdemne vs. Then also against false brethren, such as in our churches liue in al carnall & godles securitie, and albeit they will seme to be no enemies but friēds vnto ye gospel, yet either deride or molest ye true professors therof. Against al such this Psalme is vnittē for the troubled & afflicted children of God, which are counted of the world either heretical or sedicious; or else fooles and abiectes. But this consolation they haue, that seeing the holy Ghost in this Psalme doth teach them how to pray in these distresses, they shall be heard, and though they be here contemned and counted the outswepings of the earth, they shall be made glorious in the kingdom of God.

Verse. 1. I lift vppe myne eyes vnto thee which dwellest in the heauens.

This is a vehement groning of a troubled mind, A vehement groning of the hart, destitute of all comfort. looking about and seeking euery way for comfort and succour, but none could be found. Whether then shall I miserable ma[illegible: 2 letters]stie (saith he) in this distresse? Strength to with stand mine enemies I haue none. Of wisedom and counsell, beeing compassed with such a multitude of aduersaries, I am vtterly destitute. To thee therefore I come, O my God: To thee I lift vp mine eyes, which dwellest in the heau[illegible: 3 letters] ▪ Here note that the heauens are called the habitatiō of God, not because he is there conteined (for as the heauens are his seate, so is the earth his footestoole): but because he doth from thence more manifestly shew the maiestie of his diuinitie. And what so euer he hath at any time done vppon the earth by reuela[illegible: 1 letter]ions, visions or oracles, he seemed to doe it from heauen, From whence also haue come the most notable and seuere punishments of the wicked: as of the first worlde by the flood: of the Sodomites by the rayning downe of fire with brimstone: of the Egyptians, by ha[illegible: 1 letter]se mixed with fire: of the Amorr[illegible: 1 letter]ans by the rayning of stones from heauen. Psal. 2. Psal. 116. And hereof come these sayings: He that dwelleth in the heauens shall laugh them to scorne. The Lorde looked downe from heauen. The Lord hath prepared his seate in heauen. Our God is in heauen and doth what soeuer he will. Tim 6. VVhich dwelleth in the light that none can attaine vnto. Therefore we reade that Christ commonly when he prayed, Luke. 9. or when he gaue thankes to his father, looked vp to heauen: And when he departed hence vnto his father, he was seene to ascend vp into the heauens. These things are spoken to this ende that we may knowe that God our father is not earthly▪ infirme, or corruptible: but the Lord and inhabitour of heauen (as a place without all corruption, and therefore a most meete habitation for him) almightie and ruling ouer all, euerlasting, incorruptible, seing all things, percing all things.

The prophet also calleth God here the inhabitour of heauen, to signifie that the earth is full of the proude and scornefull, and that the godly are troden vnder foote of those that dwel vpon the earth, and are counted the ou[illegible: 1 letter]swepings of the world, and therefore he seeth none besides the Lord and inhabitour of heauen of whom he may looke for helpe and succour. The great daunger whereof the Prophete complayneth, is herein expressed, in that he looking about on euery side and seeking for succour, could find none to helpe him but onely the inhabitour of heauen. These thinges make the tentation much more greeuous and terrible, and therfore he prayeth with such wordes in his tentation as perhaps he at that time did not perfectly vnderstand, as Sainct Paule also sayth: VVe vnderstand not what we pray. The spirite knoweth and vnderstandeth what these wordes meane: but man can not conceiue the power therof in the time of his tentation, whiles faith is infirme and is yet in the conflict. But when our petition is graunted & prayer heard, then faith hath her force, and we haue more perfect vnderstanding both of the tentation and also of the prayer which we therein vsed.

The Prophet therefore in this verse setteth the inhabitour of heauen against the inhabitours of the earth, and conceiueth comfort and courage, that albeit the world is great and mighty, yet God is more mighty. This is the meaning of the Prophet in this verse. And albeit the wordes bee but simple, as ye see, yet are they full of consolation to him that beleeueth. The spirite which ministreth these wordes and stirreth vppe these groninges in the heartes of the afflicted, knoweth with what maiestie and power they are spoken.

Verse. 2. Behold, as the eyes of seruaunts looke vnto the hande of their maisters, and as the eyes of a mayden vnto the hand of her mistres, so our eyes waite vpon the Lord our God, vntill he haue mercy vpon vs.

Here the prophet setteth forth by similitude the nature of true pietie. As if he sayd: Great is our affliction, and yet the Lord prolongeth his helpe, neither easing our miserie, nor reuenging our wrong. He suffereth the cruel, the proude and the scornful to trea[illegible: 1 letter] vs vnder foote, and to prosper in our sight. This delay is tedious & greuous vnto vs. Notwithstanding we will not murmure or become vnpatient in these our afflictions, but as good seruaunts in their distresse looke to the hand, that is, for help and succour at the hand of their masters & mistresses, so will we attend vpon y• Lord our God vntill he haue pitie vpon vs. God sometimes prolongeth his help in tentation. Thus we see that the Lorde sometimes deferreth his helpe, neither shewing how nor when he will help, but leauing his Saints in such perplexitie as though he had no regard either of the time or of ye maner of their deliuerance so that they seme to hang (as it were) in the middes betwene heauen and earth. These things are greuous and excedingly encrease the tentation. Therefore we must lay sure hold on this consolation which the Prophet here setteth forth, that our tentation shal haue an end: but not as we would, lest we seeme to appoint the time and maner of our deliuerance, which ye lord reserueth to him self alone.

And here is an example set forth vnto vs, The patience of the faithfull. patiently to wait vpon the Lord in the time of trouble, to be instant in prayer, and neuer to let our hands fall, or turne our eyes from the Lord: but constantly to perseuere in sure hope & expectation of his gracious deliuerance, and of his helping hand to be present with vs in our necessitie: whereof our Sauiour Christ also warneth vs in the Gospell of the woman and the vnrighteous iudge, who although he neither feared God nor man, yet because this woman neuer ceased to call vpon him, he was compelled to heare her cause. For if the worst man be not yet so wicked, but he may be ouercome with instant and continuall prayer, what shall we not hope to obteine at Gods hand, which willingly offereth him selfe to heare our prayers, and also commaundeth vs to pray: yea and is more ready to graunt our petitions then we are to aske. For in that he differreth his help, he doth it not because he will not heare vs, but to exercise and stirre vp our faith, and to teach vs that the wayes whereby he can and doth deliuer vs are so manifold & miraculous, that we are neuer able to conceiue them. Therfore let vs thinke that the thing which we aske is not denied but differred, & assure our selues that we are not neglected because of this delay. The patient abiding of the afflicted (saith Dauid in an other Psalme) shall not perish: yea the Lord will not lose the glory of his name which Dauid in the same Psalme attributeth vnto him; namely that he is a helper in time conuenient.

And here is to be noted by the way, that the holy Ghost commendeth the gouernment of housholds and families in this place, and signifieth that to serue is a vocation which pleaseth him, if it be done in faith. For seruauntes are here mentioned for the comfort of all good seruauntes, and in them is commended, not onely their patience but also the confidence and trust which they haue in the goodnes of their maisters, assuredly trusting with patient tarying to finde mercie and fauour in their sight in time conuenient. But in deede Dauid speaketh here of better seruauntes then are commonly seene at this day: for there is no kinde of people more deceitful, negligent and stubborne, euen when there is great cause of sharpe and seuere correction. Wherefore let all such as will be counted good seruaunts, remember the example and rule set forth here by the holy Ghost, and obserued of all good seruaunts: which is, that they are not froward and stubborne, but patiently endure all things and do the duety of true and faithfull seruaunts, hauing alwayes a watchfull eye to the hand of their maisters.

The humilitie of the faithfull. And further note how humbly the faithful think of them selues in the sight of God. They are called and chosen to this dignitie, to be the heyres and children of God, and are exalted aboue the Angels, and yet notwithstanding they count them selues no better in Gods sight then seruauntes. They say not here: beholde, like as children loke to the hand of their fathers, but as seruaunts to the hand of their masters. This is the humilitie and modestie of the godly, & it is so farre of that hereby they lose the dignitie of Gods children to the which they are called, that by this meanes it is made to them more sure and certaine.

