Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.
Psalm 123 is a short song of degrees, but it is full of humility, dependence, and grief under reproach. The psalmist first lifts his eyes unto the LORD Who dwells in the heavens (v.1). He then compares the saints to servants watching the hand of their masters and maidens watching the hand of their mistress, waiting upon the LORD until He has mercy (v.2). He then cries twice, “Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us” (v.3). Verse 4 explains the burden that drove such pleading: the soul of God’s people was full of scorning and contempt from proud men living at ease.
“Our soul.” The psalmist speaks for the afflicted people of God. Though many persons are included in “our,” he says “soul” in the singular, showing their shared grief, common affliction, and united cry. They are one people before God, suffering the same reproach and seeking the same mercy. The affliction is not outward only. Their “soul” is filled. Scorning had reached the inner man. Reproach wounds deeply when it falls upon those who fear God and wait upon Him. David knew this kind of inward pain when he wrote, “Reproach hath broken my heart” (Psalm 69:20). The saints may bear poverty, labor, and danger with patience, but the contempt of proud men toward God and His people pierces the soul.
“Is exceedingly filled.” This is more than occasional mockery or a few passing insults. Their soul is filled, and not filled lightly, but “exceedingly filled.” They had borne much already. The measure was full. The repeated cry for mercy in verse 3 fits this overflowing burden: “for we are exceedingly filled with contempt” (v.3). When the heart is filled with grief, it must pour itself out unto God. The psalmist does not answer scorners with fleshly wrath, revenge, or railing. He carries the full soul unto the LORD. This is the right order for afflicted saints: eyes lifted to heaven, hands waiting for mercy, and grief laid before God (vv.1-3).
“With the scorning.” Scorning is proud mockery, derision, ridicule, and contemptuous speech. The scorner does not only disobey truth; he despises it. He treats God’s people, God’s ways, God’s worship, and God’s promises as matters for ridicule. Scripture warns of the scorner as a hardened and dangerous character. “Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly” (Proverbs 3:34). Again, “A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise” (Proverbs 15:12). The saints in Psalm 123 are not complaining about correction from righteous men, but about scorning from proud men who despise the lowly and afflict the godly.
“Of those that are at ease.” This phrase identifies one class of the offenders. They are “at ease,” secure, comfortable, undisturbed, and careless. Their outward condition makes them bold in contempt. They are not bowed down under trial, not broken by affliction, not humbled by want, and not trembling before God. Their ease feeds their pride. Amos condemned such men: “Woe to them that are at ease in Zion” (Amos 6:1). Ease without the fear of God is spiritually dangerous. It often breeds forgetfulness, arrogance, and cruelty toward the afflicted. The rich man fared sumptuously every day while Lazarus lay at his gate full of sores, and afterward their estates were reversed (Luke 16:19-25).
Those at ease often misjudge the afflicted. They imagine trouble proves inferiority, guilt, weakness, or divine displeasure. Job suffered this cruelty from his friends, who sat above him as judges while failing to understand God’s purpose (Job 16:2; 19:2-3). The saints of Psalm 123 are under the same kind of reproach. Proud ease looks down upon patient faith and mocks those who wait for mercy.
“And with the contempt.” Contempt is despising another as worthless, low, foolish, or beneath regard. It is the inward attitude behind scorning. Scorning comes out in speech; contempt sits within the heart. The psalmist names both because the godly suffer both the words and the spirit of the wicked. Proud men do not only speak against the saints; they look down on them. Such contempt is hateful to God, for He has chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He has promised to them that love Him (James 2:5). To despise those whom God regards is a fearful sin.
“Of the proud.” Here is the root of the scorning and contempt. Proud men exalt themselves and despise others. Pride lifts the heart above God, above correction, above pity, and above the lowly. The proud man cannot endure humble dependence upon the LORD, for it condemns his self-confidence. He scorns waiting prayer because he trusts in himself. He despises the afflicted because he measures worth by outward condition. But God hates pride. “Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD” (Proverbs 16:5). Again, “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5).
This verse therefore explains why the saints cry so earnestly for mercy. Their affliction is not only the pain of reproach, but the pain of seeing proud, careless men despise the people and ways of God. They are full of it. They have had enough. Yet their answer is not rebellion, bitterness, or returning contempt for contempt. Their eyes are lifted unto the LORD in the heavens (v.1). They wait as servants for the hand of their Master (v.2). They plead for mercy from Jehovah (v.3). Faith carries reproach upward.
The Lord Jesus Christ knew this verse in its fullest force. No man ever suffered the scorning of those at ease and the contempt of the proud as He did. The rulers derided Him (Luke 23:35). The soldiers mocked Him (Matthew 27:27-31). Those passing by reviled Him and wagged their heads (Matthew 27:39-40). The chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him while He hung upon the cross (Matthew 27:41-43). They were at ease while He suffered. They were proud while He humbled Himself unto death. Yet He committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously (1 Peter 2:23). Therefore, every saint suffering reproach for God’s sake may look unto Him Who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself (Hebrews 12:3).
Here the Spirit teaches the godly how to bear the contempt of a proud world. The soul may be exceedingly filled with scorning, but it must carry that grief unto the LORD rather than answer pride with pride. The eyes must rise higher than the scorners. The servant must wait for the Master’s hand. The afflicted church must cry, “Have mercy upon us, O LORD” (v.3). Proud men may be at ease for a season, but their ease will not last. The lowly who wait upon the LORD shall receive mercy, while the proud shall be brought down.
Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.
Psalm 123 is a short song of degrees, but it is full of humility, dependence, and grief under reproach. The psalmist first lifts his eyes unto the LORD Who dwells in the heavens (v.1). He then compares the saints to servants watching the hand of their masters and maidens watching the hand of their mistress, waiting upon the LORD until He has mercy (v.2). He then cries twice, “Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us” (v.3). Verse 4 explains the burden that drove such pleading: the soul of God’s people was full of scorning and contempt from proud men living at ease.
“Our soul.” The psalmist speaks for the afflicted people of God. Though many persons are included in “our,” he says “soul” in the singular, showing their shared grief, common affliction, and united cry. They are one people before God, suffering the same reproach and seeking the same mercy. The affliction is not outward only. Their “soul” is filled. Scorning had reached the inner man. Reproach wounds deeply when it falls upon those who fear God and wait upon Him. David knew this kind of inward pain when he wrote, “Reproach hath broken my heart” (Psalm 69:20). The saints may bear poverty, labor, and danger with patience, but the contempt of proud men toward God and His people pierces the soul.
“Is exceedingly filled.” This is more than occasional mockery or a few passing insults. Their soul is filled, and not filled lightly, but “exceedingly filled.” They had borne much already. The measure was full. The repeated cry for mercy in verse 3 fits this overflowing burden: “for we are exceedingly filled with contempt” (v.3). When the heart is filled with grief, it must pour itself out unto God. The psalmist does not answer scorners with fleshly wrath, revenge, or railing. He carries the full soul unto the LORD. This is the right order for afflicted saints: eyes lifted to heaven, hands waiting for mercy, and grief laid before God (vv.1-3).
“With the scorning.” Scorning is proud mockery, derision, ridicule, and contemptuous speech. The scorner does not only disobey truth; he despises it. He treats God’s people, God’s ways, God’s worship, and God’s promises as matters for ridicule. Scripture warns of the scorner as a hardened and dangerous character. “Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly” (Proverbs 3:34). Again, “A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise” (Proverbs 15:12). The saints in Psalm 123 are not complaining about correction from righteous men, but about scorning from proud men who despise the lowly and afflict the godly.
“Of those that are at ease.” This phrase identifies one class of the offenders. They are “at ease,” secure, comfortable, undisturbed, and careless. Their outward condition makes them bold in contempt. They are not bowed down under trial, not broken by affliction, not humbled by want, and not trembling before God. Their ease feeds their pride. Amos condemned such men: “Woe to them that are at ease in Zion” (Amos 6:1). Ease without the fear of God is spiritually dangerous. It often breeds forgetfulness, arrogance, and cruelty toward the afflicted. The rich man fared sumptuously every day while Lazarus lay at his gate full of sores, and afterward their estates were reversed (Luke 16:19-25).
Those at ease often misjudge the afflicted. They imagine trouble proves inferiority, guilt, weakness, or divine displeasure. Job suffered this cruelty from his friends, who sat above him as judges while failing to understand God’s purpose (Job 16:2; 19:2-3). The saints of Psalm 123 are under the same kind of reproach. Proud ease looks down upon patient faith and mocks those who wait for mercy.
“And with the contempt.” Contempt is despising another as worthless, low, foolish, or beneath regard. It is the inward attitude behind scorning. Scorning comes out in speech; contempt sits within the heart. The psalmist names both because the godly suffer both the words and the spirit of the wicked. Proud men do not only speak against the saints; they look down on them. Such contempt is hateful to God, for He has chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He has promised to them that love Him (James 2:5). To despise those whom God regards is a fearful sin.
“Of the proud.” Here is the root of the scorning and contempt. Proud men exalt themselves and despise others. Pride lifts the heart above God, above correction, above pity, and above the lowly. The proud man cannot endure humble dependence upon the LORD, for it condemns his self-confidence. He scorns waiting prayer because he trusts in himself. He despises the afflicted because he measures worth by outward condition. But God hates pride. “Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD” (Proverbs 16:5). Again, “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5).
This verse therefore explains why the saints cry so earnestly for mercy. Their affliction is not only the pain of reproach, but the pain of seeing proud, careless men despise the people and ways of God. They are full of it. They have had enough. Yet their answer is not rebellion, bitterness, or returning contempt for contempt. Their eyes are lifted unto the LORD in the heavens (v.1). They wait as servants for the hand of their Master (v.2). They plead for mercy from Jehovah (v.3). Faith carries reproach upward.
The Lord Jesus Christ knew this verse in its fullest force. No man ever suffered the scorning of those at ease and the contempt of the proud as He did. The rulers derided Him (Luke 23:35). The soldiers mocked Him (Matthew 27:27-31). Those passing by reviled Him and wagged their heads (Matthew 27:39-40). The chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him while He hung upon the cross (Matthew 27:41-43). They were at ease while He suffered. They were proud while He humbled Himself unto death. Yet He committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously (1 Peter 2:23). Therefore, every saint suffering reproach for God’s sake may look unto Him Who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself (Hebrews 12:3).
Here the Spirit teaches the godly how to bear the contempt of a proud world. The soul may be exceedingly filled with scorning, but it must carry that grief unto the LORD rather than answer pride with pride. The eyes must rise higher than the scorners. The servant must wait for the Master’s hand. The afflicted church must cry, “Have mercy upon us, O LORD” (v.3). Proud men may be at ease for a season, but their ease will not last. The lowly who wait upon the LORD shall receive mercy, while the proud shall be brought down.