Psalms 123
A song of ascents asking God for mercy amid scorn.
Psalm 123 is a short song of ascents in which the psalmist lifts his eyes to God "that dwellest in the heavens," comparing Israel's watchfulness to a servant's eyes fixed on a master's hand. It pairs naturally with the upward gaze of Psalms 121:1, another ascents psalm that opens by looking to the hills and to the Lord.
The `title of the hundrid and thre and twentithe `salm. The song of grecis `of Dauith. Israel seie now, No but for the Lord was in vs;
no but for `the Lord was in vs. Whanne men risiden vp ayens vs;
in hap thei hadden swalewid vs quike. Whanne the woodnesse of hem was wrooth ayens vs;
in hap watir hadde sope vs vp.
Oure soule passide thoruy a stronde; in hap oure soule hadde passide thoruy a watir vnsuffrable.
Blessid be the Lord; that `yaf not vs in taking to the teeth of hem.
Oure soule, as a sparowe, is delyuered; fro the snare of hunters. The snare is al to-brokun; and we ben delyuered.
Oure helpe is in the name of the Lord; that made heuene and erthe.