3 Have mercy on us, Yahweh, have mercy on us, For we have endured much contempt.
The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: 'God, I thank you, that I am not like the rest of men, extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn't even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'
He spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria, and said, What are these feeble Jews doing? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, seeing they are burned? Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they are building, if a fox go up, he shall break down their stone wall. Hear, our God; for we are despised: and turn back their reproach on their own head, and give them up for a spoil in a land of captivity;
You make us a reproach to our neighbors, A scoffing and a derision to those who are around us. You make us a byword among the nations, A shaking of the head among the peoples. All day long my dishonor is before me, And shame covers my face, At the taunt of one who reproaches and verbally abuses, Because of the enemy and the avenger.
> Be merciful to me, God, for man wants to swallow me up. All day long, he attacks and oppresses me. My enemies want to swallow me up all day long, For they are many who fight proudly against me.
But as for me, my prayer is to you, Yahweh, in an acceptable time. God, in the abundance of your loving kindness, answer me in the truth of your salvation. Deliver me out of the mire, and don't let me sink. Let me be delivered from those who hate me, and out of the deep waters. Don't let the flood waters overwhelm me, Neither let the deep swallow me up. Don't let the pit shut its mouth on me. Answer me, Yahweh, for your loving kindness is good. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, turn to me.
Remember, Lord, the reproach of your servants, How I bear in my heart the taunts of all the mighty peoples, With which your enemies have mocked, Yahweh, With which they have mocked the footsteps of your anointed one.
The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they scoffed at him.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 123
Commentary on Psalms 123 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
123
Ps 123:1-4. An earnest and expecting prayer for divine aid in distress.
1. (Compare Ps 121:1).
thou that dwellest—literally, "sittest as enthroned" (compare Ps 2:4; 113:4, 5).
2. Deference, submission, and trust, are all expressed by the figure. In the East, servants in attending on their masters are almost wholly directed by signs, which require the closest observance of the hands of the latter. The servants of God should look (1) to His directing hand, to appoint them their work; (2) to His supplying hand (Ps 104:28), to give them their portion in due season; (3) to His protecting hand, to right them when wronged; (4) to His correcting hand (Isa 9:13; 1Pe 5:6; compare Ge 16:6); (5) to His rewarding hand.
3. contempt—was that of the heathen, and, perhaps, Samaritans (Ne 1:3; 2:19).
4. of those that are at ease—self-complacently, disregarding God's law, and despising His people.