Daily Bible Reading Wednesday 31st January 2024
Psalms 123–125
Our Eyes Look to the Lord Our God
A Song of Ascents.
123:1 To you I lift up my eyes,
O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants
look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maidservant
to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the LORD our God,
till he has mercy upon us.
3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us,
for we have had more than enough of contempt.
4 Our soul has had more than enough
of the scorn of those who are at ease,
of the contempt of the proud.
Our Help Is in the Name of the Lord
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
124:1 If it had not been the LORD who was on our side—
let Israel now say—
2 if it had not been the LORD who was on our side
when people rose up against us,
3 then they would have swallowed us up alive,
when their anger was kindled against us;
4 then the flood would have swept us away,
the torrent would have gone over us;
5 then over us would have gone
the raging waters.
6 Blessed be the LORD,
who has not given us
as prey to their teeth!
7 We have escaped like a bird
from the snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken,
and we have escaped!
8 Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
The Lord Surrounds His People
A Song of Ascents.
125:1 Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the LORD surrounds his people,
from this time forth and forevermore.
3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
on the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous stretch out
their hands to do wrong.
4 Do good, O LORD, to those who are good,
and to those who are upright in their hearts!
5 But those who turn aside to their crooked ways
the LORD will lead away with evildoers!
Peace be upon Israel!(ESV)
Teaching by Rev. William Moody
These three Psalms all have something to says about living for the Lord in the presence of the scornful and wicked.
Psalm 123 encourages us those who feel the contempt of the world (v3-4), to keep their eyes on the Lord in the same way a servant does with their master (v2). Our Master is enthroned in heaven and therefore we have great hope.
Psalm 124 reminds us that our only hope is that the Lord is our side and that is why we do not get swallowed up Trials and opposition should encourage us not to have confidence in ourselves but totally in the lord who releases His people like the bird from the snare of the fowler (v7).
Psalm 125 speaks of how Jerusalem (Mount Zuion0 was surrounded by a series of mountains that gave it great protection (v1-2). In the same way the Lord surrounds His people with His strength, love and protection.
It is the righteous who will dwell with the Lord and not the wicked (v3-5). At times we may get greatly discouraged when times are hard and the wicked seem to have it so easy. But the day will come when this will all be reversed and we therefore need to keep our eyes on the Lord and being faithful to Him, for He will be faithful to those who are righteous in Jesus.