Psa 123:1-4 “Keep Back Thy Servant also from Presumptuous Sins”

Psa 123:1  A Song of degrees. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
Psa 123:2  Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us. 
Psa 123:3  Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt. (despised, shamed) H937
Psa 123:4  Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud. 

H937  From H936; disrespect: – contempt (-uously), despised, shamed.

The body of Christ will overcome the feelings of contempt we feel from the world by lifting “up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help”. Our recent study with Psalm 121 really has the hope-filled message we need to contemplate as it explains how we can deal “with the contempt of the proud”.

Psa 121:1  A Song of degrees. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 
Psa 121:2  My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. 
Psa 121:3  He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. 
Psa 121:4  Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. 
Psa 121:5  The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. 
Psa 121:6  The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. 
Psa 121:7  The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. 
Psa 121:8  The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. 

We must look diligently and ask ourselves daily ‘do I have this contempt in my heart toward others, toward my enemies, (Mat 5:23-24)? Do I have a presumptuous spirit that is going to lead to a root of bitterness (Eph 4:29-32, Heb 12:15)?’ Or has God granted us to see that we are not of the number (2Co 10:12-17) and rather than compare ourselves amongst ourselves we understand the blessing that is our to examine our own hearts and minds as we die daily and are judged of the Lord (Rom 2:4). I pray we are blessed and granted to see that when we lift our eyes to the Lord “from whence cometh my help”, and when we “Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens” “as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters” or “as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress”, it is because the Lord has opened our eyes to see that we are being told in type and shadow how we are to be subject unto one another as unto Christ who we are dragged to in each other (1Pe 5:5-9, Joh 6:44). If we are granted to have “our eyes wait upon the LORD our God” within each other, then that is the exercise of degrees that will create the conditions for the Lord to “have mercy upon us” — a mercy that we need to show toward each other for “we are exceedingly filled with contempt (despised, shamed) H937” by the world around us and need to comfort one another to be able to endure until the end of this age.

Mat 5:23  Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 
Mat 5:24  Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 

Eph 4:29  Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 
Eph 4:30  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 
Eph 4:31  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 
Eph 4:32  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. 

Heb 12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

2Co 10:12  For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. 
2Co 10:13  But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. 
2Co 10:14  For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ: 
2Co 10:15  Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly, 
2Co 10:16  To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand. 
2Co 10:17  But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

1Pe 5:5  Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 
1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 
1Pe 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. </span
1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 
1Pe 5:9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 

The title of our study “Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous  sins” can be accomplished in the body of Christ by being granted to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith, knowing we are in the faith (1Co 11:28-29), and beseeching God to help us continue in our quest of “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God“.

1Co 11:28  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 
1Co 11:29  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

‘Familiarity breeds contempt’ is the old saying, and when we continue to know Christ after the flesh in the wrong way so that our relationship with Him does not mature (Joh 6:35), then that bread of life we have will breed worms as the type and shadow story in Exodus reminds us it will do if we are not discerning of our relationship with each other in Christ. That is one of the great lessons from this story in Exodus (Exo 16:17-21, Heb 6:1-3).

Breeding contempt through that familiar spirit results in a presumptuous spirit that takes God’s direction and commandments, and turns it into a lawless relationship (1Co 11:18-33). We become part of the number, comparing ourselves with ourselves and losing sight of the one whose eyes we are to continually be turning to and looking for in each other. When we are only familiar with Christ after the flesh and not seeking for him with all our hearts in the spirit we will demonstrate a divisive spirit of that yet carnal mind that we must overcome through Christ (Psa 121:1, 2Co 5:16, 1Co 3:3).

These verses which use the phrase “after the flesh” drive this point home that our walk must be in the spirit as we worship our Father, who is spirit, in spirit and in truth (Joh 4:24).

Joh 8:15  Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. 

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 

Rom 8:4  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 
Rom 8:5  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 

Rom 8:12  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 
Rom 8:13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 

1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 

1Co 10:18  Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 

2Co 5:16  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 

2Co 10:3  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 

2Co 11:18  Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. 

Gal 4:23  But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 

Gal 4:29  But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. 

2Pe 2:10  But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. 

A presumptuous spirit is born out of a contemptuous and proud heart, and results in our accusing the brethren or judging a matter before its time, and with such a heart we will experience the opposite of  Psalm 121:6 which says “The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night”. So it is extremely important we overcome this spirit and beseech the Lord to, “Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.” Not taking Christ or any part of his body for granted, and keeping the body healthy with the crook that works to shepherd and to protect God’s little flock from false doctrine, heresies, and high mindedness is the means to the end that God gives us to overcome that sin of presumptuousness throughout this life (Rom 11:20).

Psa 123:1 A Song of degrees. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

Once again it is a “song of degrees” defining the process of judgment we must endure in order to mature in Christ and be kept from presumptuous sin.

Lifting up our eyes is the type and shadow event discussed when “Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel” of Genesis 24:64.

Gen 24:64  And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.

