Psalm 131 A Song of Ascents. Of David.

¹Lord, my heart is not haughty,

Nor my eyes lofty.

Neither do I concern myself with great matters,

Nor with things too profound for me.

²Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul,

Like a weaned child with his mother;

Like a weaned child is my soul within me.

³O Israel, hope in the Lord

From this time forth and forever.

Vs. 1 “Lord, my heart is not haughty,

Nor my eyes lofty.

Neither do I concern myself with great matters,

Nor with things too profound for me.”

It is never of the Lord for any of us to try to sound profound and lofty. It is never of the Lord for any of us to be or act haughty. For haughtiness and loftiness is not born out of trusting our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but is only of this world. Therefore, when let go of all the deep and profound things that are well beyond our finite understanding and well beyond our own control, to our God and Savior we grow, because we cease trying to pretend to have the answers that only He has.

Vs. 2 “Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul,

Like a weaned child with his mother;

Like a weaned child is my soul within me.”

This then is the state of peace that comes to all who have quieted and calmed their souls because they have turned it over to the Lord, who thus are now resting quietly in the Lord like a weaned child with his mother.  

Vs. 3 “O Israel, hope in the Lord

From this time forth and forever.”

From his own personal experience David now calls upon the nation of Israel, which is so often conflicted, so often unsettled, and yet to this day still tries to resolve their issues by human means, to look to the Lord for their answers. To hope in Him from this time forth and forever.

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 130 A Song of Ascents.

 ¹Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord;

²Lord, hear my voice!

Let Your ears be attentive

To the voice of my supplications.

³If You, Lord, should mark iniquities,

O Lord, who could stand?

⁴But there is forgiveness with You,

That You may be feared.

⁵I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,

And in His word I do hope.

⁶My soul waits for the Lord

More than those who watch for the morning—

Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.

⁷O Israel, hope in the Lord;

For with the Lord there is mercy,

And with Him is abundant redemption.

⁸And He shall redeem Israel

From all his iniquities.

Commentary

Vs. 1-2 ¹Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord;

²Lord, hear my voice!

Let Your ears be attentive

To the voice of my supplications.

From the depths of despair comes our most meaningful prayers to our Lord. And that is what we have here, a prayer born not out of triumph and victory, but defeat and failure. Thus, the Psalmist in their humble and broken state now looks to the Lord and asks that He would hear their voice; that He would be attentive to their voice; and regard all their supplications to Him. For they do not claim anything before Him other then knowing Him, knowing that He does not despise (nor ignore) the prayers of the broken hearted, therefore they have come to Him as our wonderful and merciful Savior.

Vs. 3-4 ³If You, Lord, should mark iniquities,

O Lord, who could stand?

⁴But there is forgiveness with You,

That You may be feared.

Thus the Psalmist asks our Lord to regard him, but not according to his own righteousness, for as he so poignantly makes clear here, if the Lord should mark iniquities, that is repay each and everyone of our transgressions, who could stand? No one. It is a simple yet profound truth that throughout our lives down here the Lord is always ever longsuffering towards us all.  Therefore, in humble acknowledgement of our Lord’s great grace and goodness that goes towards us all, he now confesses that with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ there is forgiveness, so that He may be feared. For the fear of the Lord is born out of His great grace which forgives us and saves us. This then is the state of every repentant individual who sees themselves as they really are, who comes in humble supplication to our Lord and Savior so that He might also forgive and save them. For all of God’s Judgment and Wrath against all of our sins: past, present, and future was paid for by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when He suffered and died for us all on the Cross at Calvary. This is the salvation that God now offers to everyone who believes in Him no matter what they have done (John 3:16). This is what is now available to you, yes you, remission of all of our sins and everlasting life by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!

Vs. 5-6 ⁵I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,

And in His word I do hope.

⁶My soul waits for the Lord

More than those who watch for the morning—

Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.

