Keep Your Eyes upon the Lord
Psalm 123
“Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.” — Psalm 123:1, KJV
There are times when life leaves us weary. Sometimes it is the burden of trouble; sometimes it is the sting of another person’s words. Being mocked, dismissed, or treated as though we do not matter can wound us deeply.
Psalm 123 speaks from that place. God’s people have endured contempt until they feel they can bear no more. Yet their response is to lift their eyes towards heaven.
This psalm asks us a searching question: When your heart is hurting, where do you turn?
1. Lift your eyes above your circumstances
“Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.”
The psalmist knows where help must come from. He looks towards the God who reigns in heaven.
He does not deny his trouble. Later in the psalm, he describes it plainly. But before he speaks about those who despise him, he speaks to the Lord.
We can become so occupied with what people have said that their voices fill our minds. We replay the conversation. We imagine what we should have said. We carry yesterday’s insult into today.
Psalm 123 calls us to turn our attention towards God.
The person who wounded you is not your highest authority. Their opinion cannot overturn God’s truth. Their contempt does not place you beyond His care.
Do not give someone’s cruel words more authority in your heart than the Word of God.
Lifting our eyes begins with prayer: “Lord, You see what has happened. You know how it has affected me. Help me to walk faithfully before You.”
2. Watch for God’s direction
“Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.”
The picture is of servants watching attentively for their master’s direction. They are ready to respond.
Our relationship with God should include that same attentiveness. We ask Him for help, and we also listen for His instruction through His Word.
Sometimes we pray, “Lord, change this situation,” while overlooking what He has already told us about our own conduct.
He calls us to speak truthfully.
He calls us to put away bitterness.
He calls us to love our enemies.
He calls us to do what is right.
Those commands can be difficult when we have been hurt. Yet faith means allowing God to guide our response.
Forgiveness can go alongside speaking the truth, seeking help, and holding wrongdoing accountable. We can refuse revenge while still taking proper steps to address harm.
Keep your eyes upon the Lord, and let Him govern your words, your decisions, and your actions.
3. Keep praying while you wait
“So our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.”
The word “until” expresses persistence. God’s people continue looking to Him.
Waiting can test us. We want the trouble settled quickly. We want the false accusation corrected, the broken relationship restored, or the heavy burden lifted.
But this psalm gives no timetable. It teaches us to keep bringing our need before God.
Perhaps you have prayed for a long time. Do not assume that a delayed answer means your prayer has gone unheard. Continue to seek the Lord, and continue to take the faithful steps available to you.
There are days when faith speaks with confidence. There are other days when faith can only whisper, “Lord, help me.”
Both can be sincere prayers.
You do not have to feel strong to turn towards God. You can come to Him in your weakness.
4. Ask for mercy with an honest heart
“Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.”
Twice they cry, “Have mercy upon us.”
This is the prayer of people who know they need God’s compassionate help. Their words are simple because their need is deep.
We sometimes feel that prayer must sound impressive. Yet a hurting heart may have only a few words:
“Lord, have mercy.”
“Lord, give me strength.”
“Lord, help me through today.”
The psalmist does not hide the pain behind religious language. He tells God that the contempt has become overwhelming.
You can be honest with the Lord. He already knows what you are carrying.
Bring Him your disappointment. Bring Him your weariness. Bring Him the hurt you struggle to explain to anyone else.
In Jesus Christ, we see God’s mercy revealed. Our Saviour knew rejection, ridicule, and suffering. We can approach Him knowing that He understands what it is to be despised.
5. Guard your heart against pride
“Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.”
Those who feel comfortable and secure are looking down upon those in distress.
That should make every one of us examine our heart.
Have we dismissed someone because their struggle seemed inconvenient? Have we mocked a person whose circumstances we did not understand? Have we mistaken our comfort for proof that we are better than someone else?
Pride makes it easy to judge. Mercy teaches us to listen.
A church should be a place where the wounded are treated with care, where wrongdoing is taken seriously, and where those who seek help are heard.
If we are asking God to show us mercy, we must be willing to show mercy to others.
Never become so comfortable in your own circumstances that you lose compassion for someone else’s pain.
Where will you fix your eyes?
Psalm 123 ends with the trouble still being described. We are not told that the mockery immediately stopped.
Yet throughout the prayer, God’s people keep looking towards Him.
That is its challenge to us: will we keep trusting God while the situation remains difficult?
You may be unable to control what another person says. You may be unable to make them understand. But you can bring your pain before the Lord and ask Him to direct your next step.
Lift your eyes.
Ask for mercy.
Listen to His Word.
Continue in faith.
When others look down on you, lift your eyes to the One who reigns above.
Closing prayer
Heavenly Father, we lift our eyes to You. Have mercy upon those who are weary, wounded, and burdened by contempt. Give us wisdom to address wrongdoing and grace to resist bitterness. Keep us humble, teach us compassion, and help us to obey Your Word while we wait for Your help. May our words and actions reflect the mercy You have shown us through Jesus Christ. In His name, Amen.
GOD IS A GOOD GOD
GOD KNOWS, GOD LOVES, GOD CARES
Written for Georges Web Ministries.com
Georges WebMinistries. Com
Georges Bible Ministries
Georges Poem .com
3rd October 2026