God Speaks
123 A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
1 I lift my eyes to you,
O God, enthroned in heaven.
2 We keep looking to the Lord our God for his mercy,
just as servants keep their eyes on their master,
as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal.
3 Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy,
for we have had our fill of contempt.
4 We have had more than our fill of the scoffing of the proud
and the contempt of the arrogant.
124 A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of David.
1 What if the Lord had not been on our side?
Let all Israel repeat:
2 What if the Lord had not been on our side
when people attacked us?
3 They would have swallowed us alive
in their burning anger.
4 The waters would have engulfed us;
a torrent would have overwhelmed us.
5 Yes, the raging waters of their fury
would have overwhelmed our very lives.
6 Praise the Lord,
who did not let their teeth tear us apart!
7 We escaped like a bird from a hunter’s trap.
The trap is broken, and we are free!
8 Our help is from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
125 A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
1 Those who trust in the Lord are as secure as Mount Zion;
they will not be defeated but will endure forever.
2 Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord surrounds his people, both now and forever.
3 The wicked will not rule the land of the godly,
for then the godly might be tempted to do wrong.
4 O Lord, do good to those who are good,
whose hearts are in tune with you.
5 But banish those who turn to crooked ways, O Lord.
Take them away with those who do evil.
May Israel have peace!
Source: New Living Translation: BibleGateway.com
We Respond
Reflection: Consider the following questions regarding each psalm of Psalms 123-125:
1. What does this psalm tell me about God?
2. What does this psalm tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
Psalm 123
1. God is enthroned in Heaven and is the source of mercy.
2. People are to look to the LORD for mercy and for relief from the scoffing and arrogance of others.
Psalm 124
1. God is on the side of those who turn to Him for help.
2. Even God’s faithful people sometimes feel overwhelmed.
Psalm 125
1. God is good and does good to those whose hearts are in tune with Him.
2. Whether people are good or wicked is determined by how they respond to God and/or people.
Prayer:
3. How might I pray regarding Psalms 123-125?
I look to You, LORD God; You are on the throne of Heaven. I keep looking to You for mercy and Your unfailing grace. I’m your servant, looking to You for directions. When will You give Your faithful servants relief from the taunting of the proud and arrogant? Thank You that You are on our side (even though we often desert You). Even when our enemies’ attacks on us are overwhelming, You are still faithful. Thank You that our help comes from You who made heaven and earth. When we keep our trust centered on You, we are as secure as Mount Zion. We will not be defeated but endure forever. I hold You to Your promises as expressed in Psalm 125:3-5 NLT: “The wicked will not rule the land of the godly, for then the godly might be tempted to do wrong. O LORD, do good to those who are good, whose hearts are in tune with You. But banish those who turn to crooked ways, O LORD. Take them away with those who do evil. May Israel have peace!” You promise to bless all those who fear You. May all who fear the LORD trust and obey You completely. Because of Jesus. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Psalms 123-125?
- I will plead with the LORD to deal with the proud and arrogant for their scoffing, contempt, and mistreatment of His righteous ones.
- I will thank the LORD God for keeping me from being overwhelmed by evil.
- I will tell someone about the security we have when we trust and obey the Lord Jesus because of His life, death, and resurrection.
- I will write out Psalm 125:3-5 so that I can contemplate it often.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.