I lift up my eyes to you.
This psalm, as you see, is quite short, therefore it is a suitable example, which shows that the power of prayer is not in many words, but in the spirit. For even a few words can comprehend great, important things, if the spirit and the inexpressible groaning of the heart are added, especially if such distress lies on the neck that there is no time to speak a longer prayer. There are indeed wordy and long prayers in the Psalms, and outstanding among the other prophetic prayers is that of Daniel Cap. 9, 4-20. But every prayer is long enough when there is a strong fervor and recognizes the distress that befalls the saints, which does not have to do with small things, as the world considers the greatest, when one has to stand in danger because of his food or similar things, but when the church is oppressed by the weapons of tyrants, when the name of the Lord is desecrated by unrighteous teaching and the like, which actually concerns the honor of God and the salvation of souls. These dangers can almost not be expressed in prayer, which is why the saints pray in truth when they see and experience these things in the world with sadness of heart and anxious spirit, and seriously think about them.
In this way, this psalm is a prayer against the hopeful and secure, as the last verse shows. These are not only among those who adhere to ungodly doctrines, but also among those who want to gain honor with words and right doctrine, who rejoice in the title that they are God's people and the church, and who want to be made partakers with us of the name and honor of Christ, and yet are secure spirits who either ridicule or afflict those who teach rightly. There was a great multitude of such people among the people of Israel. For they had established the kingdom and the service of God by the word of God through Moses.
The prophets and teachers were so numerous that they had an abundant preaching ministry. But how they used to treat the prophets is shown in the histories. When Elisha sent one of the children of the prophets to Jehu in 2 Kings 9:1 ff, the others said, "Why has this madman come to you?" and the Psalms and the sermons of the prophets sufficiently prove that when they taught the people about faith and justification before God, they were ridiculed by the crowd, even condemned as heretics, because they seemed to take something away from the sacrifices and the legal worship. Thus, David was considered a rebel under Saul, and the accusation was brought against him that he was faithlessly seeking the kingdom. Afterwards, when he brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem and made known his joy out of a fine, good heart, he was received by his wife Michal with these words [2 Sam. 6:20]: "How glorious has the king of Israel been today, who has uncovered himself before the handmaids of his servants, as loose men uncover themselves!" But we must not think that it was Michal alone who thus evil interpreted the king's doings; there were doubtless other people at court, distinguished by wisdom and dignity, who judged likewise. For, whether you be a king or a prince or a teacher of the church, if you take the word seriously, the world will judge you to be senseless and a fool. The histories show that it has always been so in the world, and our time teaches us the same.
Therefore, this Psalm gives us a useful example, because we need to see and experience this hope and security, so that we may pray with David against the hopeful, that is, first against the pope and his whole kingdom, because these people not only despise us with a very sure heart, but also condemn us; then also against the false brethren.
1844 L. xix, 25S-262. Au[1. on the 15 songs in the higher choir. Ps. 123. W. iv, 251S-2522. 1845
and the defenders of new doctrines or old errors, whom we see so filled with hatred against us that they do not even let what is rightly said pass without blasphemy; finally, against the secure ones in our churches, as today there are the noblemen and the peasants who have money (nummati). For all these make believe that they will be fortunate if they ridicule us, do mischief, and even, if they are able, can inflict blows on those whom we try to teach rightly and godly in the church. Against them this prayer of the despised and afflicted children of God is to be prayed, who are considered by the world as fools, rebels, heretics and shameful people. But at the same time, we must hold on to this comfort, that because the Holy Spirit has so prescribed this prayer for us through David, it will certainly happen that we will be heard, and we will be transformed from despised people into those who are glorious in the kingdom of God. But this delay seems long to us, and it grieves us that we have to suffer that God allows us to be scorned by the evil and secure world for so long. Therefore, the commandment of Christ is a necessary one [Luc. 21, 19], that we should hold our souls in patience. But now let us finally come to the words of the Psalm.