The Psalmist having made their supplication to the Lord, now takes the place of the patient saint. Waiting upon the Lord to act on behalf of his just cause. For he has set his hope upon the Lord, upon His Word, in which we who believe in Him also do hope. For all the precious promises of God that he was waiting for we now have In Christ! For in the Lord Jesus Christ there is abundant redemption and everlasting salvation for all who believe in Him. Therefore, we who believe in Him also wait for Him; wait for His glorious return, and with it His Kingdom being established forever!

Vs. 7-8 ⁷O Israel, hope in the Lord;

For with the Lord there is mercy,

And with Him is abundant redemption.

⁸And He shall redeem Israel

From all his iniquities.

In experiencing his own deliverance, the Psalmist now calls upon all his brethren, the nation of Israel, to also keep their faith and hope in the Lord. For though they have faltered many times throughout their history, nonetheless neither their nor our salvation from Him is based upon our own sinlessness and blamelessness, but on His. Therefore, people hope in the Lord for with Him is mercy and abundant redemption, which He gives to everyone who trusts in Him (Psalm 34:22). The Psalm closes then with an affirming declaration that the Lord shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities, amen.

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 129 A Song of Ascents.

 ¹“Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth,”

Let Israel now say—

²“Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth;

Yet they have not prevailed against me.

³The plowers plowed on my back;

They made their furrows long.”

⁴The Lord is righteous;

He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked.

⁵Let all those who hate Zion

Be put to shame and turned back.

⁶Let them be as the grass on the housetops,

Which withers before it grows up,

⁷With which the reaper does not fill his hand,

Nor he who binds sheaves, his arms.

⁸Neither let those who pass by them say,

“The blessing of the Lord be upon you;

We bless you in the name of the Lord!”

Preamble: Though this Psalm begins with a call for Israel to recall its long history of oppression and violence from their many foes, it is being done so that Israel will recall God's faithful deliverance of His people throughout their history in spite of their enemies best efforts to destroy and annihilate them

Commentary

Vs. 1-2 “Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth,”

Let Israel now say—

²“Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth;

Yet they have not prevailed against me.”

This Psalm opens with a call for all of God’s people to declare in His hearing the many afflictions that their enemies have laid upon them. For from their beginnings onward theirs alone is a history of enduring hostile and ongoing opposition. Nonetheless in spite of their enemies’ best efforts they have not been defeated. This in of itself is the greatest witness to all of God’s enemies that He Himself is with them, that He has chosen them, and that it is He who is keeping anyone from destroying them.

Vs. 3 “The plowers plowed on my back;

They made their furrows long.”

The metaphor here is liking Israel’s mistreatment to that of the farmer who plows his field making long furrows in the soil, as a likeness to Israel bearing the wrath of the Gentiles for many centuries. For throughout all their history they have been the object of hostile attacks and intentions, even to this day. 

Vs. 4 “The Lord is righteous;

He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked.”

Now if anyone foolishly thinks that their enemies doing so is God’s abandonment of His people, they should think again! For the Lord is righteous, He does side with the wicked, nor does He endorse their wicked schemes and ways. Instead, when He is done correcting His own, He always turns His just wrath and fury upon the wicked, here described as His cutting in pieces the cords of the wicked, so that they can no longer assail or harm His people. Remember Egypt, Moab, Edom, Assyria, Babylon, Rome, Germany etc. (though Germany did very much war reparations after World War II to their own credit and nations prosperity). These nations and so many others throughout their history learned that to make war against God's people is ultimately to make war with Him, and thus incur His judgment and wrath.

Vs. 5-7 “Let all those who hate Zion

Be put to shame and turned back.

⁶Let them be as the grass on the housetops,

Which withers before it grows up,

⁷With which the reaper does not fill his hand,

Nor he who binds sheaves, his arms.

The call now is that God Himself would turn back and put to shame all who hate Zion; which is representative of all Jews and figurative of God’s rule over all His people; yes, the prayer is that all who hate Zion would all wither away just like the grass on the housetops does; so too let their lives be fruitless and their societies be barren and desolate.

