Psalm 123: Lessons for Turning to God When You Are Afflicted
Introduction: This is the fourth Song of Ascent (Ps. 120–134). It continues a pilgrim’s pleas to God while traveling to Jerusalem to worship during a holy festival (Ps. 122:4). During his journey, the pilgrim faced slanderous attacks (Ps. 120:2). He felt greatly afflicted from the attacks. But instead of fighting back, he gave his burdens to God. When you feel afflicted, Psalm 123 offers seven lessons for turning to God. These include: (1) faith, (2) trust, (3) dependence, (4) patience, (5) God’s mercy and grace, (6) His comfort, and (7) His protection.
First, in his sadness, the psalmist lifted his eyes to heaven for help. When you are afflicted, God also wants you to turn to Him in faith. Second, to boost his faith, the psalmist declared that God is enthroned in heaven. When you are afflicted, God also wants you to trust that He is sovereign and in control. Third, the psalmist declared that he would depend upon God the way a servant depends upon his or her master. God also wants you to completely depend upon Him for your deliverance. Fourth, the psalmist declared that he would wait for God’s mercy and grace. God also wants you to be patient for His perfect timing. Fifth, the psalmist pleaded for God’s mercy and grace to endure his afflictions. God also wants you to know that your deliverance is based upon His mercy and grace. Sixth, the psalmist cried out for God to help him because of the contempt that he had encountered. When you turn to God during your times of affliction, He also offers you comfort. Finally, the psalmist pleaded for help from the attacks of a proud enemy who had no fear of God. When you are attacked, God also wants you to seek out His protection.
1. Faith: When You Are Afflicted, Turn to God in Faith. Ps. 123:1a.
Faith should include a belief that a loving God is watching over you. As a man of faith, the psalmist turned to God to deliver him from his many enemies: “A Song of Ascents. 1a To You I have raised my eyes, …” (Ps. 123:1a). “By remembering where God is, the psalmist grows in trust and confidence. Earth may have no mercy or help, but heaven has plenty of mercy and help. We see a progression in these Psalms of Ascent, beginning with Psalm 120. · In Psalm 120 we lament our surroundings. · In Psalm 121 we lift our eyes to the hills of Zion. · In Psalm 122 we delight in the house of the LORD. · In Psalm 123 we look above the hills to the LORD in heaven.” (David Guzik on Ps. 123).1
When you are in need or under attack, God also wants you to turn to Him. The psalmist’s declaration answered a question that he previously asked. “A Song of Ascents. I will raise my eyes to the mountains; from where will my help come?” (Ps. 121:1). During his trials, David also kept his eyes on God. “My eyes are continually toward the LORD, for He will rescue my feet from the net.” (Ps. 25:15). When Judah was under attack, Jehoshaphat also lifted his eyes to God to ask for help. “Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” (2 Chr. 20:12). “For my eyes are toward You, GOD, the Lord; in You I take refuge; do not leave me defenseless.” (Ps. 141:8). “Raise your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who brings out their multitude by number, He calls them all by name; because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing.” (Is. 40:26). When you are afflicted, God also wants you to take your eyes off yourself and place them on Him.
Look to God when you are afflicted2
All things are possible with God when you have faith. When you have faith, there is no miracle that is too big for God: “Is anything too difficult for the LORD?” (Gen. 18:14(a)). “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” (Jer. 32:27). “I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2). “‘With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”’ (Matt. 19:26(b); Mk. 10:27(b); Lk. 1:37). “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?” (Ro. 8:31). Turn to God for all your needs.
2. Trust: When You Are Afflicted, Trust that God is Sovereign. Ps. 123:1b.
God is on the throne and in control. The psalmist boosted his faith by reminding himself that God is seated on the throne with full dominion over all the Earth. “1b … You who are enthroned in the heavens!” (Ps. 123:1b). “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.” (Matthew Henry on Ps. 123:1).3
God is sovereign, and He will fulfill all His plans. David declared that God sits on His throne. Only fools think that they can defy His will. “He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them.” (Ps. 2:4). “The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD’S throne is in heaven; His eyes see, His eyelids test the sons of mankind.” (Ps. 11:4). “In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God for help; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry for help before Him came into His ears.” (Ps. 18:6). God also wants you to know that all His plans work toward His greater good (Ro. 8:28).
Show your faith by fully trusting God. When you trust God during a trial, you show that your faith is alive and well. “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.” (Ps. 56:3). “Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He will do it.” (Ps. 37:5). “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.” (Prov. 3:5). God wants you to read His Word and pray and trust Him to guide your path.
