Psalm 123:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Our soul has had more than enough of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud.

NIV: We have endured no end of ridicule from the arrogant, of contempt from the proud.

NASB: Our soul has had much more than enough Of the scoffing of those who are at ease, And with the contempt of the proud.

CSB: We’ve had more than enough scorn from the arrogant and contempt from the proud.

NLT: We have had more than our fill of the scoffing of the proud and the contempt of the arrogant.

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

NKJV: Our soul is exceedingly filled With the scorn of those who are at ease, With the contempt of the proud.

Rejection and disrespect are never easy to endure. The Hebrew word translated "scorn" here implies this kind of mocking ridicule. When Israel returned from exile (2 Chronicles 36:17–20), their efforts to rebuild were opposed by enemies who laughed at their efforts (Nehemiah 4:1–5). It doesn't take long for a person to have had "more than enough" of that sort of abuse. The psalmist's reaction is to appeal to God (Psalm 123:1–2) with a confident assurance that He will answer.

Similarly, Christians can ease their souls when mocked. Writing to severely persecuted believers, the apostle Peter writes that we can take all our worries to Christ because of His great love for us (1 Peter 5:7).

Psalm 123:3–4 begs for relief from disrespect and sneering from others. The guilty ones here are described as "the proud" and those "at ease." This seems to suggest those who were wealthy and powerful looking down on the poor. It may also allude to the way foreign nations looked at Israel with derision.

This is one of the fifteen songs "of ascents" (Psalm 120—134) used as Israelites climbed towards Jerusalem and Mount Zion (2 Samuel 5:7; 1 Kings 8:1) for annual feasts (Deuteronomy 16:16). The psalmist mourns the sneering and insults of those who look down on him. This might mean hatred for Jewish people, but it seems to be more about the wealthy scoffing at the poor. The song ends with a prayer for relief from that burden.

This is another of the fifteen songs "of ascents" used as Israelites climbed towards Jerusalem and Mount Zion (2 Samuel 5:7; 1 Kings 8:1) for annual feasts (Deuteronomy 16:16). The scorn mentioned here is probably about rich people looking down on the poor. However, it may also refer to the contempt of other nations for the people of Israel. This was a major problem while rebuilding Jerusalem after the exile (Ezra 2:1; Nehemiah 4:1–4).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 4/19/2025 1:15:14 AM