Uncle Theology.
Uncle Theology · Psalms of Ascent · Track 4

Eyes On Your Hand

Psalms of AscentTrack 4 of 15
Eyes On Your Hand — song artwork, Psalms of Ascent by Uncle Theology
Listen
About this songShake ’n Bake night: Buster the dog doesn’t bark or beg, he just stares at your hand. Psalm 123’s servant-eyes, learned from a family dog under a macramé owl.
Big ideaWhen you’ve had your fill of contempt, you don’t bark — you fix your eyes on the Master’s hand and wait for mercy to fall.
Doctrine
Dependence · Prayer for mercy
Anchor text
Psalm 123:1–2
Form
Shuffle-groove fuzz rock
Voices
—
Verse 1

Every wall's got the paneling
From the ceiling to the shag
And my mom's got a macramé owl
Hangin' as a weird plant bag
Shake 'n Bake for dinner
And I'm happy to partake
But every time I lift that drumstick to my mouth
Buster's lips begin to shake

Pre-Chorus

Buster the dog doesn't bark or beg
He just sits there on his hind legs
Eyes on my hand
Eyes on my hand
Eyes on my hand

Chorus

That dog would stare at my hand
Waitin' for the moment, waitin' for the moment
Like the eyes of a servant on the hand of his master
Waitin' for the moment when the mercy falls
Unto Thee I lift up mine eyes
O Thou that dwellest in the skies
Like Buster at my hand, I'm waitin' for the moment
Have mercy, have mercy on me

Verse 2

Cat's up on the recliner
Lookin' down her nose
Never had to beg a day
Got it made, I suppose
Big sister's on the phone
Stretchin' out the curly cord
Rollin' her eyes like we're the dorks
And I've had my fill, O Lord

Pre-Chorus

So I don't bark and I don't beg
I sit like Buster on my hind legs
Eyes on Your hand
Eyes on Your hand
Eyes on Your hand

Chorus

That dog would stare at my hand
Waitin' for the moment, waitin' for the moment
Like the eyes of a servant on the hand of his master
Waitin' for the moment when the mercy falls
Unto Thee I lift up mine eyes
O Thou that dwellest in the skies
Like Buster at my hand, I'm waitin' for the moment
Have mercy, have mercy on me

Bridge

We've had our fill, (we've had our fill)
Of the scorning of the ones that chill
And of the contempt of the proud
But we ain't barking out loud
We'll just wait, we'll just wait
Cuz we ain't too proud to beg with those
Puppy dog eyes!!!!!

Final Chorus

That dog would stare at my hand
Waitin' for the moment, waitin' for the moment
Like the eyes of a servant on the hand of his master
Waitin' for the moment when the mercy falls
Unto Thee I lift up mine eyes
O Thou that dwellest in the skies
Like Buster at my hand, I'm waitin' for the moment
Have mercy, have mercy on me

Outro

Eyes on the hand...
Eyes on the hand...

Scripture References

  1. Psalm 123
  2. Matthew 15:27
  3. Hebrews 4:16
  4. Psalm 145:15-16

Study this song

Teaching aids drawn from the song — for personal study or group discussion.

How the song moves

1
Buster at the table
Wood paneling, a shag carpet, and a dog whose whole life is focused on one hand.
2
Like the eyes of servants
The psalm’s picture: servants watching their master’s hand for the signal of provision and kindness (Psalm 123:2).
3
The cat and the big sister
Comfortable scorners who “got it made” — the “contempt of the proud” the psalmist has had his fill of (Psalm 123:3–4).
4
Too proud to beg? Not us
Like the Canaanite woman glad for crumbs, we come boldly with puppy-dog eyes to the throne of grace (Matthew 15:27; Hebrews 4:16).

Key terms & allusions

  • “Unto thee lift I up mine eyes” — Psalm 123:1 (KJV). Prayer begins by looking up to the One “who dwellest in the heavens.”
  • Mercy — Undeserved kindness to the needy. The psalm asks for it three times — “have mercy upon us.”
  • Contempt of the proud — The sneering of the comfortable. God’s people often endure it while waiting on him (Psalm 123:4).

Discussion questions

  1. What do you think Buster knows about your hand that makes him wait so patiently?
  2. Why is it hard to “beg” God for things? What does pride have to do with it?
  3. How is waiting on God different from just doing nothing?

For contemplation

  1. Where are your eyes resting today — on your phone, your plans, or the Master’s hand?
  2. Pray simply, three times: “Have mercy on me.”
  3. Who in your life is enduring contempt? Ask God’s mercy for them, too.