Psalm 129 (Listen)
129:1 “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth”—
let Israel now say—
2 “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth,
yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 The plowers plowed upon my back;
they made long their furrows.”
4 The LORD is righteous;
he has cut the cords of the wicked.
5 May all who hate Zion
be put to shame and turned backward!
6 Let them be like the grass on the housetops,
which withers before it grows up,
7 with which the reaper does not fill his hand
nor the binder of sheaves his arms,
8 nor do those who pass by say,
“The blessing of the LORD be upon you!
We bless you in the name of the LORD!”
Devotional:
The Lord is righteous; he has cut the ropes of the wicked. (Psalm 129:4)
I praise and thank the Lord because He cuts the cords of the wicked. This Psalm is written for Israel as a community. They sing about years of affliction they felt emotionally and physically; they were treated badly. But the song is not so much about lament as it is a song of confidence in their God to take care of the matter. God, Himself, has cut the cords of hate and evil so that the result of wickedness fails. The wicked will reap God’s judgment in God’s time. The people of God will be restored. The long furrows on their backs will be fully healed on that day and the strong voices of hate will forever be extinguished. They will have nothing to say…only silence. Praise God because He will have the last word.
Pray It: Father, I thank you for your promise that you will bring justice at Christ’s return. May this promise comfort me when I see the injustices found in our present world and propel me to seek righteousness as I await that day. Amen.
Share It: Share a verse or thought from this passage with someone today.