Christians live with the tension of relating to God in two ways that sometimes seem hard to reconcile. One of the most wonderful benefits of becoming a Christian is that we are adopted into God’s family. We are His sons and daughters. The Spirit within us moves us to cry out “Abba, Father”, in an expression of deep intimacy (Romans 8:15).

At the same time, this heavenly Father is our King and our master. Christians are both His children and His slaves. Slaves recognise they have no right to make demands of their master. Further, they recognise that they exist to please and serve their lord.

In Psalm 123, the troubled psalmist, speaking for his community, approaches God as a slave or servant does his master or mistress (v. 2). God is addressed as one who sits on His throne in heaven (v. 1). This isn’t meant to imply that God is far away. Rather, it’s a recognition that from this vantage point He sees and knows everything. While the servant will tell God of his trouble, he knows that God is already well aware of it.

Slaves own nothing. All they have, they receive from the hand of the master. It’s the slave’s duty to serve, to obey, and to always act in the best interests of the master. At the same time, masters recognise that they, too, have a responsibility in the relationship. They are to protect and care for the one who has entrusted every aspect of their life to them.

The psalmist’s problem is the contempt and ridicule that God’s servants continually face from the proud and arrogant. Their mockery is almost unbearable. Twice, the psalmist says that he has endured much “contempt” (vv. 3–4). He’s saying, “I can’t take anymore.” So he turns to the Lord. What does he want God to do? Presumably, to somehow silence the critics or to give him the grace and strength to continue and not lose heart.

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus comforts the maligned servants of God when He describes the characteristics of those who belong to Him and are blessed by Him (Matthew 5:1–11). He said, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me” (v. 11).

Little has changed for God’s faithful servants. Whether living under the old covenant, in the early days of the church, or today, we are often treated with contempt. What do we do? We pray to our Lord and Father. As the Lord, He has the power to change circumstances. As our Father, He will do what’s best for us. This gives us great confidence whenever we turn our eyes to Him (Psalm 123:2).