Chapter Overview
Summary
Psalm 123 (MT) / Psalm 122 (LXX) is the fourth Song of Ascents — a short (4-verse) eyes-lifted-to-heaven prayer for mercy. The psalm's central image — servants-looking-to-their-master's-hand — captures the humble-attentiveness posture of the dependent-pilgrim.
Notable Variants
123:1 'to you I lift up my eyes' attentive-waiting posture; 123:2 'as the eyes of servants … look to the hand of their master' as servant-dependency image; the brevity-and-urgency characteristic of Songs of Ascents.
Structural Notes
MT Ps 123 = LXX Ps 122. 4 verses. Fourth Song of Ascents.
A song of ascents. To you I lift my eyes, you who are enthroned in heaven.
'To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!' tracks MT. LIFT-EYES-TO-HEAVEN (not to hills, as Ps 121) — the gaze-ascends-past-creation-to-Creator.
Look — as the eyes of servants watch the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant watch the hand of her mistress, so our eyes watch the LORD our God until he shows us grace.
'Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy upon us' tracks MT. SERVANTS'-EYES-TO-MASTER'S-HAND. The attentive-dependency image: servants wait for the master's-signaling-hand. The parallel-structure includes female-servant (maidservant-to-mistress) giving both-genders equal covenant-identity.
Be gracious to us, LORD — be gracious to us, for we have had more than enough of contempt.
'Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt' tracks MT. DOUBLE-MERCY petition — the intensity. KYRIE ELEISON echoes.
Our soul has had more than enough of the mockery of the comfortable, the contempt of the arrogant.
'Our soul has had more than enough of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud' tracks MT.