Psalm 129

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 129

This psalm relates to the public concerns of God's Israel. It is not certain when it was penned, probably when they were in captivity in Babylon, or about the time of their return. I. They look back with thankfulness for the former deliverances God had wrought for them and their fathers out of the many distresses they had been in from time to time, Ps. 129:1-4. II. They look forward with a believing prayer for and a prospect of the destruction of all the enemies of Zion, Ps. 129:5-8. In... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 129:1-4

The church of God, in its several ages, is here spoken of, or, rather, here speaks, as one single person, now old and gray-headed, but calling to remembrance the former days, and reflecting upon the times of old. And, upon the review, it is found, 1. That the church has been often greatly distressed by its enemies on earth: Israel may now say, ?I am the people that has been oppressed more than any people, that has been as a speckled bird, pecked at by all the birds round about,? Jer. 12:9. It... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 129:5-8

The psalmist, having triumphed in the defeat of the many designs that had been laid as deep as hell to ruin the church, here concludes his psalm as Deborah did her song, So let all thy enemies perish, O Lord! Jdg. 5:31. I. There are many that hate Zion, that hate Zion's God, his worship, and his worshippers, that have an antipathy to religion and religious people, that seek the ruin of both, and do what they can that God may not have a church in the world. II. We ought to pray that all their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 129

INTRODUCTION TO Psalm 129 A Song of degrees . This psalm was written in later times, after many of the distresses of Israel; very probably upon the Jews return from the Babylonish captivity, by Ezra, or some other godly person. Aben Ezra says the psalmist speaks in the language of Israel in captivity; and the same is the sense of Kimchi and Arama. The Syriac inscription is, "a psalm without a name, concerning the distress of the people; but as to us, it intimates to us the victory... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 129:1

Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth ,.... That is, the enemies of Israel, afterwards called "ploughers". This may be understood of literal Israel, the posterity of Jacob; whose youth was the beginning of their constitution as a nation and church, or the first times of it; when they were greatly distressed by their enemies, and from thenceforward; as in Egypt, where, and in places near it, they were afflicted four hundred years, according to a prophecy given to Abraham their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 129:2

Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth ,.... This is repeated for the confirmation of it, to excite attention to it, and to express the vehement affection of the speaker; yet they have not prevailed against me ; the Egyptians could not prevail against literal Israel; the more they were afflicted, the more they grew and multiplied; in the times of the Judges, one after another were raised up as deliverers of them; neither the Assyrians, Chaldeans, nor Romans, nor any other, have... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 129:3

The ploughers ploughed upon my back ,.... "Sinners", as the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Arabic versions, render it; such that plough iniquity, and sow wickedness, Job 4:8 ; which may be understood of their carrying Israel captive, when they put yokes and bonds upon their necks, as upon oxen when they plough, as Arama interprets it; or it may design the destruction of their high places, signified by the back, such as the temple, the royal palace, and houses of their nobles, burnt with... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 129:4

The Lord is righteous ,.... Or gracious and merciful; hence acts of mercy are called righteousness in the Hebrew language; the Lord has compassion on his people under their afflictions, and delivers them; or is faithful to his promises of salvation to them, and just and righteous to render tribulation to them that trouble them, and take vengeance upon them; he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked : alluding to the cords with which the plough is fastened to the oxen, which being... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 129:5

Let them all be confounded ,.... Or "ashamed": as all the enemies of God's people will be sooner or later, either in this world, or however when Christ shall come in the clouds of heaven; or let them be disappointed of their views, aims, and ends, when they will be confounded, as disappointed persons are; and turned back ; from pursuing their designs and accomplishing them; as the Assyrian monarch was, who had a hook put into his nose, and a bridle in his lips, and was turned back by the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 129:6

Let them be as the grass upon the housetops ,.... The tops of the houses in Judea were flat, and so grass grew upon them, being covered with plaster of terrace; though it was but small and weak, and being on high was exposed to the scorching sun, and soon withered F2 See Shaw's Travels, p. 210, 211. ; and Menochius says F3 De Republica Heb. l. 7. c. 5. p. 666. he saw such roofs in the island of Corsica, flat, and having earth upon them, smoothed and pressed, on which grass grew... read more

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