John Trapp
Psalm 129

Verse 1

Psalms 129:1 A Song of degrees. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say:

Many a time. Or, much, and long.

Have they, i.e. The persecutors that deserve not a name. The rich man is not named (as Lazarus is), because not worthy (Luke 16:19). They shall be written in the earth (Jer. 17:13).

Afflictcted me, i.e. The whole community of saints; spoken of here in the singular, for their, 1. unity; 2. paucity.

From my youth. The first that ever died, died for religion; so early came martyrdom into the world.

May Israel now say. Who yet are promised peace (Psa. 128:6); but so was Josiah, and yet he died in battle (2 Chron. 34:28). But the very God of peace had sanctifed him throughout, and so altered the property of his affliction, that it was subservient to his salvation.

Verse 2

Psalm 129:2 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me.

Many a time, &c. Anadiplosis ad exaggerationem, q.d. They have done it and done it again, but could never achieve their design, viz. to supplant and eradicate me; which might not be. Oppugnarunt (non expugnarunt, however the Vulgate so rendereth here). The Church is invincible. Athens took upon her of old to be so; and Venice alate boasteth the like; but time hath confuted the one, and may soon do the other; when the Church shall stand firm, because founded on a rock. More truly may it be said of it than it was once of Troy,

Victa tamen vinces, eversaque Troia resurges:
Obruet hostiles illa ruina domes
(Ovid. de Fast.).

Verse 3

Psalm 129:3 The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows.

The plowers plowed upon my back. Which was never without some cross upon it, yea, some plough passing over it. The Church is God's husbandry; and he will be sure to plough his several, whatever becometh of the wild waste. She is his threshingfloor (Isa. 21:10), and hath but little rest or respite. Enemies are flails to thresh off our husks, files to brighten our graces, ploughs and harrows, without which we should bear but a very thin crop. God's people do γεωργειν τας συμφορας, sow the seed of prayer in the long furrows which those ploughers made on their backs; like as the Jews in their feasts break their glasses, as Jerusalem was broken.

They made long their furrows. Heb. furrow; as if there were totum pro vulnere corpus. Here, haply, the psalmist alludeth to those exquisite torments whereunto many of the martyrs were put, sulcati fidiculis.

Verse 4

Psalm 129:4 The LORD [is] righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.

The Lord is righteous. That is a ruled case, and must be held for a certain truth, whatever we are, or our persecutors.

He hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked. That is, their harness, their plough traces (nam continuatur tropus rusticus), so that the plough is loose and the horses at liberty; all their forces and designs are broken.

Verse 5

Psalm 129:5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.

Let them all be confounded, &c. And if those that hate Zion, how much more those that hurt her with their virulent tongues or violent hands!

Verse 6

Psalm 129:6 Let them be as the grass [upon] the housetops, which withereth afore it groweth up:

Let them be as the grass, &c. They are cursed with a witness whom the Holy Ghost thus curseth in such an emphatic manner, in such exquisite terms.

Verse 7

Psalm 129:7 Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom.

Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand. As holding it not worth gathering in. Wicked men are useless creatures; as Stratonicus, in Athenaeus, saith, that the hill Haemus was for eight months in the year very cold, and for the other four it was winter.

Verse 8

Psalm 129:8 Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the LORD [be] upon you: we bless you in the name of the LORD.

Neither do they which go by say, &c. As they use to do to harvestmen (Ruth 2:1-23). Christianity is no enemy to courtesy; yet in some cases saith not, God speed (3 John 1:10).