1 A Song of the Ascents. Often they distressed me from my youth, Pray, let Israel say:
A Song of the Ascents, by David. Save `for' Jehovah -- who hath been for us, (Pray, let Israel say),
And given to her her vineyards from thence, And the valley of Achor for an opening of hope, And she hath responded there as in the days of her youth, And as in the day of her coming up out of the land of Egypt.
Because Israel `is' a youth, and I love him, Out of Egypt I have called for My Son.
A Song of the Ascents. Unto Jehovah in my distress I have called, And He answereth me.
And they go a-whoring in Egypt, In their youth they have gone a-whoring, There they have bruised their breasts, And there they have dealt with the loves of their virginity.
Removed hath Judah because of affliction, And because of the abundance of her service; She hath dwelt among nations, She hath not found rest, All her pursuers have overtaken her between the straits.
Stand, I pray thee, in thy charms, And in the multitude of thy sorceries, In which thou hast laboured from thy youth, It may be thou art able to profit, It may be thou dost terrify!
A Song of the Ascents. O the happiness of every one fearing Jehovah, Who is walking in His ways.
A Song of the Ascents. In Jehovah's turning back `to' the captivity of Zion, We have been as dreamers.
and as they afflict it, so it multiplieth, and so it breaketh forth, and they are vexed because of the sons of Israel; and the Egyptians cause the sons of Israel to serve with rigour, and make their lives bitter in hard service, in clay, and in brick, and in every `kind' of service in the field; all their service in which they have served `is' with rigour.
A Song of the Ascents, by David. I have rejoiced in those saying to me, `To the house of Jehovah we go.'
A Song of the Ascents. I lift up mine eyes unto the hills, Whence doth my help come?
And adversaries of Judah and Benjamin hear that the sons of the captivity are building a temple to Jehovah, God of Israel, and they draw nigh unto Zerubbabel, and unto heads of the fathers, and say to them, `Let us build with you; for, like you, we seek to your God, and we are not sacrificing since the days of Esar-Haddon king of Asshur, who brought us up hither.' And Zerubbabel saith to them, also Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of the fathers of Israel, `Not for you, and for us, to build a house to our God; but we ourselves together do build to Jehovah God of Israel, as the king Cyrus, king of Persia, commanded us.' And it cometh to pass, the people of the land are making the hands of the people of Judah feeble, and troubling them in building, and are hiring against them counsellors to make void their counsel all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even till the reign of Darius king of Persia. And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the commencement of his reign, they have written an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem; and in the days of Artaxerxes have Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions written unto Artaxerxes king of Persia, and the writing of the letter is written in Aramaean, and interpreted in Aramaean. Rehum counsellor, and Shimshai scribe have written a letter concerning Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king, thus: Then Rehum counsellor, and Shimshai scribe, and the rest of their companions, Dinaites, and Apharsathchites, Tarpelites, Apharsites, Archevites, Babylonians, Susanchites, (who are Elamites), and the rest of the nations that the great and honourable Asnapper removed and set in the city of Samaria, and the rest beyond the river, and at such a time: This `is' a copy of a letter that they have sent unto him, unto Artaxerxes the king: `Thy servants, men beyond the river, and at such a time; Be it known to the king, that the Jews who have come up from thee unto us, have come in to Jerusalem, the rebellious and base city they are building, and the walls they have finished, and the foundations they join. `Now, be it known to the king, that if this city be builded, and the walls finished, toll, tribute, and custom they do not give; and at length `to' the kings it doth cause loss. Now, because that the salt of the palace `is' our salt, and the nakedness of the king we have no patience to see, therefore we have sent and made known to the king; so that he doth seek in the book of the records of thy fathers, and thou dost find in the book of the records, and dost know, that this city `is' a rebellious city, and causing loss `to' kings and provinces, and makers of sedition `are' in its midst from the days of old, therefore hath this city been wasted. We are making known to the king that, if this city be builded and the walls finished, by this means a portion beyond the river thou hast none.' An answer hath the king