Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

The Church is built upon two vital spiritual relationships; family and friends. “So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.” (Eph. 2:19) The Church becomes the place were different people groups can develop lasting relationships: “I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you. And here is how to measure it–the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends. You are my friends if you obey me.” (Jn. 15:12-14)

“For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek what is best for you O Jerusalem.”(9)

Our prayers are two-fold, that Jerusalem will receive her Prince of Peace and her subsequent pros- perity and good; and that the New Testament believers in Christ will receive the peace and blessing of the messiah. The heavenly city is described in her final state of beauty as the bride of Jesus, the Lamb of God. It is not surprising that we are to pray for her peace and prosperity, we will live as a part of her forever; “…Come with me! I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb. So he took me in spirit to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.”(Rev.21:9,10)

1 Kraus 2 Keil & Delitzsch 3 Kraus 4 Scroggie

PSALM 123: I LIFT MY EYES TO YOU Focused on God’s Throne

While the first song of ascent was penned in a foreign land, the second on the pilgrim journey and the third within the gates of Jerusalem, this seems to be a song of the sanctuary where the psalmist lifts up their eyes to the heavenly throne. It is prophetic of the New Testament era where both men and women can worship God on an equal basis. In history it has been known by its Latin title: ‘Oculus Sper- ans’, ‘The Eye of Hope’ because of its emphasis on the focus of our ‘eyes’.**** It employs two poetic tech- niques one of which is the repetition of the same word at the beginning of the sentences and the other is rarely seen in the Bible, the rhyming of words in the Hebrew language.

It is the first song of ascent that has a feminine character in it and draws several comparisons with Mary’s Magnificat. The prayer for deliverance in the psalm is answered by the coming of Jesus:

MARY- LUKE 1

PSALM 123

46, 47- Oh, how I praise the Lord, How I

The entire psalm is a song/prayer.

Rejoice in God my Savior! 49- …the Mighty One is holy,

2- the Lord our God (the Mighty One)

50, 54, 55- “His mercy goes on…” (3x) 51- the proud and haughty ones!

2, 3- “Have mercy on us” (3x)

4- …the proud…the arrogant 52- He has taken princes from their thrones” 1- “O God, enthroned in heaven.” 54- “…he has helped his servant Israel.” 2- “as servants keep their eyes on their master.”

The psalm follows a familiar pattern in several of the songs of ascent; it is partially the prayer of an individual and then turns to a corporate intercession of the entire community. Two parts outline the seam- less unity of the psalm:

I

THE MASTER - 1, 2- The Servants Watch HIS MERCY - 3, 4- The Servants Wait

II

INTRODUCTION:

“A song for the ascent to Jerusalem.”

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