Psalms 129

A Psalm of Asaph. Though there had been a notable reformation made by Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. xix. 5, G, &c.) of those corruptions which had been growing in the supreme court of judiea^ ture at Jerusalem, as well as in the lesser in other cities> ever since the times of David and Solomon; (who took care to see justieo done, 1 Chron. xviii. 14. 1 Kings iii. 9. 28.) yet it appears, by the frequent complaints of Isaiah, that when Hezekiah (in whose days that prophet lived) came to the. crown, there was a general deprava- A So?ig of Degrees. (See cxx.) - ARGUMENT. This Psalm was made when some new calamity threatened them, either by Sennacherib, or, as Theodoret thinks, by those nations which combined to destroy the Jews, as soon as they returned from the captivity of Babylon. When they were taught by Ezra, or some such holy man, to recount what God had done for them ever since they were a people; and to denounce the Divine vengeance against those that now sought their ruin. The former conjecture seems the* truer; because as yet, he saith, (ver. 2.) their enemies had not prevailed against them; unless we expound that phrase, as I have done in the Paraphrase (according to the received interpretation of the Psalm), that they had not quite destroyed them, and made them cease to be. a nation.

Psalms 129:1

ItJLaNY a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel noio say. Our adversaries, may Israel now upon this occasion say, have very often, and very sorely, distressed us; ever since we began to be a people.

Psalms 129:2

Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth; yet they have not prevailed against me. It is hard to number how oft, or to tell into how great straits, they have reduced us, ever since we began to be a nation: and yet, by the special favour of God, they have not been able to compass their desire of our utter extirpation.

Psalms 129:3

Tlie ploughers ploughed upon my back; they made long their furrows. They have laid us sometimes exceeding low; and not only scourged us so severely, that the marks of it might be seen as plain as the furrows are which the plough makes in the ground, but long continued also our vexation and torment. Ver. 4; The Lord is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.] But the Lord at last, in much mcTcy, hath made good his faithful promises, and broken in pieces tho power of wicked oppressors; that they might not always hold us under their yoke, and thus miserably tyrannize over us.

Psalms 129:5

Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion. And may all those that still hate us and our religion, never have better success, but be shamefully defeated, and forced to desist in all their attempts upon us. Ver. G. Let them be as tJie grass upon the house-tops, which withereth afore it groweth up.] Let none of their designs over come to maturity; but be blasted like the grass upon the house-top, which, having no root, withers of itself, and heeds nobody’s hand to pluck it up.

Psalms 129:7

WJierewith the mower filleth not his hand, nor he tliatbindeth sheaves his bosom. And as it lies unregarded by those that reap, or that carry in the fruits of the earth; so let these men and all their enterprises become contemptible, and be looked upon as good for nothing.

Psalms 129:8

Neither do they tchich go by say, The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we bless you in the name of the Lord. Let all their hopes so speedily vanish, that there be none to favour them; nor so much as to wish prosperity to them: no more than there are gatherers of such withered grass appear, to whom the passengers (after (he usual form, Ruth ii. 4.) should say, The Lord give you a good harvest: we pray God you may reap the fruits of your labours.