Vs. 8 Neither let those who pass by them say,

“The blessing of the Lord be upon you;

We bless you in the name of the Lord!”

And when people see them in their shame and disgrace  let them never pronounce God’s blessing upon them, rather let them all live and dwell in their desolate waste places.

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 128 A Song of Ascents.

 ¹Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,

Who walks in His ways.

²When you eat the labor of your hands,

You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.

³Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine

In the very heart of your house,

Your children like olive plants

All around your table.

⁴Behold, thus shall the man be blessed

Who fears the Lord.

⁵The Lord bless you out of Zion,

And may you see the good of Jerusalem

All the days of your life.

⁶Yes, may you see your children’s children.

Peace be upon Israel!

Commentary

Vs. 1 “Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,

Who walks in His ways.”

God’s blessing comes to everyone who fears Him, to everyone who walks in His ways. This is the most important lesson in the Book of Proverbs, walking in the fear of the Lord, for this is the beginning of  wisdom (Prov. 9:10), of all wisdom that leads to a rich and abundant and long and fruitful life in every area of life (see Proverbs 1:1-7; 2:1-22; 3:1-24; 4:1-13, 20-27; 5:1-23; 8:1-36; 9:1-12 etc., also consider Prov. 8:13; 9:10-12; 10:27; 13:14; 14:16, 26-27; 15:32-33; 16:6 19:23; 22:4; 23:17-18 etc.). Again, God's blessing is upon everyone who fears the Lord and walks in His ways. Now if you have not lived a life of Godly wisdom, you can still have His blessing and favor upon you the moment you repent and believe in the Gospel, for then you will have a fresh start, and then God changes everything in your life, beginning with transforming you!

Vs. 2 “When you eat the labor of your hands,

You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.”

The fruits of living in the fear of the Lord are now declared. For the Scripture promises that all who do so shall eat and be satisfied, yes you shall be happy in your life, and things shall go well with you. No longer shall you go from crises to crises, or from turmoil to turmoil, for shall have true inner peace and safety shall surround you.

Vs. 3 “Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine

In the very heart of your house,

Your children like olive plants

All around your table.”

Indeed, even your wife shall prosper, for she shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, bearing children yes, but also bearing much fruitfulness in all her endeavors for your household as well. As for your children they themselves shall spread out all around your table like olive plants, for they will be well nourished and healthy, and abound in joy and energy all around you.

Vs. 4 “Behold, thus shall the man be blessed

Who fears the Lord.”

Though this Psalm is seeing things from the physical realm, it is in the Spiritual realm that one really sees and experiences the many great blessings that comes from fearing the Lord and obeying Him, all which starts with believing in Him, for then every spiritual blessing and all the riches in Christ will become yours forever!

Vs. 5-6 ⁵The Lord bless you out of Zion,

And may you see the good of Jerusalem

All the days of your life.

⁶Yes, may you see your children’s children.

Peace be upon Israel!

The Psalm now closes with a blessing prayer, to be bestowed upon every faithful believer, just as God bestowed His own favor upon Job after all of His trials (see Job 42:12-17), so too will our Lord God bring His people Israel to see His blessings on their land and in their lives, (see Isiah 49:14-26). Peace be upon Israel!

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 127 A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

¹Unless the Lord builds the house,

They labor in vain who build it;

Unless the Lord guards the city,

The watchman stays awake in vain.

²It is vain for you to rise up early,

To sit up late,

To eat the bread of sorrows;

For so He gives His beloved sleep.

³Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,

The fruit of the womb is a reward.

⁴Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,

So are the children of one’s youth.

⁵Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;

They shall not be ashamed,

But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

Commentary

Vs. 1 “Unless the Lord builds the house,

They labor in vain who build it;

Unless the Lord guards the city,

The watchman stays awake in vain.”