3. Dependence: Depend Upon God Alone for Your Deliverance. Ps. 123:2a.
Just as a servant depends upon his or her master, God wants you to depend upon Him. The psalmist saw himself as completely dependent upon God for deliverance. “2a Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a female servant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God,…” (Ps. 123:2a). “That is, we look to God with the same spirit of deference, dependence, and readiness to mark the will of God, which is evinced by servants in regard to their masters, and by maidens in regard to the will of a mistress.” (Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, Ps. 123:2).4
Depend upon God the way a servant depended upon his or her master5
True dependence requires trust in God for deliverance. God wants everyone to depend upon Him alone to be delivered. “Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.” (Is. 45:22). When Judah faced multiple pagan armies, Jehoshaphat declared that only God alone could save them. “Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” (2 Chr. 20:12). David also declared that God alone would rescue him. “My eyes are continually toward the LORD, for He will rescue my feet from the net.” (Ps. 25:15). When you are attacked, give your burdens to God, and let all vengeance belong to Him. “May all their wickedness come before You; and deal with them just as You have dealt with me for all my wrongdoings. For my groans are many and my heart is faint.” (Lam. 1:22).
True dependence includes taking refuge in God. God also wants you to take refuge in Him alone for your deliverance. “Kiss the Son, that He not be angry and you perish on the way, for His wrath may be kindled quickly. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” (Ps. 2:12). “A Psalm of David. In the LORD I take refuge; How can you say to my soul, ‘Flee as a bird to your mountain?”’ (Ps. 11:1). “For my eyes are toward You, GOD, the Lord; in You I take refuge; do not leave me defenseless.” (Ps. 141:8).
Depending upon God honors Him. You also honor God by depending upon Him. ‘“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?’ says the LORD of armies to you, the priests who despise My name! But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?”’ (Mal. 1:6).
True dependence upon God includes obedience. If you call Jesus your Master and want to depend upon Him, you should also desire to obey Him out of love, not obligation. ‘“Now why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”’ (Lk. 6:46). Obedience should be the fruit of your faith. Is your obedience evident for all to see?
4. Patience: God’s Deliverance Happens in His Perfect Timing. Ps. 123:2b.
God is faithful to act in His perfect timing and according to His will. The psalmist was patience for God to act in His timing. “2b … until He is gracious to us.” (Ps. 123:2b). The psalmist stated that he would wait for God’s (שֶׁיְּחָנֵּֽנוּ) (še·yə·ḥān·nê·nū). In the NASB, this is translated as grace. In the KJV, NJK, and NIV translations, he waited for God’s “mercy”. Under any of these translations, the psalmist showed patience.
God calls upon you to be patient as He molds you for His greater plans. True faith also requires patience. The Bible is filled with examples of believers having to wait before God would fulfill His promises. For example, Sarah and Abraham waited 25 years in the Promised Land before He transformed her 90-year-old womb to allow her to conceive Isaac (Gen. 17:17). David also had to wait to become king as God molded Him as a servant within Saul’s court. He would then suffer under Saul’s rule. If we are patient, God uses suffering to mold believers for His greater glory: “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” (Is. 48:10; Ps. 66:10; Zech. 13:9(a); Dt. 8:2-3). God also wants you to be patient as He molds you: “Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.” (Ps. 37:7). “I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me and heard my cry.” (Ps. 40:1(b)). “I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope.” (Ps. 130:5). Even when you don’t know God’s plan for you, will you patiently wait for God and His timing?
Be patient and trust in God’s plans and His perfect timing6
5. Grace: God’s Deliverance is Based Upon His Mercy and Grace. Ps. 123:3a.
God offers His people His mercy and grace. The psalmist then pleaded for God’s “חָנֵּ֣נוּ” (ḥān·nê·nū). The NASB translates this as “grace”: “3a Be gracious to us, Lord, be gracious to us,…” (Ps. 123:3a). In the KJV, NJK, and NIV translations, this is again defined as God’s “mercy”: “Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy on us!” (Ps. 123:3a). “Here are no appeals to Pharaoh, Assyria, or Babylon for military provision, the lifting of the siege, or some other good achieved by political alliance with a human power (cf., e.g., 2 Kgs 16; Isa 7). These statements reflect exclusive dependence upon Yahweh in hope for his gracious deliverance.” (James Hamilton on Ps. 123:3).7
Praise God for His everlasting love and mercy. The psalms are filled with praise for God’s everlasting love and mercy: “Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy is everlasting.” (Ps. 106:1). Other psalmists offered similar praises to God: “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His faithfulness is everlasting.” (1 Chr. 16:34). “But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting for those who fear Him, . . . ” (Ps. 103:17a). Every person has fallen short because of their sins (Ro. 3:23-24). Thus, God is owed praise for His mercy. But to receive God’s mercy, God also expects you to be merciful to others (Matt. 6:15).
David frequently prayed for God’s mercy. As our example, David repeatedly repented and cried out to God for mercy and deliverance: “A Psalm of David. Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; be gracious to me and hear my prayer.” (Ps. 4:1). “Save me from all my wrongdoings; do not make me an object of reproach for the foolish.” (Ps. 39:8). “Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, the God of my salvation; Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.” (Ps. 51:14). “Help us, God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; and save us and forgive our sins for the sake of Your name.” (Ps. 79:9). If you repent of your sins, Jesus is faithful to show you mercy: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 Jo. 1:9).
