Read Psalm 129
A song of ascents.
1 “They have greatly oppressed me from my youth,”
let Israel say;
2 “they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,
but they have not gained the victory over me.
3 Plowmen have plowed my back
and made their furrows long.
4 But the Lord is righteous;
he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.”
5 May all who hate Zion
be turned back in shame.
6 May they be like grass on the roof,
which withers before it can grow;
7 a reaper cannot fill his hands with it,
nor one who gathers fill his arms.
8 May those who pass by not say to them,
“The blessing of the Lord be on you;
we bless you in the name of the Lord.”
Editor's Note
Psalms 120-134 are known as the “Psalms of Ascent” or “Pilgrim Songs.” Every year as the Jews traveled uphill towards the city of Jerusalem to participate in one of the three Jewish festivals, these are the songs they would sing. They became a staple of the pilgrimage to Jerusalem back then and now they serve as a helpful template for us as we worship today.
Go Deeper
Psalm 129 finds our psalmist crying out for help from the Lord, that He might grant His people strength and liberty from their oppressors. Another one of the Songs of Ascent, this is a psalm the Jewish people would sing when traveling to Jerusalem for festivals and sacrifices.
The plight of this unnamed psalmist might feel familiar. It is easy to look at the injustice around us, sitting in the midst of a sin-ridden world that appears increasingly averse to the Church and her mission. We can feel hopeless at even the best of times. Here, the psalmist models for us the fact that we have permission to cry out to God and ask Him to enact His righteous will in power, and to deliver the weak and the oppressed.
It is also easy to read this psalm and to be confused. If there is a New Testament command to love our neighbor, even our enemy, as ourself, how can we pray that our enemies “be put to shame and turned back” (v. 5)? We sit in the midst of a great tension in this and other outcries of the oppressed in the Old Testament. Jesus teaches us to love our enemies and those who persecute us. What this psalm helps us see is that, while we are called to graciously pray for those who persecute us, we cannot sit idly by when we see oppression and injustice.
We are to pray earnestly to the Lord that He would shatter oppression wherever it stands, and that in its place He would expand the ground of His kingdom here on the earth (Matthew 6:10). God is in ultimate, sovereign control of all things, but He also wants us, as the psalmist shows us here, to care about what breaks His heart, talk to Him about it, and ask Him to change things like a child would ask his Father.
Questions
- What in your life is making you cry out to God right now?
- How do you participate in advocating for the hurting and oppressed?
- How has the Lord cut you “free from the cords of the wicked” (v. 4)? Spend a moment thanking God for how He has delivered you in the past.
Pray This
Lord, would you show me what it is to care for the oppressed? Break my heart for what breaks your heart, and give me eyes to see the downcast and the oppressed where I have not before. Would it never be said of me that I turned away when I saw another hurting, but make me instead into an advocate for the oppressed and the wounded. Would your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven? Let the taking of kingdom ground begin in my heart and spread to all those around me. Amen.
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3 thoughts on “Psalms of Ascent: Psalm 129”
“Would it never be said of me that I turned away when I saw another hurting, but make me instead into an advocate for the oppressed and the wounded” —Yes & amen! It’s easy to brush past and overlook the suffering around us, but God calls us to lean in and come close to the broken, to shatter the darkness with the love and hope of Christ. It starts by seeing, making and maintaining eye contact with the hurting, then listening not only with our ears but our hearts. We join in the suffering just like Eugene Peterson expresses what Jesus did in John 1:14, “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.” This neighborhood was a slum compared to the glory of heaven, yet He came willingly. The mission Christ calls us to is sometimes the messy, dysfunctional places in order to bring his kingdom on earth.
God will prevail. We have to keep remembering that and reminding each other of that. God is on His throne and NOTHING, not one thing can or will ever, never, ever change that. God wins. We win, death cannot hold us. What the enemy means for harm God can turn for good, message out of our mess. I thank God daily for the minutely, amazing, grace filled moments He gives me. Are they all good? Not in the worlds way of thinking but am I growing by learning to look, seek, search for God in these minutes? YES!!! God is so amazing, never will there be enough words to describe my hearts joy and effervescing happiness that wants to exude out of my being. WOOHOO a million , killizillion times even in the battles. Be still, know that He is God.(Psalm ) Set your mind on things above not on earthly things (Col3:2) Your word is a lamp unto to feet and a light unto my path(Psalm 119:105) Now we must choose every day to follow and be empowered by the Holy Spirit (Eph5:18) as He conforms us to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29) If we live by the Spirit let us keep in step with the Spirit ( Gal5:25). 1 Peter 2:29 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praise of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.
God thank You for me walking in Your Holy Spirit with big listening ears to hear and a heart to obey. God Your Hesed love is so unfailing, faithful steadfast, loyal undeserved, compassionate, enduring, complete, cherished, everlasting, kind generous, flowing out of eternity with no limits ,abounding, and essential part of who You are!!!! Thank You for helping me to grasp and comprehend this LOVE!!! Thank You that I can look to You and try to give some of back to the ones of this world that You direct me to help with understanding of it and to give to the best of my earthly ability. God thank You for by breath Ya-Weh and every minute of this day to give You glory in Jesus name amen.
WOOHOO!!! and WOOHOO!!!!!!
“let Israel say; they have greatly oppressed me from my youth, but they have not gained the victory over me.“
Amen!