Promised and Chosen

Psalm 129:1-8 

“Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth”— let Israel now say— “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth, yet they have not prevailed against me. The plowers plowed upon my back; they made long their furrows.” The Lord is righteous; he has cut the cords of the wicked.  May all who hate Zion be put to shame and turned backward!   Let them be like the grass on the housetops, which withers before it grows up, with which the reaper does not fill his hand nor the binder of sheaves his arms,  nor do those who pass by say, “The blessing of the Lord be upon you!  We bless you in the name of the Lord!”

In the early days of Israel, they often suffered affliction from enemies, and also when in 1948 they once more became a nation, the same thing happened.  Have you ever pondered over why the Arab nations fear and hate the Jewish people?  I have and it is clear as the nose on your face, they are the chosen people of God.  In 1948 when they came back to their land it was not a productive land, but it soon became a land flowing with new technology, new products and land that came alive with fruit trees and produce.  From the beginning God has kept the promises he made to Abram later to have his name changed by God to Abraham.  Often the people chased after the small gods of this world and God always allowed them to do so.  But it also brought shame and destruction on them and often the enemies became their master, always a harsh master.

When the Psalmist says plowmen plowed over my back; he tells us that as slaves they were often beaten, and the overseers and owners left stripes on their backs.  I sure hope you did not stop reading, God cut the ropes of the wicked, and then we have the Psalmist curse on the enemies of Judea and Israel, in verses 5-7.  Do you understand what the Psalmist is asking of God, this is very clear, anyone that hates Zion will be driven back in disgrace.  He was not through with his request of God; he is asking God to make them like grass that sprouts briefly only to be withered and never bear seed or fruit.

In verse eight the Psalmist is asking God to curse their harvest, and that no one will offer a cheerful greeting.  As a follower of Christ, we must love what our Lord Jesus loves and that is Israel and its people.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice