Psalms 123:1

A song of ascents. ²  I look up ³  toward you, the one enthroned ⁴  in heaven.

Ps 2:4; Ps 11:4; Ps 25:15; Ps 113:5,6; Ps 115:3; Ps 120:1; Ps 121:1; Ps 122:1; Ps 123:1; Ps 124:1; Ps 125:1; Ps 126:1; Ps 127:1; Ps 128:1; Ps 129:1; Ps 130:1; Ps 131:1; Ps 132:1; Ps 133:1; Ps 134:1; Ps 141:8; Isa 57:15; Isa 66:1; Mt 6:9; Lu 18:13

¹ sn Psalm 123. The psalmist, speaking for God’s people, acknowledges his dependence on God in the midst of a crisis.

² sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.

³ tn Heb “I lift my eyes.”

⁴ tn Heb “sitting.” The Hebrew verb יָשַׁב (yashav) is here used metonymically of “sitting enthroned” (see Pss 9:7; 29:10; 55:19; 102:12).