John Calvin Commentary Psalms 123:2

"Behold, as the eyes of servants [look] unto the hand of their master, As the eyes of a maid unto the hand of her mistress; So our eyes [look] unto Jehovah our God, Until he have mercy upon us." — Psalms 123:2 (ASV)

Behold as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters. This comparison is very suitable for the present case. It implies that without the protection of God, true believers have no comfort, are completely disarmed and exposed to all manner of wrongs, and have neither strength nor courage to resist; in short, their safety depends entirely on aid derived from another.

We know how shamefully servants were treated in ancient times, and what reproaches might be cast upon them, while they still dared not move a finger to repel the outrage. Therefore, being deprived of all means of defending themselves, the only thing that remained for them to do was, as is stated here, to crave the protection of their masters.

The same explanation is equally applicable to the case of handmaids. Their condition was indeed shameful and degrading; but there is no reason why we should be ashamed of, or offended at, being compared to slaves, provided God is our defender and takes our life under His guardianship; God, I say, who purposely disarms us and strips us of all worldly aid, that we may learn to rely upon His grace and be contented with it alone.

It having anciently been a capital crime for bondsmen to carry a sword or any other weapon, and as they were exposed to injuries of every kind, their masters were accustomed to defend them all the more spiritedly when anyone attacked them without cause. Nor can it be doubted that God, when He sees us placing an exclusive dependence upon His protection and renouncing all confidence in our own resources, will, as our defender, confront and shield us from all the hostile actions that may be directed against us.

It is, however, certain that we have here, properly, the description of a period in which the people of God were reduced to a state of extreme necessity and brought even to the brink of despair. As for the word hand, it is very well known to stand for help.