# 01 2022 Dev. Psalm 129:2. A Non Blessing! Read all of Psalm 129 first. The purpose of these devotionals is to draw closer to God and grow spiritually by applying His Word to our daily living. All passages are taken from the NIV.
Psalm 129:2“They have greatly oppressed me from my youth, but…”
Intro. Ps. 120-137 is a series of Psalms that include 15 “songs of ascent.” Songs of ascent were sung at the temple by the Priests walking up the 15 steps entering the sanctuary, also sung by pilgrims going up to Jerusalem for the three feasts required, Pentecost, Passover and Tabernacles, as well as during the return from Babylon back to Jerusalem.
Psalm 129 is a two stanza song of ascent, perhaps sung on the way from Babylon after 70 years of captivity. It is a song of endurance, of final victory and it lays out the result of oppressing God’s people. it is in the first person but represents all of the people.
Vs. 1-2 the memory of oppression repeated twice for emphasis, “but they have not gained the victory over me.” He is victorious! From the very beginning God’s people were under oppression and it continues in the New Testament, the Gospel age. In our day the oppression continues and is on the increase. Our constitution demands our government to be supportive, neutral in the very least but they are not.
Vs.3-4 gives us a graphic metaphor of the oppression: “Plowmen have plowed my back and made their furrows long.” They were slaves, beaten, whipped perhaps, they were oppressed. He praises God as righteous and praises Him for cutting him loose, setting him free from the wicked. That is how it was and that is how it is and how it will be, God has set us free in Christ Jesus. Free from what? You know!
Vs.5-8 “May all who hate Zion be turned back in shame.” All who hate, dismiss creator God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, will be put to shame. (v.6) They will not be blessed; like the blessing of abundance, (v.7) and the abundance of the harvest, so important in that day, nor will anyone bless them in the name of the Lord (v.8). Us, followers of Jesus have gotten away from blessing each other in God’s Name (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). We should bring that back and say what the Psalmist says we should not say to the wicked. We now say it to all followers of Jesus and we should say this to people around us every day: “the blessing of the Lord be on you; we bless you in the name of the Lord.” We suggest you do this during this New Year. Amen and Amen!
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