We light off our gentile camel in our hearts and minds when we are granted to see Christ and be dragged toward him (Joh 6:44), both events being typified with Rebekah and Isaac in this love story!

Christ dwells “in the heavens” where we are to set our affections (Col 3:2-3).

Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 
Col 3:3  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 

Before we lift up our eyes, however, we must be humbled in the earth as Ruth was (Rth 2:10-12), who typifies the elect who are blessed to “glean even among the sheaves”(Rth 2:15, Gen 37:7)

Rth 2:10  Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger? [1Pe 2:9]
Rth 2:11  And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. 
Rth 2:12  The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. 

Rth 2:15  And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not: 

Gen 37:7  For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.

Psa 123:2  Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.

Again we see a beautiful parallel in the story of Ruth and Boaz of how “the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters“. When we labour in the site of our Lord for the meat that does not perish, when we wait upon him, our reward will always be certain, as we find grace in his sight.

Rth 2:2  And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter. 

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Heb 11:7  By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. 

Psa 123:3  Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.

God’s mercy is then found and expressed to His elect bride after we labor in the field. We are told with these words of Boaz that the field to which we are called is being sanctified (Joh 17:17) and is set apart for those who have been ordained from the foundation of the world to hold fast (Eph 1:1-12) and work in this field (Rth 2:5-9).

Eph 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: 
Eph 1:2  Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 
Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 
Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 
Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 
Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 
Eph 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 
Eph 1:8  Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 
Eph 1:9  Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 
Eph 1:10  That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 
Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 
Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 

Rth 2:4  And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem [house of bread], and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee. 
Rth 2:5  Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this? 
Rth 2:6  And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab: 
Rth 2:7  And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves [Psa 27:4, Psa 84:10]: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house. 
Rth 2:8  Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide (Joh 8:31-32) here fast by my maidens: [“and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress” God’s hand or Boaz’s mistress is where we want to “abide here fast“]
Rth 2:9  Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.

Psa 37:16  A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. 

Psa 63:3  Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. 

Psa 69:31  This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs. 

Psa 84:10  For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. 

Psa 118:8  It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. 
Psa 118:9  It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes. 

Psa 119:72  The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. 

“Neither go from hence, but abide here fast [hold fast] by my maidens” (Rth 2:8)

1Th 5:21  Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 

2Ti 1:13  Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 

Heb 3:6  But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. 

Heb 4:14  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 

Heb 10:23  Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 

Rev 2:25  But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. 

Rev 3:3  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. 

God will “have mercy upon us” His elect whom he knows are “exceedingly filled with contempt“, despised and rejected of the world as Christ was (Isa 53:3, Act 8:32, Rom 8:36, Gal 4:14). We gather in the corn as we labor in the word in the field, not being of the world but in it (Joh 17:16, 1Jn 2:15), and must through much tribulation and overcoming lay up store for those who will one day be brought to see and appreciate what we have been blessed and granted to “fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church” as we come out of the world through Christ’s power working in us (Heb 12:6, Eph 6:4, Col 1:24).

Isa 53:3  He was despised, and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we esteemed him not.

Act 8:32  Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth:

Rom 8:36  Even as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 

Joh 17:16  They are not of the world even as I am not of the world.

1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, And scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 

Eph 6:4  And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but nurture them in the chastening and admonition of the Lord. 

Col 1:24  Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church; 

Psa 123:4  Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.

If our names are written in heaven (Luk 10:20, Mat 10:22, Mat 5:10-11), then our souls are going to be experiencing the scoffing or scorning of the unbelieving who have not been given eyes to see or ears to hear in this age and say “Where is the promise of his coming? for, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” (2Pe 3:4-6). This attitude is the contemptuous spirit of the proud we discussed earlier. It is the spirit “of those that are at ease” (Rev 3:15-17, Rev 3:18), and it is this spirit that must be combatted by being about our Father’s business (Luk 2:49) that is carried about in our heavens as we overcome by laboring in the word in the field [striving to keep our eyes on Christ], so that we have enough to sustain us to be able to endure until the end (Mat 24:48, Mat 24:46, Mat 24:13).

Luk 10:20  Nevertheless in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. 

Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. 

Mat 5:10  Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
Mat 5:11  Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 
Mat 5:12  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you. 

2Pe 3:4  and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 
2Pe 3:5  For this they willfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth compacted out of water and amidst water, by the word of God; 
2Pe 3:6  by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 

Rev 3:15  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 
Rev 3:16  So because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth. 
Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art the wretched one and miserable and poor and blind and naked:
Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold refined by fire, that thou mayest become rich; and white garments, that thou mayest clothe thyself, and that the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest; and eyesalve to anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see.

Mat 24:48  But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord tarrieth; 
Mat 24:49  and shall begin to beat his fellow-servants, and shall eat and drink with the drunken; 
Mat 24:50  the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he expecteth not, and in an hour when he knoweth not, 
Mat 24:51  and shall cut him asunder, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. 

Mat 24:46  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.