Psalm 123

A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to you,
to you who sit enthroned in heaven.
2 As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the LORD our God,
till he shows us his mercy.
3 Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy on us,
for we have endured no end of contempt.
4 We have endured no end
of ridicule from the arrogant,
of contempt from the proud.

Key Verse:
3 Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy on us,
for we have endured no end of contempt.

Key Observation:
Israel, then, as now, is being held in contempt by many peoples.

Memory Verse:
1 I lift up my eyes to you,
to you who sit enthroned in heaven.

Devotion:
I think of how little has changed over time for Israel. Israel, thousands of years ago, when the psalmest penned these words, was hated and despised in the world. Today much of the world does indeed hate Israel. I sometimes wonder if our current president is not looking at Israel with “contempt from the proud”. I am certain of one thing: Israel fears and rejects the authority of our current president more than any previously. If I read my Bible correctly, Israel is yet to go through the “time of Jacob’s trouble”, and deep disappointment with the U.S. is probably one thing which will continue.

But not for long! Each time the Lord spoke of Israel’s trouble, he told us of limits. There are limits of time. The days are numbered. The scripture even tells us that the Lord himself will shorten those days. There are limits of the judgment. God will play favorites. He will pick 144,000 out of the nation of Israel, and will protect them, every one. Thus far and no farther will be the command of the Lord, until at last Christ returns to Israel, and is recognized as the Messiah by the whole nation of Israel. Such exciting times we live in! Surely these things will shortly come to pass.

All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name

1. All hail the pow'r of Jesus name!
Let angels prostate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all.

2. Ye chosen seed of Israel's race,
Ye ransomed from the fall;
Hail Him who saves you by His grace,
And crown Him Lord of all.
Hail Him who saves you by His grace,
And crown Him Lord of all.

3. Let ev'ry kindred, ev'ry tribe,
On this terrestrial ball,
To Him all majesty ascribe,
And crown Him Lord of all.
To Him all majesty ascribe,
And crown Him Lord of all.

4. O that with yonder sacred throng
we at His feet may fall!
We'll join the everlasting song,
And crown Him Lord of all.
We'll join the everlasting song,
And crown Him Lord of all.

Lyrics: Edward Perronet