This Sunday.

Psalm 123
1 To you I lift up my eyes, *
     to you enthroned in the heavens.
2 As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, *
     and the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
3 So our eyes look to the Lord our God, *
     until he show us his mercy.
4 Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy, *
     for we have had more than enough of contempt,
5 Too much of the scorn of the indolent rich, *
     and of the derision of the proud.

Psalm 123 is one of the fifteen Songs of Ascent. These songs are thought to have been sung by pilgrims making their way to Jerusalem for worship. They tend to be short and therefore easy to memorize. While verses 1-3 of Psalm 123 look to God as the source of mercy, verses 4-5 express the frustration and suffering of the people. This is a people that have had enough. The people have returned from exile, but yet they are still suffering. The complaint of contempt and scorn is so general that we cannot determine the precise historical context, but this ambiguity allows this psalm to be the prayer of the people of God in every generation.

We have made it through the election, but our news and social media are still filled with scorn and contempt. We have gotten good news about a possible COVID vaccine, as the COVID numbers increase dramatically. It feels a bit like we have done what we were supposed to do–vote, wear masks, physically distance–but yet the suffering continues. I find comfort in the words “So our eyes look to the Lord our God, until he show us his mercy.” There is comfort in that I am not alone. There is comfort in saying the words that generations of the people of God have said in times of suffering. 

Join us this Sunday as we gather so our eyes look to the Lord. We will welcome Bishop Kee Sloan and the Venerable Lou Thibodaux. Join us for Holy Eucharist at 6 pm and supper following. Remember to wear a mask. You can join us at Trinity Commons or on Zoom (bulletin).

– Kelley