I Lift Up My Eyes to You (Psalm 123)

Psalm 123 is a short but profound passage within the Songs of Ascents, which were songs sung by pilgrims as they made their journey to Jerusalem for the major Jewish festivals. This psalm, specifically, is a prayer for mercy, expressing deep dependence on God.

The text is a plea for God's mercy upon the community. The psalmist begins by lifting eyes to God, who is enthroned in the heavens, signifying a posture of prayer and supplication. This act of looking upwards to God is a physical manifestation of the soul's reliance on the Divine. The metaphor of servants looking to the hand of their master, or a maid to the hand of her mistress, is employed to illustrate the psalmist's total dependence on God for favor and relief.

The latter part of the psalm shifts to a request for mercy, as the psalmist describes how the community has been the object of contempt and scorn from the arrogant and the proud (גֵּאִים [ge'im]). This plea for mercy is both urgent and humble, acknowledging God's sovereignty and the community's vulnerable position.