Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 123:3
Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
3. Have mercy upon us ] Be gracious unto us.
for we are exceedingly filled with contempt ] Contumely has been as it were the daily food with which we have been crammed to loathing. Cp. Lam 3:15; Lam 3:30; Psa 80:5.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
3, 4. The plea of suffering Israel, scorned and despised by its insolent neighbours.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us – The language of earnest pleading, repeating with emphasis the object of the prayer. The supplicants are represented as standing and urging this petition, feeling that help could come only from God; looking only to him; and watching his countenance, as servants do their masters.
For we are exceedingly filled – The Hebrew word used here means to be saturated; to have the appetite fully satisfied – as applied to one who is hungry or thirsty. Then it comes to mean to be entirely full, and the idea here is, that as much contempt had been thrown upon them as could be; they could experience no more.
With contempt – Contempt has been shown us in every possible way. We are thoroughly despised.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. Have mercy upon us, O Lord] Chastise us no more; we will no more revolt against thee.
We are exceedingly filled with contempt.] We not only suffer grievously from our captivity, but are treated in the most contemptuous manner by our masters.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
With opprobrious words and injuries.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. contemptwas that of theheathen, and, perhaps, Samaritans (Neh 1:3;Neh 2:19).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,…. Merit is not pleaded; for, though servants, they knew they were unprofitable ones: but mercy is asked; whether by the awakened sinner, under first convictions, or by the backsliding professor, for forgiveness of sins, under a sense of them, or as under the correcting: and chastising hand of God for them: and which is repeated, to show the state of their case, which requires mercy, and in haste; and the eagerness of their spirit, and the earnestness of their suit, their prayer being the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man;
for we are exceedingly filled with contempt; by reason of meanness in outward circumstances, the common lot of God’s people; and therefore are reckoned the faith of the world, and the offscouring of all things: and on account of their religion, which wicked men make a jest of; reckon an engine of state, to keep people in awe of the civil magistrate; or a piece of priestcraft, to serve the lucrative views of a set of men; or as mere cant and enthusiasm, and a gloomy melancholy business, which none but fools will give into; and particularly on account of peculiar doctrines embraced, which are branded as novel, irrational, and licentious; and ordinances, which entirely depend on the sovereign will of the institutor of them. For these things, and the like, contempt was plentifully poured upon them; they had enough of it, and too much, so much that they could not bear it; it was become intolerable and loathsome, and the more, as it had been a long time continued on them. So Aben Ezra and Kimchi interpret the word, rendered “exceedingly”, of a long time.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The second strophe takes up the “be gracious unto us” as it were in echo. It begins with a Kyrie eleison, which is confirmed in a crescendo manner after the form of steps. The church is already abundantly satiated with ignominy. is an abstract “much,” and , Psa 62:3, something great (vid., Bttcher, Lehrbuch, 624). The subjectivizing, intensive accords with Psa 120:6 – probably an indication of one and the same author. is strengthened by , like in Eze 36:4. The article of is restrospectively demonstrative: full of such scorn of the haughty (Ew. 290, d). is also retrospectively demonstrative; but since a repetition of the article for the fourth time would have been inelegant, the poet here says with the Lamed , which serves as a circumlocution of the genitive. The Masora reckons this word among the fifteen “words that are written as one and are to be read as two.” The Ker runs viz., , superbis oppressorum ( , part. Kal, like Zep 3:1, and frequently). But apart from the consideration that instead of , from the unknown , it might more readily be pointed , from (a form of nouns indicating defects, contracted ), this genitival construction appears to be far-fetched, and, inasmuch as it makes a distinction among the oppressors, inappropriate. The poet surely meant or . This word (after the form , , ) is perhaps an intentional new formation of the poet. Saadia interprets it after the Talmudic , legio ; but how could one expect to find such a Grecized Latin word ( ) in the Psalter! dunash ben-Labrat (about 960) regards as a compound word in the signification of . In fact the poet may have chosen the otherwise unused adjectival form because it reminds one of , although it is not a compound word like . If the Psalm is a Maccabaean Psalm, it is natural to find in an allusion to the despotic domination of the .
