Unto You I Lift Up My Eyes Psalm

• Part of the psalms of ascents (120 -134) • 120 - a

I Lift up my eyes to You (1 -2) • Looking up to –

I Lift up my eyes to You (1 -2) • We look up to:

I Lift up my eyes to You (1 -2) • Looking up to God

I Lift up my eyes to You (1 -2) • As the eyes of

I Lift up my eyes to You (1 -2) • “So our eyes look

Have mercy on us (3 -4) • A call for His mercy • We

Have mercy on us (3 -4) • We are exceedingly filled with contempt and

Have mercy on us (3 -4) • Lesson: The more we face contempt, the

Have mercy on us (3 -4) • Lesson: When we are facing such trials,

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“Unto You I Lift Up My Eyes” Psalm 123

• Part of the psalms of ascents (120 -134) • 120 - a distressed soul • 121 - lifting one’s eyes to the hills (Jerusalem in sight) • 122 - Gladness as they approach the city • 123 - Lifting up the eyes to God

I Lift up my eyes to You (1 -2) • Looking up to – an expression of admiration and a desire to follow their example and instructions, or depending upon one for protection and provisions.

I Lift up my eyes to You (1 -2) • We look up to: • Eph. 6: 1 -2 – parents 1 Cor. 11: 1 – Paul imitated as he imitated Christ Hebrews 13: 7 – our elders • Others look up to us – cf. Galatians 2: 11 -13, 1 Cor. 8: 9 -12

I Lift up my eyes to You (1 -2) • Looking up to God • He is worthy of admiration – Psalm 111: 9, 18: 3 • His instructions are worthy to be followed – Psalm 119: 104 -105 • We can depend on Him – Matt. 28: 20, Mal. 3: 10 • He can protect and provide us – Heb. 13: 5 -6, Deut. 31: 6 -8, …

I Lift up my eyes to You (1 -2) • Looking up to God • In the heavens – where He dwells Isaiah 66: 1, 1 Kings 8: 27 Acts 17: 24 – He doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands • As such, don’t bring Him down to our level, reverence Him!

I Lift up my eyes to You (1 -2) • As the eyes of a servant… • Possibly a reference to servants waiting in silence for instruction.

I Lift up my eyes to You (1 -2) • “So our eyes look to the LORD our God”. Let us look to Him… • With a willingness to obey – Matt. 28: 20, Luke 6: 46 • With patience – Col. 1: 10 -11, Isa. 40: 31 • With a willingness to accept His answer – Matt. 6: 10, 26: 42 • How long? Until He answers! Luke 18: 7 -8

Have mercy on us (3 -4) • A call for His mercy • We need the mercy and grace of God (“Be gracious to us, O LORD, be gracious to us. ” – NASB) – Ephesians 2: 4 -5 1 Peter 1: 3

Have mercy on us (3 -4) • We are exceedingly filled with contempt and scorn • Contempt – a lack of respect with feelings of despising or viewing one as insignificant • Ungodly contempt for others – Cain - Gen. 4: 5 -8, Esau – Gen. 25: 34; Lev. 26: 14 -15, Malachi 1: 6, Romans 2: 4, despising the goodness of God

Have mercy on us (3 -4) • We are exceedingly filled with contempt and scorn • Godly contempt – Jesus – John 2: 13 -17 Paul – Galatians 5: 12 Tempered with restraint – Rom. 12: 19 -20

Have mercy on us (3 -4) • We are exceedingly filled with contempt and scorn • Contempt for the godly – Prophets – Amos 7: 12 -13, 2: 12, Jeremiah Jer. 38: 6, ch. 36 • This is the contempt of our text – they are at ease (Amos 6: 1), they were proud Prov. 21: 24, 1 Peter 5: 5 – God resists

Have mercy on us (3 -4) • We are exceedingly filled with contempt and scorn • We too are viewed by an ungodly world with contempt. Examples: 1) The hatred of some advocates of same-sex marriage 2) The hatred of those who teach Jesus is the only way 3) The scorn within religious circles when we challenge unscriptural practices – ie. MDR, faith only, etc.

Have mercy on us (3 -4) • Lesson: The more we face contempt, the more we need to turn to God! • Consider Jesus – Matthew 26: 62 -63, 27: 12 -14 – He opened not His mouth; Yet on the cross, “Father forgive them…” – Luke 23: 34

Have mercy on us (3 -4) • Lesson: When we are facing such trials, let us not forget our God OR our brethren! • We need each other – that is one reason we assemble (remember the psalms of ascent) • Don’t despise this privilege!

Who are you looking up to?