This Psalm makes it clear that anything that we as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ do apart from Him will only be vain. Whether we endeavor to build a literal house, or a church, or more broadly some kind of ministry. The principal remains, unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who built it, for it will not accomplish anything that the Lord Himself is doing. It is important then that you grasp this, for you can put much time, energy, and resources into your own self-willed works only to see very minimal lasting fruit at the end. Seek then and understand the Lord’s Will for you and do it, then you will have much fruit that remains.

The principal now moves to security. What is the basis of your security? Is it your faith in and obedience towards the Lord Jesus Christ, or is it something less. For walls and fortresses will not save you in the day of your trouble, only the Lord can. And having one’s faith in and obedience towards Him is the ultimate security in this life, and for all of eternity, for nobody escapes the Judgment of God. Same with militaries, police forces, security forces and all their agents and agencies. None of these in of themselves can ever guard a nation or you from the depravity and wickedness of the human heart. Yes, you could stay awake and guard your home and belongings armed to the teeth, having all your survival gear ready at hand, but that is no guarantee that you will not be overcome in the day of trouble, for unless the Lord guards your home, you will be doing so in vain. The principal moves down the line to self defense, (which like the previous things in of themselves is not wrong), but if one is relying on them, or here their own armament, fighting abilities or survival skills, they truly have a false hope. For the Lord alone makes peace and the Lord makes calamity, He raises up one and brings down another. And old age, weakness, and frailty never fails to find any of us who live to attain to it.

Vs. 2 “It is vain for you to rise up early,

To sit up late,

To eat the bread of sorrows;

For so He gives His beloved sleep.”

In the first verse the emphasis was on security, here in the second the emphasis is on our labors. The idea being that if one’s labors are only self willed and directed, they are essentially labors in vain, for though a person spends their entire life rising early and working late into the night, if their labors are only self-willed and directed what do they gain in the end, nothing but the privilege of eating the bread of sorrows and regret in the end (consider Mark 8:36-9:1). Conversely the person whose life and faith are in the Lord Jesus Christ can work in the most menial position, or be exalted to the most prominent place, and in either case their sleep is sweet and life is filled with joy and blessings  and laughter, whether they have little or much, because what they have comes to them by the hand of the Lord. Again, you can seek your satisfaction in all your own pursuits, labors, and hopes of attaining… and in the end, end up with? Or you can freely have it all in the Lord Jesus Christ and live a life of bountiful grace, joy, and peace that comes to you now, and lasts for all eternity. In considering these things Casting Crowns song, “American Dream” comes to mind. 

Vs. 3-5 ³Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,

The fruit of the womb is a reward.

⁴Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,

So are the children of one’s youth.

⁵Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;

They shall not be ashamed,

But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

The Psalm now moves to the importance of family, of children being a heritage from the Lord, even calling them a reward from the Lord; for they can be a very great blessing in one’s life bringing very much joy, laughter, and love to one’s life. This is the children of one’s youth which makes ones sacrifices and hard labors in one’s youth all the more meaningful and enjoyable. For ultimately ones children give one strength. Happy then is the man whose house is filled with them; with the sounds and laughter of his children. For having reared them correctly, he shall have much delight and peace as he watches them grow up into godly people who live honest and righteous lives, and even while he himself grows old and his labors diminish, his enemies then shall never put him to shame, for they themselves shall be a witness of what the Lord has done through him. 

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 126 A Song of Ascents.

 ¹When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion,

We were like those who dream.

²Then our mouth was filled with laughter,

And our tongue with singing.

Then they said among the nations,

“The Lord has done great things for them.”

³The Lord has done great things for us,

And we are glad.

⁴Bring back our captivity, O Lord,

As the streams in the South.

⁵Those who sow in tears

Shall reap in joy.

⁶He who continually goes forth weeping,

Bearing seed for sowing,

Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him.

