Read the Psalm

Life is hard. As the last lines of this psalm confess, we often find ourselves in a place where we are weary. We feel like we’ve “had more than enough.” More than enough broken relationships, more than enough disappointment, more than enough visits to the doctor, more than enough … of so much. What makes it even harder is there seems to be people who are at ease all around us … people who seem to look upon us with contempt.

Once again in these Psalms of Ascent, we are invited to lament. We are invited to acknowledge that things are not as they should be. Life is difficult and people around us make it even harder with a lack of understanding and a disposition of condescension.

Acknowledging this may feel like it is off limits for a follower of Jesus. We may have been discipled to think/believe that we always have to be positive and joyful about everything. Such acknowledgements may feel like complaining but they are not complaining if they are directed to God. Approximately half of the prayers in the psalms are prayerful complaints (or, laments), and we are invited to pray this way. God invites us to feel what we feel … with Him in prayer.

As we look at the face of God and become more attentive to His ways, we deepen in our faith that He is good and He is present. As a result, lament filled prayers are pleas for mercy. God is the one who can grant mercy, or help. At its core, mercy is help in time of need. The confession found in Hebrews 4:15-16 gives this a fuller context: 

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Even though we often feel like we want to pull away from God when we are struggling, God invites us to draw near. Then, as we lament, we get the help we need. Jesus understands the struggle. He knows what it is like to be misunderstood, to be abused, to be spoken ill of, to suffer deeply at the hands of others. In all of that, He did not turn away from the Father but kept turning toward. This is the meaning of the words: “yet without sin.” Sin is a turning away from God in our heart that results in sinful behaviors. This is why the heart of faith in Christ is about turning to God the Father again and again. It is not about behavior per se.

The prayer of Psalm 123 connects looking to the Lord and mercy. As we look to His hand, we put ourselves in a place of dependence upon Him. With an open, dependent heart, we are also opening our hearts to mercy … or, His help. This is why the psalmist prays: “so, our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he has mercy upon us.” There is a waiting and a dependence upon God for His help. 

His mercy comes in the form of His presence and His love. As a result, we wait and we watch.

Reflection questions: Spend a few moments reflecting on the connection between a dependence stance and the reception of mercy. How might you put this prayer for mercy into your own words? 

Prayer: Lord, I need You. Help me. Have mercy upon me. You are my hope so I wait and I watch. Amen.