The Songs Of Ascent – Part 5 – Psalm 123 – Lift Up Your Eyes To The Most Gracious God Series

THE SONGS OF ASCENT – PART 5 – PSALM 123 – LIFT UP YOUR EYES TO THE MOST GRACIOUS GOD

Psalm 123 A Song of Ascents.

Today we continue the Psalms of Ascent with the next in the series, which is a short Psalm, number 123. The psalm looks upward to God and then inwardly to the problems, and scoffers’ contempt. Let us begin.

[A]. THE SOLE DEPENDENCE ON GOD

{{Psalm 123:1 “To You I lift up my eyes, O You who are enthroned in the heavens!”}}

The authorship is unknown but it is an inclusive Psalm, so much so, that I think it covers the experience of every single child of God. This is such a simple and lovely means of communication from a righteous one of God who acknowledges two things in particular – (1). DEPENDENCY ON GOD. (2). GOD’S GLORY IN HEAVEN.

We will never go wrong when we have those two aspects in place. None of us are islands to ourselves. Self-sufficiency is in fact a lie, because man can only be self-sufficient to a point. I have read of these “preppers”, especially in the USA who believe catastrophe is coming and have bunkers, some underground, stockpiled with armaments, water and food to last any apocalyptic event. Just one word I would have for these people – even if you are self-sufficient until death, what then? What happens to your self-sufficiency then? Look at what God says - {{Hebrews 9:27 “Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgement.”}}

O man, who lives independently from God, what happens then? What will you do in the judgement/judgment? Do not mock, but seriously consider that you are going to be one of these people standing at the throne with no hope - {{Revelation 20:11-15 “I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them, and I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. The sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds, and death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”}}

Blessed is the man or woman who has learned to be dependent on the Lord. What a privilege it is for puny man who was created in the image of God to lift up his head and acknowledge God; to lift up his eyes to the Lord. Man was created for fellowship with his Creator and that is the reason why the Lord came down each afternoon to have fellowship and communion with Adam and Eve. It was destroyed of course through sin and since then many have been running from God in fear or hate or neglect or in absolute stubbornness.

Can I address you, O Christian person? To whom do you lift up your eyes? Are you too busy with worldly activities to lift them to God? Are you maybe too engrossed in things of no value that set your programme and priorities? When you follow the psalmist writing under inspiration, then you will know a joyous peace and calm in your soul. Do you know God wants dependent people? God loves those who come to Him in humility and desire only to know their dear Lord.

And talking about humility, there is so much false humility that festers like maggots in a person’s soul and when in God’s presence they feign humility but God knows the falsity of it all. The soul who is truly humble knows how bad he and she is, and how good God is, and then can come with no airs or pretence. God will always bless the one who is contrite of soul.

{{Psalm 51:15-17 “O Lord, open my lips that my mouth may declare Your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice otherwise I would give it. You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and a CONTRITE heart, O God, You will not despise.”}}

{{Isaiah 57:15 “for thus says the high and exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy, “I dwell on a high and holy place, and also with the CONTRITE and lowly of spirit in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the CONTRITE.”}}