The other day I had a chance to talk with one of my colleagues, who was going through difficult times. Over the past year he had to have surgery three times, and he is still recovering from his recent surgery. He said that he had never been sick before. But since last year when he started
to serve his first church his health went downhill rapidly. He has two little ones to take care of. Because of the unexpected blow of life, I could tell he was alarmed and discouraged. “Why me?” “Why now?” Perhaps some of us in this room may be going through the dark hours and ask the same questions. Perhaps some of us may be holding up ok overall, but still as we look around, as a community and as a nation, we are going through turbulent times. We see political and civil unrest, racial injustice, economic crisis, and the ongoing pandemic threat. And we ask, “Why so awful?” “Why protracted?” “How long?”
In fact, these are not the new questions. Our spiritual ancestors asked the exactly same questions on their pilgrim journey. In Psalm 129 the psalmist asks the same questions. It seems that the psalmist wrote this psalm in the midst of suffering. In all this psalm 129 is our friend and teacher.
Past (vv. 1-3)
First of all, the psalmist invites us to look back on our past and find signs of hope from there. The psalmist says:
““Often have they attacked me from my youth” – let Israel now say – “Often have they attacked me from my youth,” yet they have not prevailed against me.”
When we look back over the long history of Israel, starting in Israel’s youth in Egypt, we find a series of challenges and problems – Egyptian bondage for 430 years, the hardships of the wilderness for another 40 years, the fierce battles for the Promised Land, then the endless wars with its neighboring countries in the Promised Land. But more importantly, in all this we also find that the enemies were not able to prevail against God’s people. God helped, protected, sustained Israel.
Then, the psalmist uses agricultural illustrations in verse 3: “The plowers plowed on my back; they made their furrows long.” What’s the point of this farming imagery? The point is this: ploughing always has a purpose. Alec Motyer expounds this verse as follows:[1]
“Ploughing is never an end in itself. If the soil had ‘feeling,’ would it not cry out against such mindless brutality? But it is brutality with an end in view, for without the brutality of breaking up the fallow ground (Jerimiah 4:3), there would be no sowing, growing, maturing, reaping and harvest home!”
Here is another example. Pumpkin bread is a favorite for many. Kids love it. Grown-ups love it. But imagine you eat each ingredient separately – 2 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, ½ teaspoon of baking powder, 2 raw eggs, 2 cups of sugar, and so forth. It would be almost impossible or very unpleasant to swallow it. But when we mix them all together and bake them at the proper temperature and time, somehow those ingredients become yummy pumpkin bread. In the same way, the knocks and blows of life are not pleasant at that time. But God permits such trials and tribulations. God allows the enemy to attack us by surprise. But God never allows Satan to prevail against us. Somehow God uses those sufferings and tragedies, and makes something beautiful, something good out of them. The Bibles says, “We know that all things (not “each thing”) work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28). The isolated events – accident, sickness, death – may be evil, but ultimately “all together” they become something good. “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). As we look back on our past, we realize that God is good, and he is for us, not against us.
Present (v. 4)
Secondly, the psalmist invites us to take a close look at the present and see that the Lord is righteous. The psalmist says, “The Lord is righteous; he has cut the cords of the wicked.” The enemies are still trampling back and forth on our back, but the plows are not working, because God has cut the cords of the wicked. The cords, connecting plow to oxen, have been severed. They plow back and forth, but their attack is worthless. It hurts, but it’s not deadly anymore, because God has already cut them off.
Joseph’s story can be a good example. Joseph was sold by his brothers in Genesis 37. Then, he became a slave in the house of his Egyptian master in Genesis 39. But between the two stories, we hear the story of Judah in Genesis 38. An awkward, abrupt story. There is a reason for this. Although Judah was the fourth son of Jacob, he was practically a leader among his siblings. The siblings listened to him. It was Judah who took the initiative to sell Joseph. It was Judah who showed Jacob Joseph’s robe with the blood and deceived him. Then, in Genesis 38 things had come full circle. Judah, who had deceived Jacob, was now deceived by Tamar, his daughter-in-law. Judah, who had trapped Joseph, was trapped. Judah, who had helped humiliate Joseph, was humiliated. And Judah came to his senses and confessed, “She has been more righteous than I” (38:26). God judged Judah. God changed Judah. Later, when Joseph tried to detain Benjamin, Judah pleaded for Benjamin’s release and asked Joseph to make him a slave instead of Benjamin. So what’s the point of the story? God is righteous. Vengeance is God’s. God handles all Judahs. God is at work now. How would you describe your crisis? “The economy… the economy… the economy.” “The disease… the disease … the disease.” “Cranky spouse… cranky spouse… cranky spouse.” The psalmist commends us to fix our eyes on God, the Righteous Judge, “God… God… God!”
Future (vv. 5-8)
Then thirdly, the psalmist invites us to see the glorious future of God’s people and hope in God. The third segment (vv. 5-8) can be translated either a prayer (jussive) or an affirmation (present or future) in Hebrew. Both ways express a valuable truth. If it’s a prayer, it articulates our realistic hope based on God’s promises. If it’s an affirmation, it strengthens our faith in God in this way:
“They [the wicked] will be ashamed and draw back, all the ones who hate Zion. They will be like the grass of the roofs, which, before it draws out, it withers” (5-6).
