Biblical Response to Contempt

Trent Cornwell

Vision Baptist Church

Book of Psalms • Sermon • Submitted a year ago • Presented a year ago

Psalm 123

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Pilgrim Songs

Captivity is where the children of Israel find themselves by the time the Psalms have been collected.

The stage has been set for these two competing realities to go head to head.

God promises greatness and blessing.

They’re surrounded by turmoil and captivity.

God says one thing, but they are experiencing another.

Eventually these two competing realities lead to one central question: Is God going to keep his promise and do what he said?

These two realities, and this one question, form the background to that section of psalms known as “Pilgrim SOngs” or “The Psalms of Ascent.”

Before we read.

Notice contrast of “I” to “us”

Looking higher than the “hills” of Psalm 121:1 “1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.”

Theme: The psalmist, the community of God's people, is experiencing scorn and contempt. v.3 &4

Short psalm. “Every prayer is long enough if it be fervent and proceed from a heart that understandeth the necessity of the saints.” - Spurgeon

Psalm 123 (KJV)

A Song of degrees.

1 Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

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.

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

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

The people of God often know the contempt of this world and when they do what should we do?

What is contempt and how do we feel it?

“You are held in contempt!” What does this mean?

Contempt: the feeling that a person or a thing is beneath consideration, worthless, or deserving scorn.

Examples given in Scripture

Ishmael and Isaac Galatians 4:29 “29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.”

Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, speaks of contempt as more dangerous than anger which He compares to murder. Matthew 5:22 “22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.”

Saw this in Lamentations. Lam 3:25 “25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.”

What did God say about all this? Lam 3:26 “26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.”

We should wait patiently. Lam 3:28 “28 He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.”

Jesus taught familiarity breeds the pride of contempt. Matthew 13:57 “57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.”

It's a great irony that the Pride of Nazareth was rejected by the Nazarenes because of pride.

We need to fear pride more than we fear any disease. Cancer does not disqualify us from receiving the grace of God, but pride does.

Where to Look

We look to the Lord

Psalm 123:1 “1 Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.”

In searching for relief from his scorn, he does not look to circumstances; he does not look to earthly aid.

By remembering where God is, the psalmist grows in trust and confidence.

Earth may have no mercy or help, but heaven has plenty of mercy and help.

Dwell in Heavens

Psalm 123:1 “1 Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.”

He's the right one to appeal to when you are under the injustice of undeserved contempt and He's not just enthroned on earth

It's the highest throne there is. There's no higher court of appeal

“Our Father, which art in Heaven..” more than announcing His location.

The words of we use in our prayers are so very important.

We see a progression in these Pilgrim Songs

In Psalm 120 we lament our surroundings.

In Psalm 121 we lift our eyes to the hills of Zion.

In Psalm 122 we delight in the house of the LORD.

In Psalm 123 we look above the hills to the LORD in heaven.

“The goal of the pilgrim is not Jerusalem, as important as that city was, or even the temple in Jerusalem, as important as it was, but God himself, whose true throne is not anywhere on earth but in heaven.” (Boice)

How to look

Psalm 123:2 “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.”

The hand of the Master

As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters.

Serving God is utterly different from serving anyone else.

For example, he commands us, Psalm 100:2 “2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.”

There is a reason for this gladness. It is given in Acts 17:25 “25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;”

We serve him with gladness because we do not bear the burden of meeting his needs.

The servant looks to the hand of his master for the slightest indication of need or want, to instantly meet the need.

Biblical Example: Esther before the King

The picture of the servants looking to the hands of the master suggests..

Dependence: The hands of the master provide all that is needed.

Submission: The hands of the master direct the servant’s work.

Discipline: The hands of the master correct the servant.

“Here, then, is the true way of looking for help from Jehovah. It is that of dependence, obedience, and response to correction.” (Morgan)

How long do we look to Him?

Everyone needs a Psalm 32:8 time in their life when they consider what God has placed His eye on. Psalm 32:8 “8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.”

We can expect mercy from our merciful God.

Specifically we look for what?

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

Mercy

How does mercy come?

mercy comes in a relieving of the contempt and the scorn that we are bearing.

mercy comes in the strength to bear up under the scorn that we're experiencing.

mercy comes in a glorious change of heart for those who are our enemies.

mercy comes in a glorious change in our heart towards our enemies.

Remember!

Whenever that mercy comes we must remember that it comes as the expense of the contempt and shame that Jesus Christ bore for us.

Every time He answers, “Yes, child, I will show you mercy,” it is at the expense of, on the account of, Jesus Christ.

So we sing, “Bearing shame and scoffing rude, in my place condemned He stood; sealed my pardon with His blood. Hallelujah! What a Savior!” (Man of Sorrows)

Scorned by those with ease

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

ometimes others show contempt to us, and it just rolls off like drops of water.

Other times we take contempt from others and we let it fill us – sometimes until we are exceedingly filled. (satruated)

Contempt: “It is illuminating that contempt is singled out for mention. Other things can bruise, but this is cold steel. It goes deeper into the spirit than any other form of rejection.” (Derik Kidner)

Especially painful when it comes from those who seem to be at ease, who seem to have few problems or difficulties in life.

“The reason people ridicule what they oppose, aside from it being so easy, is that it is demoralizing and frequently effective. It is effective because it strikes at the hidden insecurities or weaknesses that almost everybody has.” (Boice)

A life of worship in an ungodly age will always be the object of scorn and contempt.

Conclusion

Perhaps there are some of God’s children tonight who have wondered if their pleas for mercy have gone unanswered.

May God move our hearts by His Words for us from Psalm 123.

Psalm 123 KJV

A Song of degrees. 1 Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. 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. 3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt. 4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.