V. 1. I lift up my eyes to you who sit in heaven.
This is a heavy sighing of a heart that is anxious and looks around everywhere, seeking patrons, friends, comforters, redeemers, but finds nowhere. Where then, he says, shall I flee, wretched and despised man? I have no strength with which to protect myself, I have no wisdom and no counsel, since my adversaries are so many. Therefore I come to you, my God, to you I lift up my eyes, you who sit in heaven. Thus he calls GOD, as the scholastics spoke, in individuo vago, or by a general appellation, an inhabitant of heaven, to indicate that all was full of scoffers, and that the godly are trampled under foot by all who dwell on earth, in the air, and in the clouds, that they are sweep-offerings [1 Cor. 4:13.] or the sweepings of the whole world; therefore let him alone remain who dwells in heaven,
from whom he could hope for help and assistance. This greatness of the danger is expressed by the affectus, that he says, having looked around everywhere, he finds no help nor counsel but from him who dwells in heaven. This increases the temptation very much. That is why he prays in temptation with such words, which he himself perhaps did not fully understand at the time, as Paul also says [Rom. 8, 26.] that we do not know what we should pray. The Spirit indeed knows and understands these words, but man cannot grasp them sufficiently at the time of the challenge according to their greatness, since faith is still weak and in the struggle. But after what we want has been given and the prayer has been answered, then faith has its power, and we understand more fully both the challenge and the prayer that we have used in the challenge. In this verse, therefore, David sets the dweller in heaven against the dweller in the earth and the air, that is, against Satan and the world, and thus asserts that although the race is great and mighty, God is still greater. What is it then, if the world mocks thee and afflicts thee? Rather, see that God, with all the angels and His saints, looks at you, praises you and glorifies you. This verse indicates this with words that, as you see, are quite humble, but full of all the fullness of comfort, if one could only believe it. The Spirit, of course, who gives these words and awakens this groaning in the hearts of the afflicted, understands with how great earnestness this is prayed.
Furthermore, we have said in the second song in the higher chorus [Ps. 121, 1.] that the saints in the old covenant, when they prayed, did not pray to the God of heaven as such, as the Turks and the Jews still pray today, but that they turned body and soul towards the temple in Jerusalem. Therefore, what he says here: "To you, O Lord, I lift up my eyes, you who dwell in heaven," must be understood in such a way that he also confesses with his heart and mind that this inhabitant of heaven truly dwells in the tabernacle at Jerusalem. I have considered it good to repeat and remind you of this here, so that I may ward off the thoughts which, out of their own iniquity
ascend to a mere GOtt and imagine that one must invoke GOtt in heaven. For the place must be paused where GOd wants to be worshipped. This was the place of the tabernacle in the time of the law and is rightly called in heaven, just as the servants of this place and these services are called "stars", and the people "the host of heaven", as Isaiah and Daniel speak, Isa. 34, 1) 4. Dan. 8, 10. 12, 3. We have said that in the New Testament there is not any physical place, but the fullness of the Godhead is in the one man and GOD, JEsu Christo, and is found in him. His people or the believers are called the kingdom of God, as Christ 2) says [Luc. 17, 21.]: "The kingdom of God is within you," namely because Christ, the King of Heaven, reigns in the saints through the Spirit and His Word. So Paul says in the letter to the Colossians [Cap. 1, 12.] that we are seated in the heavenly goods, not that we are in heaven according to the body, but because the King who reigns, lives, speaks, works in us, is the King of heaven 2c.
This is necessary to know for the sake of keeping us on the right but nevertheless narrower road, and not to think that David, when he prayed, despised the temple. For those who did so were robbers of God and apostates, as they are called by the prophets. Therefore, let us add this gloss, since David says, "He who dwells in heaven" is the same as saying, "He who dwells in Zion or in Jerusalem. So with us there is no prayer apart from Christ, but everything we pray we pray in the name and confidence of our Lord JEsu Christ, who so dwells in heaven, that nevertheless he is with us on earth according to his word and Spirit, and reigns in our hand, tongue, and all our members. For all the works of the saints are works of Christ who reigns in them. For heaven must not be separated from earth, just as David separated the Him-.
1) In the editions Lsa. 40, but this does not fit. There can hardly be any doubt that the passage we have placed is meant, for Luther placed the same marginal gloss to it as to Dan. 8, 10.