Preamble: Like all the Songs of Ascent that celebrate not only the then, but also foresee our future, so does Psalm 126, which is a celebration song of our redemption, both then, and now forever. The great musician, singer, song writer, Steve Bell captures this essence in is his song, “The Lord Has Done Great Things” on His C.D. “Comfort My People.”

Commentary

Vs. 1 “When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion,

We were like those who dream.”

The psalm opens by celebrating Zions deliverance from captivity, of God’s people’s deliverance from Babylonian captivity and their being returned to Jerusalem by the Persian king Cyrus to rebuild the Temple. An act that God foretold He would do and so He raised Cyrus up to do this, see Isaiah 44:24-45:13).  And so, it is when His Word came to pass it was like a dream, like awakening to find that all that they hoped and long for during their long seventy-year exile from their God and land had now come to pass. The parallel then of our now being delivered from our own captivity, from all our sins and transgression because of the Lord Jesus Christ’s Crucifixion Death and Resurrection from the dead should not be lost on anyone (John 8:34-36). Which brings us to Steve Bell's song which captures this in such an organic and genuine manner, that I believe the song (indeed the whole C.D.) is a must to be heard and sung by all who believe. And anyone who doubts God’s faithfulness to save Israel (or us) should read the surrounding passages in Isaiah about how He will save them and keep them forever! And so, even though they have been brought to very grave lows for their sins against them, He will never cast them (nor us) away.

Vs. 2-3 ²Then our mouth was filled with laughter,

And our tongue with singing.

Then they said among the nations,

“The Lord has done great things for them.”

³The Lord has done great things for us,

And we are glad.

 With God's peoples deliverance and restoration there was a great communal rejoicing, For not only does our God save and restore us to Himself, but He often does it in such wonderful ways so as to cause joyful laughing and rejoicing to to spring up amongst us all , so much so that we inevitable bear witness to all those around us.  And so, in this Psalm all of God’s redeemed people are heard everywhere, so much so that even the peoples around them take notice and start to say, "the Lord has done great things for them!"   And so, as they journeyed home those who remained and those who made the initial trip began to boldly declare among the nations, 

"The Lord has done great things for us,

And we are glad."

Vs. 4 “Bring back our captivity, O Lord,

As the streams in the South.”

With their deliverance, the returning exiles prayer is that the Lord would now bring back all His captive exiles to their own land, as the streams in the south. Thus from the small trickle of brave people that began the initial journey (with only the few supplies they could carry), that He would now make it a flood of people returning to their land, and ultimately to Himself. This then is every evangelist’s prayer that God would make massive droves of peoples flow to Himself, and thus they themselves would turn from the powers of darkness to the power of light, to God’s Salvation and Power only found in Christ!

Vs. 5-6 ⁵Those who sow in tears

Shall reap in joy.

⁶He who continually goes forth weeping,

Bearing seed for sowing,

Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him.

These verses then describe the journey of returning to the Lord, of repentance and faith. Of initially sowing in tears (that is the deep remorse and regret which comes with honestly facing one’s own lives mistakes) and then the other side of that, the salvation side, where remission of all of one’s sins is received by humbly asking the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive and come into one’s life.

And so it is that a spiritually fruitful and now very productive and useful life in doing good towards all is the fruit of being born-again by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson.

 

Psalm 125 A Song of Ascents.

 ¹Those who trust in the Lord

Are like Mount Zion,

Which cannot be moved, but abides forever.

²As the mountains surround Jerusalem,

So the Lord surrounds His people

From this time forth and forever.

³For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest

On the land allotted to the righteous,

Lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity.

⁴Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,

And to those who are upright in their hearts.

⁵As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways,

The Lord shall lead them away

With the workers of iniquity.

Peace be upon Israel!

Commentary

Vs. 1 “Those who trust in the Lord

Are like Mount Zion,

Which cannot be moved, but abides forever.”

Our everlasting standing with God, of everyone who trusts in the Lord is now declared. Comparing our place with Him as to that of Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever; because God has chosen it as His place to Reign from. Therefore just as He has secured it for Himself, so He has secured us all who trust in for Himself. Therefore just as Mount Zion shall never be moved, neither shall we! 

