BLIVRE · Chapter 123/150
1Cântico dos degraus: Levanto meus olhos a ti, que moras nos céus.
2Eis que, assim como os olhos dos servos [olham] para a mão de seus senhores, e os olhos da serva para a mão de sua senhora, assim também nossos olhos [olharão] para o SENHOR nosso Deus, até que ele tenha piedade de nós.
3Tem piedade de nós, SENHOR! Tem piedade de nós; pois temos sido humilhados em excesso.
4Nossa alma está cheia da zombaria dos insolentes, e da humilhação dos arrogantes.
A short and humble 'Song of Degrees' comparing the people's dependence on God to a servant's attentiveness to their master's hand, pleading for mercy amid the contempt and mockery of the proud.
This small psalm uses an image drawn straight from ancient household life: male and female servants watched their masters' hands closely so they could respond instantly to any signal or command — and with this, the psalmist describes the ideal posture of total, attentive dependence on God. The repeated plea for 'mercy' (v.3) reflects the intensity of the suffering caused by the social contempt the community was experiencing. The application for today is to cultivate a constant, humble attentiveness to God's leading, especially in moments of humiliation or others' scorn.