2) In the Latin editions: kanlns. It is possible that Luther had 1 Cor. 4, 20. in mind.
mel and Zion or Jerusalem does not separate. For in Christ heaven and earth are joined together, or the same; in Christ all things are fulfilled, and in Him we possess all things. Therefore, whoever has Christ and believes has heaven and earth and all that is in them, just as God brought all things together in the place of the tabernacle in Old Testament times.
The swarming spirits always invent their own services, as the Jews looked for valleys, groves, lovely waters 2c.. These also wanted to be regarded as raising their eyes to God, who dwells in heaven, but they were mistaken. How, you say, is not this the heaven that is above our head? That's right. Isn't that the seat of God? Is God not found there? No; for GOD is in such a way an inhabitant of heaven, as he said in his word that he would dwell in the place of his tabernacle. Seek him, Saul, Ahab, Baasha, Jeroboam, and there you will find him according to his word. Nowhere else, neither in heaven nor on earth will you find him. The Turks also pray to God, the Creator of heaven and earth, but they do not find Him, because they do not believe or seek God in Christ. So the pope prays to the God of Augustine, of Franciscus, of Peter, of Paul 2c. But such a God is nowhere. For it has been His good pleasure that in Christ all fullness dwells; whoever prays in Him finds God's ears opened, whoever prays apart from Christ, to him God does not incline His ear. Therefore, one can easily judge the prayers of the papists, which are almost all based not on the name of Christ alone, but on the merits and intercessions of the saints. Therefore, it is impossible for them to pray this or any other psalm properly. For if one loses Christ or puts Him behind, then God is lost with all creatures, with the Scriptures and everything else that exists.
So this is an epithet of God, not as He is glorious in His majesty, as the papists think, but of the revealed God; not (that I say so) of a speculative one, or one that might be found by us, but of the God who is revealed by His Word, in which He reveals Himself as the
1848 m> 264-266. Au[1. on the 15 songs in the higher choir. Ps. 123. w. IV, 2328-2527. 1849
revealed such a dweller of heaven, who would dwell with the ark of the covenant in the tabernacle. He is in fact the dweller of heaven, but not for me, since he tells me something else by his word, namely that he then wanted to be found and be in the temple, now in the man Christ. The idolatrous Jews, Turks and Papists do not know this rule of praying and worshipping God, nor do the founders of self-chosen religions, who think that they want to find God and serve Him according to what their hearts tell them. God does not know such worshippers and does not accept them, just as they do not know God. For God cannot be grasped by us merely (nudus); but the circumstances, namely time, place and person, do not have to be taken from our reason, but only from the word of God. Whoever has God in this way, as He is described according to the circumstances that are presented to us in His word, can then without danger name Him according to His majesty as the One who sits in heaven, as the God who dwells in a light that no one can approach, as the Creator of heaven 2c., as the prophets and apostles also sometimes use to do.
See, as the eyes of the servants look at the hands of their masters, as the eyes of the maidservants look at the hands of their wives, so our eyes look to the Lord our God until He is gracious to us.
The prophet makes use of two parables with which he ignites his fervor and at the same time makes the prayer more fervent, as if he wanted to say: The Lord postpones help; he makes those scoffers and sure, proud despisers flourish before our eyes, who boast that they are children of Israel and sit on the throne of Moses, and are therefore feared and honored. This delay seems to us to be long and burdensome, but nevertheless we should do what righteous servants and righteous maids do, that in this contempt and other dangers we do not avenge ourselves out of impatience, but look to the Lord and expect his hand. Thus the holy man confesses that God delays the help and prolongs the delay.
Nor does he determine the way or time in which he will help, but leaves the saints under the impression that the time and the way are without end, so that it seems as if they are suspended between heaven and earth. This is very difficult and makes the challenge exceedingly great. Therefore, one must hold on to the comfort that the prophet shows here, namely that the temptation will have an end, but not according to our determination, so that we do not dictate the time or the way to God. For God is, as in his nature, so also in the way of his acting and in his power, infinite, therefore he does not suffer that he is put in limits by us. Here, then, an example of patience is held up to us, that the hand of the Lord must be expected, and that we should not doubt the divine help, or that the hand of the Lord will surely assist us. For as soon as the first syllable or rather the first sigh of prayer begins, God grants and answers us: Let it be done. But we do not have to determine where, how, when, through which people he should give what we desire. For all this must be left to God to determine; we are to do what is our duty, namely, to pray and to look as a servant to the hands of our Lord.