Vs. 2 “As the mountains surround Jerusalem,

So the Lord surrounds His people

From this time forth and forever.”

And just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds us, everyone who believes in Him is safe and secure with Him. For from the moment we believed in Him we have been sealed by His Holy Spirit and set apart by Him forever (consider Eph. 1:13-14). 

Vs. 3 “For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest

On the land allotted to the righteous,

Lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity.”

With the Lord Jesus Christ having secured His Land, and us His people for Himself, He shall also rule over us. No longer than shall wicked kings and rulers take the seat or throne of authority to rule and corrupt God’s people with their ungodly counsels and judgments. His holy land shall never see the wicked rule, for it has all been allotted to the righteous. Therefore our Lord and Savior who will rule the world with a rod of iron will drive out all of the wicked counselors from it, “lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity.” For our Lord and Savior is always very zealous for our sanctity!

Vs. 4 “Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,

And to those who are upright in their hearts.”

The prayer here than echoes our Lord’s own desires, for He always desires to do good to those who are good, to do good to everyone has come to believe and obey Him, everyone then who walks in uprightness of heart with Him shall know and experience the goodness of the Lord.

Vs. 5 “As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways,

The Lord shall lead them away

With the workers of iniquity.”

Peace be upon Israel!

And so just as the Lord steers the lives of everyone who walks in righteousness with Him towards our heavenly home. So shall He lead away all who turn aside to their crooked ways; all then who turn the Gospel into a means of personal gain and prosperity will be led away with the workers of iniquity. But everlasting peace shall be upon Israel, for the Lord Jesus Christ now Reigns! Amen.

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 124 A Song of Ascents. Of David.

 ¹“If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,”

Let Israel now say—

²“If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,

When men rose up against us,

³Then they would have swallowed us alive,

When their wrath was kindled against us;

⁴Then the waters would have overwhelmed us,

The stream would have gone over our soul;

⁵Then the swollen waters

Would have gone over our soul.”

⁶Blessed be the Lord,

Who has not given us as prey to their teeth.

⁷Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers;

The snare is broken, and we have escaped.

⁸Our help is in the name of the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth.

Preamble: Though this Psalm celebrates God's great and ongoing deliverance of the nation of Israel, it is not an over reach to see the people born out of His Son Jesus Christ coming through that nation as included in it. 

Commentary

Vs. 1-5 This Psalm makes it clear that neither Israel the nation, nor any individual believer anywhere in any generation ever keeps or sustains themselves. For it is only the Lord our God who in standing with us does not give us over to the wrath of our enemies. For in this evil and violent world where our God is only hated and blasphemed continually; and thus, we bear this worlds wrath and rejection for belonging to Him. We know that it is the Lord our God, the Lord Jesus Christ who is keeping us and preserving us from them, from Satan (the god of this world and age) who rules in the hearts of all unbelieving people and nations, whose hearts and minds he fills with all manner of hatred and evil suspicions about Him and us. And so, if it were not for the Lord our God being on our side (and thus keeping and preserving us) they would have swallowed us up. This Psalm then is a Biblical confession of that fact, that the Lord our God is our Everlasting Keeper!

Vs. 6-8 Therefore, we bless our Lord and Savior who has not given us as prey to their teeth (vs. 6), whether this is the nation of Israel itself, in all of its long history and troubles, (and yet through it all, it has survived), or us the N.T. saints, born of God’s Spirit, born-again by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thus we now bear that moniker. We bless the name of the Lord, just as the world curses it. For time and again we have escaped all their snares and traps by which they have laid before us and sought to destroy us and our faith (vs. 7). For even when persecution of Jews and Christians awakes and arises in every generation, we still survive, and grow, and flourish, because our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Lets us all then celebrate that fact in our places of worship everywhere!

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 123 A Song of Ascents.

