Journal Entry ~ 06/29/19

To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!  - Psalm 123:1

In our next Psalm of Ascent, it seems the psalmist is back in trouble again. There seems to be pattern in these Psalms. In Psalm 120, the author is in trouble, surrounded by the enemy. In Psalm 121, the author is trusting God in His sovereignty and power. Psalm 122 is a celebratory psalm as they arrived in Jerusalem. 

In Psalm 123, you can feel the cry of a heart in pain. The author is struggling as he begs for mercy, claiming he is surrounded by contempt and scorn. He is frustrated and exhausted at the constant battle of living in this world. 

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.  - Psalm 123:3-4

There are days I feel like this, like I just want to cry out, “Enough!” When trials upon trials seem to come at me, and everything seems to be against me, I get tired and worn. It can be so exhausting to live in this broken world. 

But this psalm reminds us where to look - we are to lift our eyes to the One who sits on the throne of heaven. This psalmist knows the key to finding joy and peace when the world won’t let up - it’s all in where you look. If you’re looking at your problems, you’re going to fail. If you’re looking at your own ability to fix the problems, you’re going to fail. 

When you’ve had enough and you don’t know what to do, look to the Lord. Lay your struggles at His feet and ask Him for mercy. Cast all your fears and anxieties, your struggles and your frustrations on Him. He cares for you. He sees what you’re walking through, and He wants to rescue your heart. 


Press on ~ you are loved 💗

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