Songs from the Heart Day 32 Psalm 129

Read the Psalm

Psalm 129

A song of ascents.

1 Since my youth they have often attacked me—

let Israel say—

2 since my youth they have often attacked me,

but they have not prevailed against me.

3 Plowmen plowed over my back;

they made their furrows long.

4 The Lord is righteous;

he has cut the ropes of the wicked.

5 Let all who hate Zion

be driven back in disgrace.

6 Let them be like grass on the rooftops,

which withers before it grows up

7 and can’t even fill the hands of the reaper

or the arms of the one who binds sheaves.

8 Then none who pass by will say,

“May the Lord’s blessing be on you.

We bless you in the name of the Lord.”

—Christian Standard Bible

Ponder

Pause before proceeding through your day to really think about what you’ve read. The journaling prompts that follow can help guide you. 

• What does this psalm teach you about God’s character? About the psalmist’s posture before or relationship with him? 

• Consider verses 1-2 and think about the trouble Israel had faced throughout their history—slavery, exile, defeat—but their enemies ultimately had not prevailed. How have you or your church walked through suffering that has tested or tried your faith? What did you learn about God? About yourself? How did it shape your faith? 

• Read verses 3-4. When have you experienced the goodness of God in painful situations? 

• Israel had faced difficulty and struggle, but God had rescued them from their ungodly enemies. Think about your own life. How has God broken or cut “the ropes of the wicked” in your life? 

• Mull over the imagery used in verses 5-7. Plants growing on a rooftop would have shallow roots and therefore, wouldn’t yield much in the way of a crop. So what was the psalmist saying about Israel’s enemies? 

• One of the psalmist’s themes in this psalm seems to be that while the experiences are painful, ultimately those who pursue evil against God’s people will gain little. Into what current life circumstances do you need to speak and rest in that truth? What steps will you take to do so this week? 

• Injustice is another theme of this psalm. Thinking about relationships and situations in your life that have sown hurt, how will you choose to trust God to bring redemption and restoration in those situations, even if you never experience earthly justice for the wrongdoing? 

• In a world where injustice often prevails, how will you choose to live in the hope of God’s ultimate justice that will set all things right? 

• What are some specific ways you can encourage yourself and others to trust God, even when you feel weighed down by oppression or hardship?