Psalm 123 – Prayer for Relief from Contempt:
A Song of Ascents.
“Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens. 2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us. 3 Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt. 4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorn of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud.”
- This psalm depicts a prayer being cried out to the Lord. The person praying is as penitent as they are fearful. Their eyes are lifted up and they are looking to the Lord, who dwells in the heavens, for help. Just like with a servant or a maid who looks to their boss for their sustenance, so this person is looking to the Lord for theirs. Something has changed in how they view where their provision comes from and how the masters of the earth can no longer provide for their stewards (employees). This psalm is a heartfelt prayer to the Lord for relief.
God’s mercy endures forever and He has been merciful to us. Remember, mercy is not getting something that you deserve. This psalm is a prayerful cry is for mercy, spoken twice in verses 2 and 3 to emphasize great trauma on the part of the person praying and their need for God’s mercy. This person is crying out to God for His mercy while in their hearts they are filled with ‘contempt,’ that is, distain, dislike, scorn, hatred, and derision. Something terrible has happened and now they are going to the source, their source, for help, God Almighty. Interestingly enough, they knew to go to God in the first place. For them, the Lord is no longer an abstract figure that was optional. Now God is the focus of this person’s world and they desperately need Him and His mercy.
These same people who are crying out to God for His mercy are also ‘exceedingly filled with contempt.’ They are looking upon others around them ‘who are at ease, contemptuous, and proud.’ The Lord showed me that believers who are worried about the future and the Lord’s return should not be, and those non-believers who are oblivious to His return and not concerned about the coming judgment should be. The Church is the Church, the body of Christ, where true believers in Jesus will be caught away in the Rapture. However, those who are left behind, whether or not they thought they were saved, most likely will be those who will be praying this prayer in Psalm 123. Those who are repentant and come to faith in Jesus after the Rapture (aka trib-saints) will have hell to pay for waiting and most likely will die a horrific death as a result of their faith in Christ; but at least they will be saved. I believe these are the people who are praying this prayer in this psalm. People who are ‘at ease’ are secure in their own prepping, defensive posture, and financial stability. They rely on their own strength because of their distain for God and the pride of their life.
Clearly there has been some kind of separation between two kinds of people; those who are at ease and proud of it, and those who are crying out to God for His mercy. Two people groups, two destinies, two fates.
I should like to propose a perspective as to what may be happening here in light of the end times and the nearness of the Lord’s return. I believe that this scenario is perhaps the aftermath of the Rapture; especially for those left behind who know what they have missed. While this psalm can fit into other situations and criteria, I believe that it is referencing a post-Rapture world and the attitude that will have developed between those who are at ease and proud (relativity speaking), and those who are crying out to God for mercy.
If the Lord returns sometime during the late summer or early fall of this year, than the crisis portrayed in this psalm may manifest in the following months and into 2023. While we are not totally sure what the world will be like after the Church is caught away, we can see certain glimpses of it being manifested even now. If I didn’t believe in a pre-trib Rapture, I would be scared out of my mind, even though I know that God will take care of me; I would still be anxious. I am not saying that’s a good thing, I am just saying it’s a Rob thing. God is still working on me too. That being said, I have come a long way, Hallelujah! The watcher community is lit right now, especially as we approach Rosh Hashanah; however, I think the Master is even closer to us than that.
Maranatha!
Encouragemen is a blog written by Pastor Rob Lee, recently relocated to Northern Missouri. He lives with his wife of 33-years, near their three adult children, their spouses, and children (their grandchildren). Pastor Rob is an Ordained Assemblies of God minister, a former Lead Pastor (25 years), police chaplain, and community advocate. He continues to serve, consult, and disciple men of God, including those who are in the ministry.
Encourage Men 