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Psalm 123
A song of ascents.

I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven. As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he shows us his mercy. Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy on us, for we have endured no end of contempt. We have endured no end of ridicule from the arrogant, of contempt from the proud.

In grace God gives us what we don’t deserve. It can’t be bought with bags full of money. It cannot be earned with our best work performed over our best years. It can’t be deserved by our best efforts on our best days. By grace God gives us what we don’t deserve.

In His mercy God does not give us what we deserve. Our attitudes deserve a response. Our actions deserve punishment. Our opposition to God deserves His discipline. Our sin deserves His wrath.

Our prayer is often that of the psalmist, “Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us.” We cannot claim innocence. We do not pronounce our purity. We stand before God in senseless sin. We plead with God to offer what we don’t warrant—His mercy.

Father, have mercy on me. I admit my sin and sinfulness. I live in the contempt of my own construction. I come to You broken and repentant. I am thankful that You hold back what I deserve and give me what I don’t deserve. Thank You for Your grace and mercy. In Jesus’ name. Amen.