#875 Eyes

To you I lift up my eyes,

O you who are enthroned in the heavens!

2 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.

3 Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,

for we have had more than enough of contempt.

4 Our soul has had more than enough

of the scorn of those who are at ease,

of the contempt of the proud. Psalm 123 ESV

A Psalm looking to our God.

To You I lift up my eyes - Where is your hope? Where does your affection rest?

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.… Hebrews 12: 1-3

O You who are enthroned in the heavens - In whom have we believed? I know Whom I have believed, and so I am a vagabond here, looking heavenward, trusting Christ unto glorious admittance. There is the sky that I see, and at night the heavens I see somewhat, but faith would take my eyes beyond. The Psalmist magnifies God above all, eternal in the heavens. Oh that I would remember that I am dust, that I would step aside and call above myself. 

Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master - 

8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” 9 And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’… Isaiah 6: 8-9

…18 Because of this, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him. Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. 19 So Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself, unless He sees the Father doing it. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does. 20 The Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does. And to your amazement, He will show Him even greater works than these.… John 5: 18-20

As the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress - A man or woman's heart plans their course, but the Lord directs their steps. We look to our Father for direction, He is our Boss above bosses, King above kings.

…38 Then He said to them, “My soul is consumed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.” 39 Going a little farther, He fell face down and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” 40 Then Jesus returned to the disciples and found them sleeping. “Were you not able to keep watch with Me for one hour?” He asked Peter.… Matthew 26: 38-40

…49 I have not spoken on My own, but the Father who sent Me has commanded Me what to say and how to say it. 50 And I know that His command leads to eternal life. So I speak exactly what the Father has told Me to say.” John 12: 49-50

…17 Then the LORD said to me, “They have spoken well. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. 19 And I will hold accountable anyone who does not listen to My words that that prophet speaks in My name.… Deuteronomy 18: 17-19

So our eyes look to the Lord our God, till He has mercy upon us - Where was the blind beggar looking? We look everywhere else, friends, family, self, governments, but they have such limited jurisdiction. I did not know nor could I form words so eloquent with my mouth to ever surpass these, "Lord have mercy upon me, remember me, I believe."

…37“Jesus of Nazareth is passing by,” they told him. 38 So he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 Those who led the way admonished him to be silent, but he cried out all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”… Luke 18: 37-38

For we have had more than enough contempt - "Where is your God, O Israel?" "I would not follow a God like Him, a God that allows such suffering, a God that does not allow or give you your every want." There is an answer, but it stings and comes so unnaturally to the natural and fallen man. "We all like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all. He is holy and we are not. We have all thought more highly of ourselves than we ought."

Our soul has had more than enough of the scorn of those who are at ease - Job could have written this. His friends spoke from health, as if that were the measure of righteousness. If you have been brought low then be thankful that you can now look up. Those who deride you only look at what they perceive to be their success, and this is their best life now, this is the only heaven they will know. Pity them this, that they cannot see, that they have arrived. They would not have a God that does not grant material wealth, they would rather exalt themselves. They would not have a God that sends people to hell, so in the end they did not want God, they get what is left. 

…29 But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let your brothers listen to them.’ 30‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone is sent to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 Then Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”… Luke 16: 29-31

Of the contempt of the proud - The fall.

…15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but enjoy the company of the lowly. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.… Romans 12: 15-17