Psalms 129:1 - Exposition

Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth . Israel's recollection is one of frequent, almost constant, "affliction." She has been downtrodden beneath the feet of Egyptians, Moabites, Mesopotamians, Canaanites, Ammonites, Philistines, Syrians. Assyrians, Babylonians. Her sufferings began in her extreme youth, as soon as she was a nation ( Exodus 1:11-22 ). May Israel now say ; rather, let Israel now say . The psalmist directs his countrymen to look back upon their past history.