Psalms of Ascent: Reflection on Psalm 123

Psalm 123
A song of ascents
​
To you I raise my eyes,
to you enthroned in heaven.
​
In the midst of life’s many difficulties we turn to God. We cry out as Job cried out. We cry out as even Christ himself cried out in the Garden: “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me…” But we know as Christ knew, “not as I will, but as you will.”

We both recognize our need and also God’s presence and power in Heaven. We know He can stretch out and save us. And we know he will, but we must be patient in this present suffering, enduring in our current hope, and steadfast in our love.
 
O Lord look on me. See me. Help me. I need you more than air to breathe, or food to eat, or water to drink.

I know and believe in your power. You can save me. More than that, you will save me. For you are my God. Give me patient endurance, a lively hope, and the fullness of your own Charity.
 
Yes, like the eyes of servants
on the hand of their masters,
Like the eyes of a maid
on the hand of her mistress,
So our eyes are on the LORD our God,
till we are shown favor.

We watch intently for God. Our eyes are always on the lookout for a sign, for a flash of Providence, or the whisper of the Spirit. Much like servants attentive to the needs of their master or mistress, we watch for God.

We need to be eager in our response. The moment God begins to work and move, even if it’s quietly and slowly, we need to be ready to cooperate with the rivers of grace he is trying to pour into our lives. He wants to show us his favor, his love, and his grace. But are we straining out the gate for it? Or are we expecting Christ to bring it to us on a silver platter?

Are we servants of God? Or do we think God is our servant?
 
Lord, I am yours. Command me. Use me. No matter what task you set before me, I know I can achieve it through your grace.
​
Show us favor, LORD, show us favor,
for we have our fill of contempt.

As people of faith we will often find ourselves mocked and ridiculed. This is nothing new though. It is the lot and even the glory of the Christian to find themselves derided by the world.

 We take what comes from the world and we turn to God, trusting in the favor which he has promised to bestow upon us.

But how patient are we? Do we have the patience to trust in God’s slow work and not to strike back out of anger or hate? Can we keep our eyes fixed on Him even with the many obstacles being thrown in our way? Keep running the race, friends. Christ is the way and the destination. He will act and bestow on us the grace we need. We just have to trust.

Our souls are more than sated
with mockery from the insolent,
with contempt from the arrogant.

There are few things worse than humiliation and mockery. When we are belittled, when we are found wanting and when we are made to feel lesser because of our condition, whatever it might be, we shrink in on ourselves. Our entire body goes hot and cold at the same time. We are full of this mockery, full of this contempt and the only thing to do is to ask God to empty us.
Lord, empty us of this pain, this humiliation.

Pour out the vinegar, bring out the good wine of Faith, Hope, and Charity. Give us yourself so that our souls might be full and brimming over. 

For a collection of all of our Psalm Reflections, click here.