Psalm 129
Israel was a unique nation, a nation chosen by God to be separated from all other nations of the earth as His special people. In this song, sung while ascending Mt. Zion, the people of God sang of their nation personified as an individual. The lesson from the Torah that day was probably concerned with the birth and continuing life of Israel as God's special people.
The nation had indeed lived through many difficulties. The worshippers repeat that fact when they sing, "Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth." From the time of Egyptian sojourn to the Babylonian captivity, Israel had suffered the wrathful attacks of many nations. But they survived just because they were God's special people, and because He therefore kept them. So they sing, "Yet they (their enemies) have not prevailed against me."
Using the simile of scourging with cords, the song describes the hardship of the desperate times in Israel's history: "The plowers plowed on my back; they made their furrows long." In fact, though, the Lord's people had the last word. The song tells about it when they say, "The Lord is righteous; He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked!" Simply put, the Lord has delivered His people out of the hands of their enemies time after time.
Since He had always preserved Israel from all its enemies, the people sing a prayer that God would continue that preservation. They pray that ALL their future enemies, just like past ones, might "be put to shame and turned back." They pray that those enemies might become like "the grass on the housetops, which withers before it grows up, with which the reaper does not fill his hand, nor he who binds sheaves his arms." Simply put, the prayer is that all their enemies might utterly fail!
The prayer then concludes with a curious request. The people sing, "Neither let those who pass by them say, 'the blessing of the Lord be upon you; we bless you in the name of the Lord!'" It's actually a prayer by way of contrast. The people turn and sing to passers by. From their place as God's very special people, they pray that none of their enemies may ever experience their special blessing. They thus pray to remain unique among the nations in God's sight.
May we not pray the same for Christ's Church today, even though we are undeserving of our Lord's grace? For two millennia the Church has indeed suffered many blows from heretics, persecutors, and even from some within her own walls, yet God has preserved her. Will He not, then, hear our prayer, yours and mine, that He would continue to preserve us and defend us from every enemy? We are still His "peculiar (unique) people." Let's pray that He would continue to keep us separate from the continuing rebellion of the peoples around us, and that we might continue to be the recipients of His special blessing. Amen.
Amen!
Thank-you Pastor and Bless you in the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
QuoteLet's pray that He would continue to keep us separate from the still-rebellious peoples around us, that we might continue to be the recipients of His special blessing. Amen.
Yes, oh that we might all be a separated people as we should be.