In this way David teaches us by his example and reminds us that we should also wait, not lower our arms nor turn our eyes away from the Lord, but that we should press, persist, insist, as Christ also admonishes by the parable of the poor woman and the unjust judge [Luc. 18, 3. ff.], who, although he feared neither God nor man, yet by undue persistence is overcome and brought to decide the matter. For if the very worst man is not so wicked that he cannot be overcome by persistent supplication, what then should we not hope from GOD, who freely offers Himself to hear supplications, but also drives us by His command that we should ask, yea, that I may say,-what it is about, who is more ready to give than we are to receive? For that delay with which he postpones help does not take place in order that he may show that he does not want to hear us, but in order that he may give our
We are to practice faith, and we are to know the many and varied ways of divine help, which are so high above what we can grasp and understand. Therefore, we must see to it that the thing we ask for is postponed, but not denied, and we must never let ourselves be moved to interpret this delay as if he did not care about us. For the Lord wants to deal with us in such a way that he keeps his name, which David attributes to him in another place, namely that he is a protection in times of need [Ps. 9, 10]. This adversity is determined by him, it cannot be determined by us.
But in passing this is also to be remembered, that the Holy Spirit confirms at this point the household regiment; that it is permitted to have servants. And at the same time he indicates that it is a good state to be in service if only faith is involved, since the servants are introduced here to comfort the servants of God, and the patience and faith they have toward their masters is praised in them, so that they do not immediately run away at the first harsh word, nor are they so frightened by the severity of the masters that they throw away all hope in their goodness, but look to their hands and expect mercy. But David truly speaks of better servants and maids than they are today. For there is no kind of people more deceitful, negligent, and unmerciful, even when the most just causes are there to rebuke them. Therefore, those who want to be good must remember this example and this rule, which, as the Holy Spirit says here, is kept by the good servants, that they are not impatient, not stubborn (difficiles), but faithfully do their duty and look to the hands of their masters.
In this passage, however, the pronoun is to be especially noted, that he does not simply say: "Our eyes look to God the Lord", but he adds: "to the Lord our God", that is, to the God who has revealed and made Himself known to us in His word. For if it were without this, he would not be our GOt. Thus the gods of the heathen and the idols, which each one invents for himself, are called our gods, as such,
which are invented and made by us, but they are not true gods; but this God is our God, who revealed himself to us in his word and promised to be our God 2c. Therefore, a Carthusian monk has no God, because he invents a God according to his thoughts, which are thoughts of the devil and not according to God's words. For he thinks so of GOtte, that he will look at his cap, that he will have pleasure in it, if he stands so long in the church, if he does not eat meat, if he does not go among the people 2c. But God is in truth not of such a nature, but it is absolutely an idol of his heart and a human opinion without the Word, even contrary to the Word and planted by the devil.
In this way always understand the word "our God", that is, the one who has revealed himself in his word, whom we have not formed, but who has formed himself and depicted in the word how he wants to be worshipped, adored, feared 2c. This true God of ours often seems to be a foreign God, who does not look at us, does not care for us. That is why godless people turn away from Him, seek the protection of the saints, of James, of Peter, sometimes also of the devil and the magic arts, since our God tends to postpone help, because these things help more quickly. But our God delays help so that He may test us and train us, and so that He may first bring us to self-knowledge, that we may recognize the corruption of our hearts, how easily we can be diverted from the true God; then that He may bring us to His knowledge, that we may learn how He wants to help us, as well as how He can do this in a much better way and easier way than human reason could ever have thought. -
V. 3. Be gracious to us, O Lord, be gracious to us, for we are very full of contempt.
This is what the psalm is dealing with (propositio), and the reason why he prays, namely, the contempt of the proud and secure people, which we also experience nowadays beyond all measure, and could not overcome it if we did not have such exem-.