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
3. Have mercy upon us, O Jehovah! etc. The Psalmist prosecutes and confirms the preceding doctrine. He had said that the godly, finding themselves utterly broken in spirit and cast down, intently directed their eyes to the hand of God: now he adds that they are filled with reproach. From this we learn that the wicked not only assaulted them by such ways of violence as suggested themselves to their minds, but that by their mockery they as it were trampled under foot the children of God. The repetition of the prayer, Have mercy upon us, which is a sign of vehement and ardent desire, indicates that they were reduced to the last degree of misery. When insult is added to wrongs, there is nothing which inflicts a deeper wound upon well constituted minds. The Prophet therefore complains chiefly of that, as if it were the consummation of all calamities. He says that rich and proud men treated the Church with insolent triumph; for it commonly happens that those who are elevated hi the world, look down with contempt upon the people of God. The lustre of their he. hour and power dazzles their eyes, so that they make no account of God’s spiritual kingdom: yea, the more the wicked prosper and are smiled on by fortune, to the greater extent does their pride swell, and the more violently does it throw off its foam. This passage teaches us, that it is no new thing for the Church to be held in contempt by the children of this world who abound in riches. The epithet proud is justly applied to the same persons who are described as rich; for wealth engenders pride of heart. Farther, as we see that in old time the Church of God was covered with reproaches, and pointed at with the finger of scorn, we ought not to be discouraged if the world despise us, nor should we allow our faith to be shaken by the wicked when they assault us with their scoffs, yea, even defame us with their injurious and insulting language. We must always bear in mind what is here recorded, that the heart not of one man only, or of a few, but of the whole Church, was filled not merely with the violence, cruelty, craft, and other evil doings of the wicked, but also with reproaches and mockery. It is also to be remembered, that all the loftiness and pride existing in the world are here represented as in opposition to the Church, so that she is accounted as nothing better than “the filth of the world and the offscouring of all things,” as the Apostle Paul declares in 1Co 4:13. When the same thing happens to us at the present day, let us leave the wicked to swell with their pride until they burst; and let it suffice us to know, that we are notwithstanding precious in the sight of God. By the verb cloy, especially as it is emphatically repeated, the Prophet intended to express a long continued oppression, which filled the hearts of the godly with weariness and sorrow. How necessary the lesson taught in this text is in our own day, it requires no lengthened discussion to demonstrate. We see the Church destitute of all worldly protection, and lying under the feet of her enemies, who abound in riches, and are armed with dreadful power. We see the Papists boldly rising up, and with all their might pouring forth their mockeries against us and the whole service of God. On the other hand, there are mingled amongst us, and flying about everywhere, Epicureans, who deride our simplicity. There are also many giants, who overwhelm us with reproaches; and this baseness has lasted from the time that the Gospel began to emerge from the corruption’s of Popery even to the present day. What then remains to be done, but that, finding ourselves environed with darkness on all sides, we seek the light of life in heaven? and that our soul, although it may be filled to satiety with all kinds of reproaches, breathe forth prayers to God for deliverance with the importunity of the famished?
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) Exceedingly filled.Or, sated more than enough.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3, 4. Exceedingly filled Satiated, overflowed with abundance. Their enemies were at ease, (Psa 123:4😉 the word denoting, in its bad sense, those who live carelessly, indifferently as to religion or the sufferings of others, and only for self-gratification: a state of supreme selfishness and worthlessness of character, which, though not in itself expressing overt crime, hardens the soul to all vice and sin. Jer 48:11; Amo 6:1; Zec 1:15; comp. Luk 12:19-20. They were also proud, haughty, which always implies contempt and hard heartedness toward inferiors. These were Israel’s oppressors, who contemned them, trod them under foot, and scorned, or made a jest and derision of them. Thus is it with the world toward the Church, but will not God hear and avenge his elect, who cry unto him day and night?