Moreouer here is to be obserued that Dauid sayth not simply: VVe lift vp our eyes to the Lord, but he addeth moreouer: to the Lord our God: that is to say, that God which hath reuealed him selfe to vs in his word: for otherwise he were not our God. The gods of the Gentiles & idolls which men deuise vnto them selues, are called gods: but he is the true God and none but he, which hath declared him selfe to vs in his word and promised in the same that he will be our God, &c. The Papistes haue deuised vnto them selues a seruice and worship of God contrarie to the word of God, and therefore they worship not the true God in deede, but an idoll of their owne heart: yea they worship a crea[illegible: 3 letters] made and fashioned with mans handes for the almightie crea[illegible: 3 letters] of heauen & earth. But our God is he, not whom we haue deuised, but which hath paynted and set out him selfe in his Scriptures, how and by what meanes he wil be serued and worshipped. This our God because he seemeth oftentimes to estraunge him selfe from vs, and to haue no care of vs, the wicked doe shunne and forsake, and seeke helpe of Peter and Paule, and many times of Satan through sorcery and witchcraft and other deuilish meanes, thinking (because God prolongeth his helpe) to finde thereby more speedye succour. But thus our God is wont to deale with vs: first (as is sayd) to proue and exercise vs, and so to bring vs to the knowledge of our selues, that we may see our owne weakenes and frailty, which are so readie to be ledde away from him: then also to bring vs to the knowledge of him, whereby we may see both how willing he is, and also howe able by farre better meanes to helpe vs then mans heart can conceiue.

Verse. 3. Haue mercy vpon vs O Lord, haue mercy vpon vs, for we haue suffered too much contempt.

Here may we see that the godly doe not onely feele their owne crosse, but the affliction of other also is to them a great crosse: and as they suffer togither, so they cry vnto God for helpe and succour as well for other as for them selues. Yea the common calamitie of their brethren is to them a greater crosse then their owne.

Haue mercy vpon vs, &c. This repetition as it doth declare a great vehemencie and feruentnes of spirite in the afflicted crying vnto God for helpe and deliuerance: so it sheweth their affliction and calamitie to be exceeding greeuous. For we haue suffered too much contempt. He sayd before that the godly being brought to extreme miserie by the tyranny and oppression of the wicked, did lift vp their eyes to God for helpe and succour. Nowe he sheweth also what despite and reproch they suffred of the proud and scornfull. Whereby it appeareth that the vngodly sought, not only with crueltie and oppression, but also with despite, contempt and ignominy to tread, as it were, vnder foote the children of God. He saith not onely: we suffer contempt, but we are filled with contempt and ignominie, vsing a similitude taken of a vessell, which is filled so full that it can conteine no more. Thus the children of God do not burst out at the first into these gronings and grieuous complaints when so euer they are contemned and despised, but patiently suffer in hope that God will at the length ease their miserye, vntill they be filled with all maner of despite contempt, and scorning of the wicked, whereby they are compelled to cry vnto God doubling their complaint, as followeth in the next verse.

Verse. 4. Our soule is filled too ful of the mocking of the welthy, and of the despitefulnes of the proude.

When the godly are not onely oppressed with iniuries, hated and despised: but also mocked and scorned of the wicked, there can be to them no greater misery. And this is it that they specially here complaine of, as of all their calamities the moste greeuous. The cause why he saith that the welthy and proud doe so spitefully sette them selues against the Church of God, is for that they which are of power and authoritie in the world, are alwaies wont to despise and contemne the godly: which doe so much esteeme the glory, wealth and prosperitie of this worlde, that they regard nothing at all the spirituall kingdom of Christ: yea the more they rise in wealth and dignitie, the more their pride encreaseth. This place teacheth then that it is no straunge or newe thing if the children of God be contemned of the children of this worlde which abound in wealth and riches. And it is not without good cause that here the wealthy are also called proud: for wealth and prosperity maketh men proude, the children of this world and worldlinges I meane. For Dauid and many other were also riche, and yet they were so broken with afflictions and so exercised both within and without, that they could haue no such pleasure or delight in their wealth and worldly prosperitie whereby they might waxe proude or fall into securitie. But the case of the wicked is farre otherwise: for their riches, wealth, and dignitie is as a rewarde of their securitie and vngodlines. Contrariwise the godly are in misery and affliction, despised of the world, as abiects, fooles and idiotes: as the example of the auncient Prophets, Christ him self, and his apostles, with all ye deare Sainctes of God do teach, & we by daily experience doe proue. For when we goe aboute to draw men from couetousnes blasphemy, voluptuousnes, and such other vices, they laugh vs to scorne: and when they heare of the iudgement of God, the reward of sinne, the punishment of the wicked, they count [illegible: 1 word] this geare to be but a fable, suche as Virgill imagineth of hell to make men afeard. But if they were exercised with afflictions and calamities as the godly are, and had a scholemaster to teach them that they are but men (as Dauid prayeth in the ix. Psalme) they would learne another song.