sent unto Rehum counsellor, and Shimshai scribe, and the rest of their companions who are dwelling in Samaria, and the rest beyond the river, `Peace, and at such a time: The letter that ye sent unto us, explained, hath been read before me, and by me a decree hath been made, and they sought, and have found that this city from the days of old against kings is lifting up itself, and rebellion and sedition is made in it, and mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, even rulers over all beyond the river, and toll, tribute, and custom is given to them. `Now, make ye a decree to cause these men to cease, and this city is not builded, till by me a decree is made. And beware ye of negligence in doing this; why doth the hurt become great to the loss of the kings?' Then from the time that a copy of the letter of king Artaxerxes is read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they have gone in haste to Jerusalem, unto the Jews, and caused them to cease by force and strength;
And an artificer is not found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, `Lest the Hebrews make sword or spear;'
and they crush and oppress the sons of Israel in that year -- eighteen years all the sons of Israel `who' are beyond the Jordan, in the land of the Amorite, which `is' in Gilead. And the Bene-Ammon pass over the Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim, and Israel hath great distress. And the sons of Israel cry unto Jehovah, saying, `We have sinned against Thee, even because we have forsaken our God, and serve the Baalim.' And Jehovah saith unto the sons of Israel, ``Have I' not `saved you' from the Egyptians, and from the Amorite, from the Bene-Ammon, and from the Philistines? And the Zidonians, and Amalek, and Maon have oppressed you, and ye cry unto Me, and I save you out of their hand;
And the anger of Jehovah burneth against Israel, and He selleth them into the hand of Chushan-Rishathaim king of Aram-Naharaim, and the sons of Israel serve Chushan-Rishathaim eight years;
in every `place' where they have gone out, the hand of Jehovah hath been against them for evil, as Jehovah hath spoken, and as Jehovah hath sworn to them, and they are distressed -- greatly.
`Ye do not add to give straw to the people for the making of the bricks, as heretofore -- they go and have gathered straw for themselves; and the proper quantity of the bricks which they are making heretofore ye do put on them, ye do not diminish from it, for they are remiss, therefore they are crying, saying, Let us go, let us sacrifice to our God; let the service be heavy on the men, and let them work at it, and not be dazzled by lying words.' And the exactors of the people, and its authorities, go out, and speak unto the people, saying, `Thus said Pharaoh, I do not give you straw, ye -- go ye, take for yourselves straw where ye find `it', for there is nothing of your service diminished.' And the people is scattered over all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw, and the exactors are making haste, saying, `Complete your works, the matter of a day in its day, as when there is straw.' And the authorities of the sons of Israel, whom the exactors of Pharaoh have placed over them, are beaten, saying, `Wherefore have ye not completed your portion in making brick as heretofore, both yesterday and to-day?' And the authorities of the sons of Israel come in and cry unto Pharaoh, saying, `Why dost thou thus to thy servants? Straw is not given to thy servants, and they are saying to us, Make bricks, and lo, thy servants are smitten -- and thy people hath sinned.' And he saith, `Remiss -- ye are remiss, therefore ye are saying, Let us go, let us sacrifice to Jehovah; and now, go, serve; and straw is not given to you, and the measure of bricks ye do give.' And the authorities of the sons of Israel see them in affliction, saying, `Ye do not diminish from your bricks; the matter of a day in its day.'
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 129
Commentary on Psalms 129 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 129
Ps 129:1-8. The people of God, often delivered from enemies, are confident of His favor, by their overthrow in the future.
1, 2. may Israel now say—or, "oh! let Israel say" (Ps 124:1). Israel's youth was the sojourn in Egypt (Jer 2:2; Ho 2:15).
2. prevailed—literally, "been able," that is, to accomplish their purpose against me (Ps 13:4).
3, 4. The ploughing is a figure of scourging, which most severe physical infliction aptly represents all kinds.
4. the cords—that is, which fasten the plough to the ox; and cutting denotes God's arresting the persecution;
5, 6. The ill-rooted roof grass, which withers before it grows up and procures for those gathering it no harvest blessing (Ru 2:4), sets forth the utter uselessness and the rejection of the wicked.