Clinging to God’s Sovereignty and Mercy Songs of Ascent: Practices of the Lifelong Journey Series [4] Psalm 123

Our real idea of God may lie buried under the rubbish of conventional religious notions and may require an intelligent and vigorous search before it is finally unearthed and exposed for what it is. Only after an ordeal of painful self-probing are we likely to discover what we actually believe about God… The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him. It begins in the mind and may be present where no overt act of worship has taken place. A. W. Tozer

THINKING RIGHTLY ABOUT GOD Thinking rightly about God requires Scripture-guidance. 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:1-17 Psalm 123 depicts an idea of God that is foreign and strange to today’s world.  God is not a servant who exists for us (= “life is about me”).  Rather, we are servants who exist for God (= “life is not about me—it is about God.”)  Therefore, the right relationship with God requires the right idea of God as our Master [SOVEREIGNTY & MERCY].

Psalm 123 [ESV] A Song of Ascents 1 To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! 2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy upon us. 3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt. 4 Our soul has had more than enough of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud.

CLINGING TO GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY AND MERCY IN OUR TROUBLES 1)It requires a change of OUR FOCUS—to look up to God. To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! (v.1)  The psalmist’s life is full of troubles; the first thing he does is to lift his spiritual eyes for an upward look to God.  Who is this God? God is enthroned [= sovereign/in control] and in heaven [= transcendent/not like us]. He is the covenant God of Israel [the LORD our God (v.2)].  Why? God is above any of our troubles. God is the Master of everything.  Sovereignty of God means that God has the absolute right and power to do whatever he wills.

Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. Psalm 115:3

CLINGING TO GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY AND MERCY IN OUR TROUBLES 2)It requires OUR ATTENTIVENESS to God’s direction & provision—to look to the hand of our Master. Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy upon us. (v.2)

CLINGING TO GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY AND MERCY IN OUR TROUBLES 2)It requires OUR ATTENTIVENESS to God’s direction & provision—to look to the hand of our Master.  As the psalmist looks for God’s intervention, his focus on God leads him to not “doing” but “waiting” attentively on the LORD.  An indication of our trust placed in God who is in control is this “attentive waiting” to the movement of God’s hand.  In troubles, we are to look to the hand of our Master—for direction, provision, help, protection, and correction— patiently, attentively, and hopefully.  Why? It is to put our full trust in God’s power and care for us. Our hope is in God alone.

1My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation. 2He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken. Psalm 62:1-2

CLINGING TO GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY AND MERCY IN OUR TROUBLES 3)It requires our HEART-CRY—to look to God’s mercy on us. 3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt. 4Our soul has had more than enough of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud. (vs.3-4)

CLINGING TO GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY AND MERCY IN OUR TROUBLES 3)It requires our HEART-CRY—to look to God’s mercy on us.  The psalmist’s heart cry is twofold: (1) asking for mercy and (2) pouring out what troubles him/them (i.e., oppression of the arrogant).  Why ask for mercy? It implies a servant’s humility— submitting to the Master’s care rather than ordering God what to do. It also implies a servant’s trust in the Master’s sovereign control.  The root meaning of mercy is “to stoop,” “to be inclined”—God coming down to enter our condition with his compassion.

Why Pray for Mercy? “Mercy, God, mercy!”: the prayer is not an attempt to get God to do what he is unwilling otherwise to do, but a reaching out to what we know that he does do, an expressed longing to receive what God is doing in and for us in Jesus Christ. In obedience we pray, “Mercy!” instead of “Give us what we want.” We pray “Mercy!” not “Reward us for our goodness so our neighbors will acknowledge our superiority.” We pray “Mercy!” and not “Be nice to us because we have been such good people.” We live under the mercy. God does not treat us as alien others, lining us up so that he can evaluate our competence or our usefulness or our worth. He rules, guides, commands, loves us as children whose destinies he carries in his heart. - Eugene Peterson

Praying the Songs of Ascent #4 -- Psalm 123 [MSG] A Pilgrim Song 1-4 I look to you, heaven-dwelling God, look up to you for help. Like servants, alert to their master's commands, like a maiden attending her lady, We're watching and waiting, holding our breath, awaiting your word of mercy. Mercy, God, mercy! We've been kicked around long enough, Kicked in the teeth by complacent rich men, kicked when we're down by arrogant brutes.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE 1.In your life’s journey, LOOK IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION for help.  STOP looking in the wrong directions (e.g., quick-fixes, cheap substitutes, self-reliance).  Turn your spiritual eyes upward to GOD, the Master of everything.  Fix your eyes on Jesus the LORD. 2.Cultivate ATTENTIVE WAITING ON GOD’S HAND as you ask for his mercy.  Wait attentively.  Wait patiently.  Wait hopefully—with readiness to obey his directions and guidance.

Be Thou My Vision Attr. to Dallan Forgaill; Tr. by Mary E. Byrne Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art. Thou my best Thought, by day or by night, Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light. Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word; I ever with Thee, and Thou with me, Lord; Thou my great Father, I Thy true son; Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou My Vision Attr. to Dallan Forgaill; Tr. by Mary E. Byrne Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise, Thou mine Inheritance, now and always: Thou and Thou only, first in my heart, High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art. High King of Heaven, my victory won, May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.