1852 L. XIX, 268-270, Au[1. on the 15 songs in the higher choir. Ps. 123. W. IV, 2530-2533. 1853
We are only complaining about our evil, but something greater is that it troubles the hearts of the godly. But we only complain about our misfortune; something greater, however, is that it troubles the hearts of the godly, namely, that they see that through this contempt of the word and the church servants it will gradually come to pass that no one will want to take upon himself the office of governing the churches. For what gifted young man will want to lose his time and his possessions for the sake of it, so that he will finally get nothing but hatred and contempt for his efforts and his godly zeal? It is the same with those who are already in the service of the church; when they see that there is more prestige (dignitatis) and profit in other professions (professionibus), they are led by this contempt to think of giving up the care of the churches and retiring to private life, which is less burdensome and more profitable. Thus this contempt will deprive the churches of their rulers. But it is easy to imagine what will happen if the ministry of preaching falls away, namely that the honor and the kingdom of God and the blessedness of mankind will inevitably fall away at the same time.
Therefore, exhortations are needed so that we will not be overcome by this contempt, but let such despisers laugh at their peril and be secure in hope, but we remember that "he who sits in heaven" still lives. Therefore, as faithful servants, we are to do our duty bravely in the hope of the promise that he is a priest forever, and will lay his enemies at the footstool of his feet [Ps. 110:4, 1]. Whoever can drive this priest from his seat will also remain unpunished in that he has ridiculed the word and the ministry of preaching. The histories of the ancient prophets also teach us that they were similarly afflicted; and our Head, Christ, beloved, how was He mocked and treated by the haughty Pharisees! Therefore, we must not be offended by this scorn, but set our foreheads like a rock against the arrogant, and direct our ministry with teaching; then we must also pray that the Lord will preserve the ministry of preaching, which in this way, it seems, will surely fall away.
But even if it should fall away here in Wittenberg, in Nuremberg, and in other places for the sake of ingratitude, it will not perish everywhere. The Jews did not want the apostles, therefore the Gentiles admitted them; so also, although the places where the gospel is now taught should lose this teaching because of their ingratitude, God will raise up teachers and hearers elsewhere, so that this high priest may keep his kingdom. But the people who have so despised the godly teachers will be punished by seducers, as the examples of many great cities are before our eyes today. It behooves a good and faithful servant not to be discouraged, but to persevere, even when he feels that he is overwhelmed with contempt and is, as it were, urged to leave his profession. For the prophet uses a figure that is taken from a cup that is so full that nothing more can be poured into it, to indicate the reluctance that contempt forces out.
V. 4. Our soul is very full of the proud mocking and the proud despising.
This adds to the sorrow that people who are such despisers seem to do this with impunity, since they have an abundance of everything and are great and glorious in the world; therefore they also do harm by their example, dragging others into the same contempt. David and others were also rich and powerful, but we see that they were plagued and challenged with so many accidents and misfortunes both in their house and abroad that it did not even occur to them to be hopeful or secure. But it is different with the wicked; they seem to get riches, dignities, reputation, etc., as a reward for their safety. On the other hand, the saints are in affliction and misfortune and are taken for fools and fools by these secure people, as the examples of the highest prophets testify, and as we experience every day today. With the utmost diligence we try to dissuade people from avarice, security and other vices; they ridicule us, and when they hear about God's judgment and future punishments, they think that we are a
They tell a fable, as Aeneas tells it in Virgil's account of the underworld. If they too had to suffer misfortune and, as the ninth Psalm, v. 21, prays, had a master who taught them that they are human beings, they would judge differently. But because this does not happen, and they think that they have cause for safety and contempt, they must suffer and pray with David against them.
Thus, this Psalm is both an example and a consolation, that we may refrain from zeal for the Word and the confession of the Word or
1) VirAilü lik. IV, v. 242
We should not let ourselves be dissuaded from the preaching ministry because of the certain despisers, but rather comfort ourselves with the power and the promises of God, and think that if the wise men of the world, heretics, popes, Pharisees, most certainly ridicule us, they will in turn be ridiculed by the angels and the whole host of saints, but we, if we persevere in our ministry, will wear the crown that Christ himself has placed on us. Let the godly teachers hold on to this hope, and in the meantime bear and swallow the scorn until the wicked learn whom they have scorned. Amen.