Psalm 129 Devotional
by Pastor Lawrence

In another psalm of ascent for God’s people on their way to Zion, the psalmist is leading Israel to consider all that they have suffered at the hands of their persecutors over the years. When speaking of the affliction of “my youth” the psalmist is not referring to an individual’s youth but to the very beginnings of the nation of Israel in the land of Egypt in how they suffered greatly under their cruel taskmasters. Like a plowman who plows a field by making deep and long furrows or stripes in a field so those taskmasters inflicted painful stripes on the backs of God’s people.

But as they are being led to consider the cruelty of their persecutors, they are also reminded of the power of their God to preserve them as a people. No matter what their enemies have concocted, their God has defended them in it. In his righteousness, God has cut the cords of the wicked freeing Israel from her cruel bondage. He has and will continue to defend his people from all their enemies and will bring them safely home to Zion once again.

Then, after considering the persecution of God’s people, and the Preserver of Israel, the psalmist leads these pilgrims in a prayer against God’s enemies. In vv.5-8 he prays that all their enemies who hate Zion would be shamed and defeated by God’s right hand. That their rise to power and their strength would be like the grass on the housetops that quickly withers and dies, and that all who see them would refrain from pronouncing any blessing upon them when seeing their false starts and failures. This prayer is in the same vein as the original promise of God to Abraham that He would bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse them.

But now with the coming of Christ, the one in whom all the promises of God are “yes” and “Amen,” these promises are applied to all who have attached themselves to the true Israel of God through the one and only Son of God. Now these psalms of ascent are meant for the worldwide church of God consisting of believing Jews and Gentiles together who confess the name of Christ as Lord and Savior. And just as ancient Israel underwent great persecution in its beginning so too did the early church. Still today God’s people are subjected to the threats and harassment of evil men in every country, but God is our help in time of need, and he will preserve his people and protect us from all our foes, cursing those who curse us and blessing those who bless us. Indeed, God will not only preserve the Church but will glory in it and in Christ in every generation.