Psalm 123 A Song of Ascents.
1 Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens. 2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to Yahweh our God, until He has mercy on us. 3 Have mercy on us, O Lord, For we are exceedingly filled with contempt. 4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorn of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud.
A Song of Ascents. “He who previously lifted his eyes unto the hills, now hath raised his heart's eyes to the Lord Himself.” (Saint Bede)
“‘Unto You I lift up my eyes.’ Praying by them rather than by words, mine afflictions having swollen my heart too big for my mouth.” (John Trapp))— “‘O You who dwell in the heavens.’ (1) Note the contrast.—
“Earth and heaven, dust and deity; the poor, weeping, sinful children of mortality, the holy, ever blessed, eternal God.” (Robert Nisbet)
“’Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us.’ (2) “The pronoun in the first distich is in the first person singular, in the rest of psalm the first plural is used.” (Stephen Street ) "From the everyday conduct of domestic servants we should learn our duty Godwards.
Not without cause did our Saviour take his parables from common, everyday things, from fields, vines, trees, marriages, etc., that thus we might have everywhere apt reminders.” (Martin Geier) “As a slave, ordered by a master or mistress to be chastised for a fault, turns his or her imploring eyes to that superior, till that motion of the hand appears that puts an end to the bitterness that is felt; so our eyes are up to thee, our God, till thy hand shall give the signal for putting an end to our sorrows: for our enemies, O Lord, we are sensible, are only executing thy orders, and chastening us according to thy pleasure.” (Thomas Harmer)
“‘As the eyes of servants look, and the eyes of a maiden look..." etc (Richard Holdsworth) “Consider that there be two sorts of servants set down here, man-servants and maid-servants; and this is to let us know that both sexes may be confident in God. Not only may men be confident in the power of God, but even women also, who are more frail and feeble. Not only may women mourn to God for wrongs done to them, and have repentance for sin, but they may be confident in God also. And therefore see, in that rehearsal of believers and cloud of witnesses, not only is the faith of men noted and commended by the Spirit of God, but also the faith of women: and among the judges, Deborah, Jael, etc., are commended as worthies, and courageous in God. And the women also in the New Testament are noted for their following of Christ—even when all fled from him, then they followed him.” (Alexander Henderson)
“‘Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorn of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud.’ (3-4) The second strophe takes up the ‘have mercy upon us,’ as it were in echo.” (Delitszch) "Perfect submission, fixed observance, assured confidence that, ‘till He is gracious,’ it is best to bear what He sends, befit His servants, and need not hinder their patient cry to Him, nor their telling Him how long and hard their trial has been.” (Expositor's Bible Commentary)
“The destinies of all men [and women]... are in the hand of the King who sits enthroned in the unapproachable glory of the heavens and rules over all things, and of the Judge who decides all things. Up to Him the poet raises his eyes, and to Him the church, together with which he may call Him ‘Jahve our God,’ just as the eyes of servants are directed towards the hand of their lord, the eyes of a maid towards the hand of her mistress; for this hand regulates the whole house, and they wait upon their winks and signs with most eager attention.” (Keil & Delitzsch) "Blessed Jesus [Lord and Master]! let this sweet Psalm be blessed to my perusal.
Henceforth, Lord, let me learn to imitate the solicitude and affection of earthly servants, who are more earnest to oblige a fellow creature, than I have been to seek thy favor, which is better than life itself. Oh! thou that dwellest in the heavens, cause my soul to be lifted up unto thee. Draw me, Lord, that I may run after thee. And let the exercises of everything I meet with here below, be sanctified to endear Jesus to my heart; that while the masters and mistresses of earthly servants have their respect and homage from those that serve them, my soul may cry out, O Lord, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid; thou hast loosed my bonds.” (Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary)