Pentecost Season · Proper 28 · Year A
Psalm 123
To You I Lift Up My Eyes
November 15, 2026
Overview & Insights
“I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven.” (Psalm 123:1)
This psalm is a patient prayer for mercy. The voice of a liturgist is evident in the “I” who begins the psalm and speaks on behalf of the “we/our” throughout the remainder. The psalm is performed not only by singing but also by the “lifting of the eyes” heavenward, an action emphasized in the first two verses. It contains no explicit connection to the temple. Yahweh is sought above: “I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven.” (When viewed in sequence, this claim regarding Yahweh’s throne qualifies the relative authority of David’s throne mentioned in 122:5.)
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Commentary
Commentary on Psalm 123 Working Preacher
The Lutheran home commentary on the appointed psalm by a named seminary scholar.
Psalm 123 - Looking to the LORD for Mercy Enduring Word · David Guzik
A verse-by-verse evangelical study of the upward look for mercy in a time of contempt.
Psalm 123:1 Commentaries BibleHub
Classic commentaries gathered verse by verse on the eyes lifted to the enthroned LORD.
Background & Word Study
The Church Fathers
Questions preachers ask
What is Psalm 123?
A short Song of Ascents in which the worshiper looks to God like a servant to a master’s hand, waiting for mercy amid contempt, a prayer of humble, expectant trust.
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