¹Unto You I lift up my eyes,

O You who dwell in the heavens.

²Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters,

As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,

So our eyes look to the Lord our God,

Until He has mercy on us.

³Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!

For we are exceedingly filled with contempt.

⁴Our soul is exceedingly filled

With the scorn of those who are at ease,

With the contempt of the proud.

Commentary

Vs. 1-2 ¹Unto You I lift up my eyes,

O You who dwell in the heavens.

²Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters,

As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,

So our eyes look to the Lord our God,

Until He has mercy on us.

God’s peoples cry for deliverance is strongly heard in this Psalm. Whether this is the nation of Israel, who has known the horrors of Satan, this worlds ruler’s wrath throughout their history, or us who are now being persecuted or mistreated for our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ by the same, our eyes look not to the world for our deliverance and help, but we lift our eyes to the Lord our God, looking and longing and watching for Him, until He has mercy upon us.

Vs. 3-4 ³Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!

For we are exceedingly filled with contempt.

⁴Our soul is exceedingly filled

With the scorn of those who are at ease,

With the contempt of the proud.

Contempt, scorn, and ridicule often then is the daily diet of everyone who holds fast to the Lord our God and strives to keep His Word. Whether this is the nation of Israel who has gotten their fill of this throughout their history, and often from the most heinous Gentile peoples and nations, whose gods they went and served in ancient times, right up to modern times with their bearing the wrath and terror of the German Reich, or the same from Russia's Stalin. Even today Israel always finds itself defending themselves from their Arab neighbors who from will not live peaceably with them. Early Christians likewise had the same demonic wrath unleashed on them as the first generations of Christians bore great wrath, contempt, and scorn from the Romans and their Caesar's, right until the Christian faith became inculcated into Rome's beliefs which then brought over a 1000 years of darkness for the Christian faith until the Reformation. Even today, Jews, and now believers everywhere, God’s people who come to Him through the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, are treated with the scorn of the those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud. These two verses then are our prayer, our hearts cry, our pleadings to Him until He comes and has mercy upon us.

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 122 A Song of Ascents. Of David.

 ¹I was glad when they said to me,

“Let us go into the house of the Lord.”

²Our feet have been standing

Within your gates, O Jerusalem!

³Jerusalem is built

As a city that is compact together,

⁴Where the tribes go up,

The tribes of the Lord,

To the Testimony of Israel,

To give thanks to the name of the Lord.

⁵For thrones are set there for judgment,

The thrones of the house of David.

⁶Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

“May they prosper who love you.

⁷Peace be within your walls,

Prosperity within your palaces.”

⁸For the sake of my brethren and companions,

I will now say, “Peace be within you.”

⁹Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek your good.

Commentary

Vs. 1 I was glad when they said to me,

“Let us go into the house of the Lord.”

Every believer’s delight is to go to house of our God, the local church, and worship and serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ there. From the ancient times in Israel when going to the Temple meant this, to now our going to the house of God under the New Covenant of God, we are very glad to be going there!

Vs. 2 “Our feet have been standing

Within your gates, O Jerusalem!”

The sanctified believer has placed there feet squarely within the gates of Jerusalem, then the ancient city, and now the heavenly Jerusalem that is to come. Thus, we do not have one foot in the world, and one foot in the church, but all of our persons desires are firmly planted in the city of the Lord!

Vs. 3-4 ³Jerusalem is built

As a city that is compact together,

⁴Where the tribes go up,

The tribes of the Lord,

To the Testimony of Israel,

To give thanks to the name of the Lord.

Jerusalem is the city of the Lord, the city which David built for our Lord’s Name and Praise. A city where His Word and testimony is to be seen and heard. A city where all of God’s people will make their pilgrimage too and finial home in. This then has not been fulfilled in the Jerusalem that now is, but will be in the one that is to come (Isaiah 2:1-4; Rev. 21:1-8).

Vs. 5 “For thrones are set there for judgment,

The thrones of the house of David.”

