The Psalms of Ascent Psalm 123 " Where Are You Looking?"

Let's consider verses 1 and 2 of this rich psalm first. Psalm 123 falls into the genre of songs of lament, but the focus is God Himself. The first question is this: Where are we looking? Right now in the challenge that surrounds us and all that busies us or injures us, where are we looking? Where is our attentions focused? When every natural instinct  begs us to stare wide-eyed in the face of our circumstances, demands, oppressors, and false saviors, what or who ultimately wins our focus? These questions are vital because much of our soul's basic welfare is wrapped up in our answers.

I'd like to suggest that an entire chain reaction begins with our eyes and ultimately affects our hearts, souls, and minds. Where we look-where we genuinely fasten our gaze-amid continual life challenges has a tremendous impact on how we feel.

I am convinced that one reason where were look has such an impact on how were feel is because where we look is also primarily where were listen.
Read Acts 3:1-7 Now look carefully at Acts 3:4 What did Peter say to the beggar?

Verse 3 tells us the man "saw" them and asked them for money but obviously with half a glance, half a heart, and probably less than half an expectation. Until Peter demanded his attention, the crippled man simply did what he did "every day" (vs 2). By reading verse 5 carefully, you'll see that the man gave Peter and John neither his full attention nor his great expectation until he looked straight at them. Therefore, he looked, which caused him to more effectively listen, which in turn altered his feelings, manifesting in a change in his expectation. Needless to say, the beggar got far more than he expected, but until he "gave them his attention" he had no real expectation of anything out of the ordinary.

Look at each of the following phrases and the impact they have on one another.

Where I Look ---->  What I hear--->    What I feel ---->   What I expect

Like the crippled man begging at the Gate Beautiful, we can rise up early in the morning and keep our routine prayer time, say all the right things yet remain so focused on our circumstances that nothing ever changes. Let's hear our wonderful God say to us today. "Look at Me!"

Enthroned on high and between the cherubim, God rules over the entire universe. You can't be "enthroned" without a "throne". Like the 24 elders pictured in Revelation 4:10-11, ultimately every other crown bearer will "fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. "

Nothing operates outside God's sovereign rule, including any prince or principality of earth or air, and yet God is the ultimate exception to the saying that "absolute power corrupts absolutely. Psalm 22:3 tells us. God is "enthroned as the Holy One." He cannot be unholy in any dimension of his authority.
These are a few of the reasons why He is worthy of our fixed attentions. These are also a few of the reasons why everything else will downsize into its proper place when we look to God alone. Just as God is enthroned over the flood. He is enthroned over everything that troubles you.

God is so wise, isn't He? As wise in what He's hidden as in what He's disclosed. As wise in what He doesn't do as what He  does. Make no mistake. He is all-powerful and ever willing to use that power on behalf on His children.

I can't imagine we'll have any trouble relating to the psalmist today. Scripture may use different wording than our day-to day vocabulary, but the actions and the feelings described in Psalm 123 are thoroughly familiar to us. The Hebrew term translated "contempt" comes form a root that means "to disrespect."

Surely we all know what it's like to be treated disrespectfully. Meditate on the word for a moment. Offer your own general definition of disrespect; then give two examples.

Definition:___________________________________________________________________

Examples: 1__________________________________________________________________

2.___________________________________________________________________________


Disrespect is not the same as disagreement. We can strongly disagree and still treat people with respect. Disrespect devalues them. We can disrespect people in the way we talk to them or refuse to talk to them. Someone can say all the right things yet have a tone, expression, or manner that exuded disrespect.

We can relate to the writer of Psalm 123 every time we want to echo the words of verse 4: I've had more than enough. Not just enough, Lord. More than enough. Think about when you've felt that way. Was one of the major issues a feeling that you were being disrespected? When a wife continues to catch a husband with pornography, along with the obvious sense of betrayal, doesn't she also battle an overwhelming sense that she's not respected? When a husband continues to be belittled by his wife, pressured to make more or be more, isn't she treating him with disrespect?

Psalm 123 is ink to the page for such a time as this. It stands as permission to come to God--not arrogantly or with our own expression of disrespect but on our knees--as a servant looks to her master. That's there perfect posture for saying, "Lord, I've got to have Your help. I've had more that enough. I'm not going to make it in this situation with You."

So where are you looking today. Where we look determines our direction. We need God to help is in every aspect of our lives. We should always look to Him, the one who sits on the Throne.