The wicked have their day, and for a time being they may have great power, attacking and harassing God’s people. But soon they are cut down like the grass and withers like the green herb without roots. Israel suffered under Egyptian’s oppression. But God delivered his people out of Egypt. But Egypt, symbolism of evil, was persistent. The Egyptians were chasing after Israel. Israel cried out to God, and God answered through Moses, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Ex 14:13-14). Then this verse, “Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore” (14:30). Israel saw the death of evil. And we will see the death of evil on the Day of Judgement (cf. Rev 20:7-10). God will make all things right!
“Because I love you”
As we look around, we see brokenness and injustice everywhere – personal tragedies, floods and earthquakes, accidents and terrorist attacks, hunger and poverty, disease and death. We may ask, “Why does God allow them if God is good?” “Can God judge us?”
The playlet entitled ‘The Long Silence’ says it all: At the end of time, billions of people from all nations were scattered on a great plain before God’s throne. Most shrank back from the brilliant light before them. But some groups near the front talked heatedly. They said, “Can God judge us? How can God know about suffering? Before God could be qualified to be our judge, he must endure what we had endured.” So each of these groups sent forth their leader, chosen because he or she had suffered the most. A Jew tortured and died at Nazi concentration camp, a black person lynched for not crime but being black, a person from Hiroshima, and so on. After consulting with each other, finally they were to present their case. Their decision was that God should be sentenced to live on earth – as a man! “Let him be born a Jew. Let the legitimacy of his birth be doubted. Let him be betrayed by his closest friends. Let him face false charges. Let him be tortured… At the last, let him taste what it means to be terribly alone. Then let him die.” As each leader announced his portion of the sentence, loud cheers of approval went up from each group of people. And when the last had finished pronouncing sentence, there was a long silence. No-one said another word. No-one moved. For suddenly all knew that God had already served his sentence.[2] Our God is loving and righteous.
Recently, a friend of mine, who was going through dark, tough times, shared his story with me. He was asking God to show him some kind of big signs – audible voice or Damascus experience – to make sense of this and get through this. He cried out to God, “Why me?” “Why now?” After this, there was a gentle and quiet voice, “Because I love you.” May we all hear the same gentle voice. May we all see the signs of hope in our past, our present and our future. Amen.
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[1] Alec Motyer, Journey: Psalms for Pilgrim People (IVP, 2009), 101.
[2] John Stott, The Cross of Christ (InterVarsity Press, 2006), Kindle Locations 6778-6778.
“They [the wicked] will be ashamed and draw back, all the ones who hate Zion. They will be like the grass of the roofs, which, before it draws out, it withers” (5-6).
The wicked have their day, and for a time being they may have great power, attacking and harassing God’s people. But soon they are cut down like the grass and withers like the green herb without roots. Israel suffered under Egyptian’s oppression. But God delivered his people out of Egypt. But Egypt, symbolism of evil, was persistent. The Egyptians were chasing after Israel. Israel cried out to God, and God answered through Moses, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Ex 14:13-14). Then this verse, “Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore” (14:30). Israel saw the death of evil. And we will see the death of evil on the Day of Judgement (cf. Rev 20:7-10). God will make all things right!
“Because I love you”
As we look around, we see brokenness and injustice everywhere – personal tragedies, floods and earthquakes, accidents and terrorist attacks, hunger and poverty, disease and death. We may ask, “Why does God allow them if God is good?” “Can God judge us?”
The playlet entitled ‘The Long Silence’ says it all: At the end of time, billions of people from all nations were scattered on a great plain before God’s throne. Most shrank back from the brilliant light before them. But some groups near the front talked heatedly. They said, “Can God judge us? How can God know about suffering? Before God could be qualified to be our judge, he must endure what we had endured.” So each of these groups sent forth their leader, chosen because he or she had suffered the most. A Jew tortured and died at Nazi concentration camp, a black person lynched for not crime but being black, a person from Hiroshima, and so on. After consulting with each other, finally they were to present their case. Their decision was that God should be sentenced to live on earth – as a man! “Let him be born a Jew. Let the legitimacy of his birth be doubted. Let him be betrayed by his closest friends. Let him face false charges. Let him be tortured… At the last, let him taste what it means to be terribly alone. Then let him die.” As each leader announced his portion of the sentence, loud cheers of approval went up from each group of people. And when the last had finished pronouncing sentence, there was a long silence. No-one said another word. No-one moved. For suddenly all knew that God had already served his sentence.[2] Our God is loving and righteous.
Recently, a friend of mine, who was going through dark, tough times, shared his story with me. He was asking God to show him some kind of big signs – audible voice or Damascus experience – to make sense of this and get through this. He cried out to God, “Why me?” “Why now?” After this, there was a gentle and quiet voice, “Because I love you.” May we all hear the same gentle voice. May we all see the signs of hope in our past, our present and our future. Amen.
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[1] Alec Motyer, Journey: Psalms for Pilgrim People (IVP, 2009), 101.
[2] John Stott, The Cross of Christ (InterVarsity Press, 2006), Kindle Locations 6778-6778.
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