129 “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!”
Reflection
The psalm writer urged the people to acknowledge that God had enabled Israel to survive the many persecutions throughout her history. Israel’s enemies had, as it were, plowed deep furrows on Israel’s back. This was a vivid figure of speech in an agricultural economy. It pictures the land as a human being. However, righteous God had cut the cords to Israel’s oppressors.
The psalmist encouraged the Israelite pilgrims to pray for continuing deliverance. The mention of Zion, the pilgrim’s destination, recalled the place where God dwelt, the most important place in Israel. Those who hated Zion would be hating and setting themselves against God.
God’s people should carefully thank Him for past deliverances, but should also continue to pray for His safekeeping in the future, since their enemies will continue to oppose and oppress them.
128 Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
who walks in his ways!
2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.
4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
who fears the Lord.
5 The Lord bless you from Zion!
May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life!
6 May you see your children’s children!
Peace be upon Israel!
Reflection
“Fear of the Lord”, the Old Testament respect for God that motivates obedience, is the path of blessing for all of us. In most cases, the blessing will be obvious: long life, prosperity, a large and happy family.
These are the things that the Jews of biblical times wished for one another as they gathered for worship. Peace and prosperity.
This psalm beautifully tied family and nation together in the thinking of the pilgrim Israelite who traveled with his family to Jerusalem for a national feast. It is a reminder of the importance of God’s blessing on both home and nation that are mutually dependent. Families and nations can only succeed with God’s blessing.
Pray for your family and your nation to fear the Lord and to enjoy God’s blessings.
127 Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
2 It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.
3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
Reflection
Our culture elevates the possession of things and applauds compulsive work habits. This psalm puts it in perspective. We can’t be self-sufficient. We can’t make ourselves safe. Work and workaholic lifestyles don’t help a bit. God alone provides, guards, and gives peace.
The folly of working all the time and not trusting in the Lord should be obvious when one considers that much of what we enjoy does not come from working hard. Many of life’s best blessings come as gifts from God. Children are one of these great gifts. God gives them to a couple or withholds them, as he chooses, regardless of how much a husband and wife may strive to obtain them.
Followers of Christ need to recognize that people are never self-made. We owe all that we possess to God’s providence ultimately. Consequently, we should avoid the trap of depending totally on ourselves for all we need in life. Instead, we should trust God as we work and acknowledge His good gifts.
Is God building your business? Family? Support system? Or are you building it?
Have a conversation with God about this “building” business.
Prayer & Journaling:
Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the “Spiritual Journal” book.