It will be from there that thrones will be set for judgment, yes, the thrones of the house of David, for it will be a place where justice and judgment is rendered by the Lord Jesus Christ and where the twelve apostles will be judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28).

Vs. 6-7 ⁶Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

“May they prosper who love you.

⁷Peace be within your walls,

Prosperity within your palaces.”

God’s city is Jerusalem, it is the home of Christ’s Reign, and because it is, it is always the object of great wrath and indignation by those who hate Him (Luke 21:24). Therefore, we who believe in God are to pray for its peace, pray that it remains and prospers by the good hand of our God upon it, for it is symbolic of His Reign that is come.

Vs. 8 For the sake of my brethren and companions,

I will now say, “Peace be within you.”

Therefore, for the peace and well being of all of God’s people who will make there home there (Rev. 21-22). I will now say, “Peace be within you.”

Vs. 9 “Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek your good.”

Whether present tense or future then I too will seek your good.

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 121 A Song of Ascents.

 ¹I will lift up my eyes to the hills—

From whence comes my help?

²My help comes from the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth.

³He will not allow your foot to be moved;

He who keeps you will not slumber.

⁴Behold, He who keeps Israel

Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵The Lord is your keeper;

The Lord is your shade at your right hand.

⁶The sun shall not strike you by day,

Nor the moon by night.

⁷The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;

He shall preserve your soul.

⁸The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in

From this time forth, and even forevermore.

Commentary

Vs. 1-2 ¹I will lift up my eyes to the hills—

From whence comes my help?

²My help comes from the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth.

With confidence we look to the Lord our God for our deliverance, for it is He who made heaven and earth and there is nothing He cannot accomplish in our lives. We then look to Him alone, for He is our help in times of distress and troubles.

Vs. 3-4 ³He will not allow your foot to be moved;

He who keeps you will not slumber.

⁴Behold, He who keeps Israel

Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Scripture now moves from a personal assertion to a personal promise, a promise that God is giving us through His Word, His promise of His securing us, His elect whom He has chosen to believe in Him through His Son. For when we do He then takes it upon Himself to keep us from being moved from Him. That is what is meant when He says He will not allow our foot to be moved. For though we may go through many fiery trials in this life, He is always watching over us and working out all things for our good in the end. Therefore, we can be assured of His helping and keeping us, from the day we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ to the end of eternity, for He never sleeps nor slumbers as He keeps watch over us, therefore He will never be caught “off guard” when it come to preserving our souls, (consider John 10:27-30). And so just as He always watches over Israel, always persevering them for Himself, so He will preserve me and you.

Vs. 5-6 ⁵The Lord is your keeper;

The Lord is your shade at your right hand.

⁶The sun shall not strike you by day,

Nor the moon by night.

The Lord God Creator and Sustainer of all things is our keeper. He is the One who stands by us as a shade from the sun, (a metaphor for protection against all burning wrath), on the one hand, and a guard against the moon, (a metaphor for the powers of darkness on the other). It is really easy to then see God the Father’s persevering His Son in these passages, and thus all of us who believe in Him as well.

Vs. 7 “The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;

He shall preserve your soul.”

Now understand that our being persevered from all evil is not a promise of a life free from troubles, but a life preserved and protected from being overcome by evil! For no matter how much the enemy of our souls throws at us, or tragedy and misfortune comes to us, God the Father who steadfastly loves us shall always preserve us from all evil (please see Rom. 8:28-39). His Promise then of preserving us from all evil means that all evil (no matter how strong or intense) will ever overcome or consume us! (consider the Apostle Pauls' own declaration about this in 2 Cor. 4:7-15).

Vs. 8 “The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in

From this time forth, and even forevermore.”

From the day we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, until the conclusion of our journey down here when we are finally get to go home and be with the Lord Jesus Christ and all His people in heaven forever. The Lord shall preserve us from this time forth and even forevermore! 

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson.