Psalm 123 English Standard Version

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.

Contempt is our follow up after yesterday’s scoffer. Contempt is a two edged sword. We can and often feel contempt for the scoffer who has treated us unjustly. Our common use of the word is often associated with “contempt of court” where the judge issues a warning first and if the behavior continues, the violator is held in contempt.

This is a short psalm copied in full and it has a very distinct message. Jesus has been enthroned and when we look up to Him we must not do so with contempt. Before you say we do not allow me to share the verse of the day from my bible software.

Romans 13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

My God, how could you have allowed these contemptuous leaders to be in charge around the world?

The cost of free will is loss of control when it comes to consequences.

Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

“But Lord I don’t understand.” Is what my mind says.

His reply. “Yes. I know.”

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

When we lean on something and it is pulled out from under us, we fall.

International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

Scoff; Scoffer:

skof, skof’-er: The verb indicates the manifestation of contempt by insulting words or actions; it combines bitterness with ridicule. It is much more frequent in the Revised Version (British and American) than in the King James Version, replacing “scorn” of the latter in Ps 1:1; Pr 1:22, etc. “Scorn” refers rather to an inner emotion based on a sense of superiority; “scoff,” to the outward expression of this emotion

There are many psalms. Is it strange that we discover the issue of the scoffer in the first verse of the first psalm.

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

Imagine if you would, that you are trying to present the gospel to a stranger and when you say “God loves you!” their reply is “Do you say that to everyone?” Your reply would be “Yes” and then they retort, “Well that doesn’t make me feel special at all.”

Emotional superiority does not recognize the authority of anyone to bring them down to a level of needing anyone except an object of scorn.

Proverbs 1:24-26 English Standard Version

24 Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, 25 because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you,

When terror strikes emotional superiority we fail to protect them, and terror will strike.

International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

Terrible, Terror:

ter’-i-b’l, ter’-er (yare’,” to be feared,” “reverenced,” arits, “powerful,” “tyrannical,” ‘ayom, “aweinspiring,” chittith “terror,” ballahah, “a worn-out or wasted thing,” ‘emah, “fright”; phoberos, “dreadful,” phobos, “fear”): The above terms, and many others which employed, denote whatever, by horrible aspect, or by greatness, power, or cruelty, affrights men (De 1:19; 26:8; Da 2:31). God is terrible by reason of His awful greatness, His infinite power, His inscrutable dealings, His perfect holiness, His covenant faithfulness, His strict justice and fearful judgments

The scoffer does not recognize God’s authority and believes only in himself. Terror comes when he discovers he has been wrong his whole life. When judgment comes, intellect has no defense.

1 Corinthians 1:20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?