Looking for Mercy in Afflictions
Psalm 123
Rev. Dr. Devadosan Sugirtharaj.
Introduction
This is another song of ascent sung by pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem during feast times to prepare themselves to meet with God and His people. It is a song of prayer in the context of suffering.
A. Looking to God in Afflictions (Psalm 123:1-2).
- The Place to Look in Afflictions (Psalm 123:1).
- In the midst of afflictions, the psalmist declares that he does not focus on his circumstances or on himself, but looks to the Lord for help. He does not look to the geographical hills, but to the Lord who made the hills. The goal of this prayer is not to look at Jerusalem, but to the God of heaven and earth.
- The Process of Looking in Afflictions (Psalm 123:2).
- The image of a servant standing behind his or her master at dinner illustrates the devotion and steadfastness of the psalmist as he looks to God. This image suggests three things: dependence, submission, and discipline. The servant depends on the master for needs, direction, and correction. In the same way, the psalmist considers himself God’s servant and relies on these three important elements in the context of affliction. He continues to look to God for help until the Lord responds to his prayer. He does not demand an immediate answer but patiently perseveres until God acts.
B. Pleading to God in Afflictions (Psalm 123:3-4).
- The Plea for Mercy in Afflictions (Psalm 123:3).
- The psalmist does not simply pray, but pleads for help. He asks God for mercy in his affliction, desperately needing God’s intervention as he is filled with the contempt poured out on him by others.
- The Reason for Pleading in Afflictions (Psalm 123:4).
- The psalmist faces the scorn of those who are at ease. Such scorn becomes a tormenting mental experience, filling the heart with sorrow and making life miserable. The ridicule increases his sense of insecurity and weakness. Those who scorn him are proud and arrogant. In this desperate situation, the psalmist pleads for the Lord’s mercy to triumph over the contempt of the proud.
Conclusion
When our lives are filled with scorn and ridicule from proud and arrogant people, we may experience mental distress and desperation. In those moments, we plead for God’s help and mercy. We look to Him as a servant looks to a master. In the midst of agony, we do not turn elsewhere but to God, who alone can deliver us from desperation. When you are ridiculed, how do you respond? Do you seek revenge, fall into despair, or plead to God for help?