Psalm 129
- Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say:
- Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me.
- The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows.
- The Lord is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.
- Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.
- Let them be as the grass upon the housetops, which withereth afore it groweth up:
- Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom.
- Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we bless you in the name of the Lord.
Psalm 129 reflects on the history of affliction and oppression endured by Israel, from its earliest days to the present. The psalmist recounts the repeated attempts by adversaries to bring harm to Israel, symbolized by the imagery of plowers plowing upon the psalmist’s back, leaving deep furrows.
Despite these afflictions, the psalmist affirms Israel’s resilience and God’s righteous intervention on their behalf. The cords of the wicked have been cut asunder by the Lord, signifying His deliverance and justice.
The psalmist then calls for the defeat and shame of those who hate Zion, using vivid imagery of grass on housetops that withers before it can grow, illustrating the fleeting and futile nature of their efforts.
The psalm concludes with a declaration of blessing upon those who pass by, contrasting the fate of Israel’s enemies with the favor and prosperity bestowed upon God’s people. This blessing invokes the name of the Lord, affirming His sovereignty and protection over Israel.
Psalm 129 serves as a reminder of God’s faithfulness to His people in the face of adversity and opposition. It encourages believers to trust in His righteous judgment and deliverance, even in the midst of trials, and to remain steadfast in their allegiance to Him.