“Many times they have attacked me from my youth up,”
Let Israel say,
“Many times they have attacked me from my youth up;
Yet they have not prevailed against me.”

“The plowers plowed upon my back;
They lengthened their furrows.”
The Lord is righteous;
He has cut the ropes of the wicked.”

“May all who hate Zion
Be put to shame and turned backward;
May they be like grass upon the housetops,
Which withers before it grows up;”

“With which the harvester does not fill his hand,
Or the binder of sheaves his arms;
Nor do those who pass by say,
‘The blessing of the Lord be upon you;
We bless you in the name of the Lord.’”

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Context and Meaning

Psalm 129, a Song of Ascents, is a communal reflection on Israel’s long history of suffering and oppression. From its youth as a nation, enemies repeatedly attacked, but they never ultimately prevailed.

The imagery of plowing furrows on the back captures deep affliction, yet hope rests in God’s righteousness: He cuts the cords of the wicked, freeing His people. The psalm concludes with a prayer that those who hate Zion would be shamed and fruitless.

Key Themes:

1. Repeated Affliction: God’s people have faced opposition throughout history (v. 1–2).
2. Preservation Despite Persecution: Though afflicted, Israel was never destroyed (v. 2).
3. The Lord’s Deliverance: God’s righteousness brings freedom from wicked cords (v. 4).
4. Judgment on Zion’s Enemies: Those who hate God’s people will be shamed and fruitless (v. 5–7).
5. No Blessing for the Wicked: Their paths will not receive God’s approval (v. 8).

Reflection and Impact

Psalm 129 teaches us that though affliction may run deep, God’s people are preserved by His righteousness, and the wicked will wither:

• God’s people have always faced opposition – “Many times they have attacked me from my youth” (v. 1) reflects John 15:20: if they persecuted Me, they will persecute you.
• Affliction cannot prevail – “Yet they have not prevailed against me” (v. 2) echoes Romans 8:37: we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
• God delivers from bondage – “The Lord is righteous; He has cut the ropes of the wicked” (v. 4) recalls Galatians 5:1: Christ has set us free.
• The wicked will wither like grass – “May they be like grass on the housetops” (v. 6) aligns with Psalm 37:2: the wicked will soon fade like grass.
• The wicked will not be blessed – “Nor do those who pass by say, ‘The blessing of the Lord be upon you’” (v. 8) connects to Proverbs 10:7: the memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot.

Application

• Expect Opposition as God’s People: Remember that affliction is part of the story of faith.
• Stand Firm in God’s Preservation: Trust that enemies will not prevail against you.
• Celebrate God’s Deliverance: Rejoice in the freedom He gives by breaking the cords of the wicked.
• Do Not Envy the Wicked: Their success is temporary; they will wither without fruit.
• Seek God’s Blessing in Righteousness: Walk in His ways to receive lasting approval.

Closing Thought

Though deeply afflicted, God’s people remain preserved because of His righteousness. The cords of the wicked are cut, and their schemes wither like grass on the housetops.
“The Lord is righteous; He has cut the ropes of the wicked.”