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Reader! it is lovely not only to have our eyes directed unto Jesus, but waiting upon Jesus; not only to give in our petition to the heavenly court; but to hang about the door until the king send out an answer. Earthly beggars teach us this lesson very, powerfully. They never give over their clamorous importunity, whilst the least hope remains of being heard. But I fear that you and I too seldom follow up our petitions with holy waitings. Precious Spirit of all truth! do thou incline our hearts both to watch and pray; and gladly to hang on, and hold out, amidst every discouragement, until Jesus shall say to us, as he did to the poor woman, Be it unto thee even as thou wilt, Mat 15:16 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 123:3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
Ver. 3. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy ] This is preces fundere, coelum tundere, misericordiam extorquere, as Tertullian hath it; to wring mercy out of God’s holy hands, by our utmost importunity.
For we are exceedingly filled with contempt
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psa 123:3-4
3Be gracious to us, O Lord, be gracious to us,
For we are greatly filled with contempt.
4Our soul is greatly filled
With the scoffing of those who are at ease,
And with the contempt of the proud.
Psa 123:3-4 As so often in the Psalter the author feels attacked (here he expresses the corporate aspect also). Here it is wealthy, powerful fellow Israelites (i.e., Isa 32:11; Amo 6:1). Their actions fill him with contempt (BDB 100) and scoffing (BDB 541). It is surely possible that Psalms 122, 123 reflect the period of Ezra, Nehemiah. Often these kinds of people act as if they are the masters but the psalmist knows YHWH is the true and ultimate master. Life is often unfair and demands patient prayer and a proper worldview!
The UBS Handbook (p. 1059) asserts that the language of Psa 123:3-4 implies that the enemies are foreigners, not fellow Israelites. But I see nothing in Psa 123:3-4 that proves this, and the problems of post-exilic Jerusalem fit this context better.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
contempt = the mockery. Compare Psa 119:22, referring to Rab-shakeh.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Have mercy: Psa 56:1, Psa 56:2, Psa 57:1, Psa 69:13-16, Luk 18:11-13
for we are: Psa 44:13-16, Psa 89:50, Psa 89:51, Neh 4:2-4, Isa 53:3, Luk 16:14, Luk 23:35
Reciprocal: 1Sa 17:42 – disdained 1Sa 25:10 – Who is David 2Ki 18:23 – I will deliver 2Ki 19:3 – This day Neh 4:4 – Hear Job 12:5 – of him Job 19:15 – count me Job 35:12 – because Psa 13:2 – exalted Psa 31:18 – speak Psa 36:11 – foot Psa 52:9 – wait Psa 119:22 – Remove Psa 119:51 – proud Psa 137:3 – For there Psa 140:5 – The proud Pro 11:12 – that Pro 14:2 – but Pro 18:3 – General Isa 36:8 – and I Jer 33:24 – thus Jer 51:51 – are confounded Lam 3:14 – General Lam 3:30 – filled Lam 5:1 – behold Eze 36:6 – General Mar 5:40 – they
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 123:3-4. Have mercy upon us, O Lord O be gracious unto us, and in much mercy help and save us; for we are exceedingly filled with contempt Loaded with opprobrious words and injuries. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the contempt of the proud With the scornful and contemptuous carriage of thine and our enemies, who live in great ease and glory, while we, thy people, are overwhelmed with manifold calamities.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
123:3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are {b} exceedingly filled with contempt.
(b) He declares that when the faithful are so full that they cannot endure the oppression and scorning of the wicked any more, there is always help above, if with hungry desires they call for it.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
2. Desire for grace 123:3-4
The Israelites needed more grace because their pagan neighbors, who were leading comfortable lives, were ridiculing them for their trust in Yahweh.
It is appropriate to request additional divine enablement to bear the criticism and mocking of unbelievers who ridicule faith in God. However, we should maintain a realistic attitude of dependence on God as we petition Him and wait for Him to grant our request.