Out of grace, Jesus will honor you when you humble yourself before Him. Jesus promises to exalt and honor those who humble themselves before Him: “He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted those who were humble.” (Lk. 1:52). “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” (Jam. 4:10). He “raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” (Eph. 2:5-6). “The one who overcomes, and the one who keeps My deeds until the end, I will give him authority over the nations;” (Rev. 2:26). “The one who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne.” (Rev. 3:21). “You have made them into a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth.” (Rev. 5:10). Jesus is again worthy of your praise.
6. Comfort: God Offers Comfort to Those Who Mourn. Ps. 123:3b-4a.
When you are afflicted, God offers you comfort. The psalmist turned to God for relief from his enemy’s mocking and contempt. The enemy was likely a nearby group of wealthy nonbelievers. “3b… for we have had much more than enough of contempt. 4 Our soul has had much more than enough of the scoffing of those who are at ease,…” (Ps. 123:3b-4a). “Who were these scorners? Two descriptions are given in the last line. The first means ‘those who are at ease’ (הַשַּׁאֲנַנִּ֑ים); and the second word means ‘the proud’ (לִגְאֵ֥יוֹנִֽים). This word for pride is related to the description of the majesty or exaltation of God (s.v. Ps. 93:1); but in this description of the wicked it has to do with self-sufficiency and independence of God. The use of these descriptions may refer to the mistreatment of the lower classes by the arrogant upper-class people (Amos 6:1). So the faithful have had to put up with the wealthy, self-sufficient, unbelievers and the proud oppressors who have treated them with contempt and scorned their faith.” (Allen Ross on Ps. 123:4).8
The Jews in Nehemiah’s time faced scorn and contempt. Some believe that the beginning Songs of Ascent take place in Nehemiah’s time. If this is accurate, the Jews at that time faced the contempt of their neighbors as they tried to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. “Hear, O our God, how we are an object of contempt! Return their taunting on their own heads, and turn them into plunder in a land of captivity.” (Neh. 4:4).
Turn to God when others mock you and despise you. David also frequently faced the scorn and mocking of his enemies. “But I am a worm and not a person, a disgrace of mankind and despised by the people. All who see me deride me; they sneer, they shake their heads, saying,” (Ps. 22:6-7). “We have become a disgrace before our neighbors, an object of derision and ridicule to those around us.” (Ps. 79:4). “I also have become a disgrace to them; when they see me, they shake their head.” (Ps. 109:25).
Jesus knows your pain when you are mocked. Any time you feel contempt or scorn, you can trust that Jesus knows your pain. He was mocked before His crucifixion. “Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, shaking their heads and saying, ‘Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,”’ (Mk. 15:29). “And those passing by were speaking abusively to Him, shaking their heads,” (Matt. 27:39).
Jesus knows your pain when you are mocked and ridiculed9
Praise God for blessing His people out of grace and compassion. God’s works are motivated out of His love for His people: “the Lord is gracious and compassionate.” (Ps. 111:4b). “But You, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abundant in mercy and truth.” (Ps. 86:15; 103:8). “Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, ‘The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in faithfulness and truth;”’ (Ex. 34:6; Nu. 14:18). None of your blessings are earned. Thus, God deserves your praise for His grace and compassion.
God can restore you when others seek to disgrace you. When you have faith, God can also remove your disgrace. “Take disgrace and contempt away from me, for I comply with Your testimonies.” (Ps. 119:22). He can also restore your lost honor. “But You, LORD, are a shield around me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head.” (Ps. 3:3). Thus, if your reputation has been ruined, pray for God’s restoration.
7. Protection: When You Are Attacked, Seek God’s Protection. Ps. 123:4b.
When others attack you, God offers you protection. The psalmist concluded by seeking God’s protection from his enemy’s prideful contempt. “… and with the contempt of the proud.” (Ps. 123:4b). “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.” (Charles Spurgeon Ps. 123:4).10
God protected the Jews in Nehemiah’s time when their enemies tried to stop them. In Nehemiah’s day, the local opponents of the Jews first mocked the Jews. They then defamed the Jews to try to stop their rebuilding plans. “But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked us and despised us, and said, ‘What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”’ (Neh. 2:19). “Now it came about that when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry, and he mocked the Jews.” (Neh. 4:1). When your enemies mock you to try to stop you, turn to God for protection.
God is a shield to the righteous. Despite having enemies everywhere, David knew that God alone was his protection. He is a shield to anyone who takes refuge in Him: “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my savior, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. . . As for God, His way is blameless; the word of the LORD is refined; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.” (Ps. 18:2, 30). He can also be your shield when you depend upon Him.
Praise Jesus for His protection. Jesus is also your rock. He also deserves your praise for His protection from your enemies: “The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock; and exalted be God, the rock of my salvation,” (2 Sam. 22:47). “My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; my savior, You save me from violence.” (2 Sam. 22:3). “The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He.” (Dt. 32:4). “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” (Ps. 18:2, 31, 46; 19:14). Do you praise Jesus for His protection in your life?
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James M. Hamilton Jr., Evangelical Bible Theology Commentary Psalms (Vol. II: Psalms 73-150) (Lexham Academic 2021) p. 390.↩︎
Allen Ross, A Commentary of the Psalms: Volume 3(90-150), Kregel Academic (2016) p. 640.↩︎