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PSALM

CHAPTER 129

1 A Song of Degrees. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say: 2 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me. 3 The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows. 4 The LORD is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked. 5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion. 6 Let them be as the grass upon the housetops, which withereth afore it groweth up: 7 Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom. 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.

At first it seems that the song is a complaint. But it is actually a thanksgiving to God.

The writer says he has suffered great affliction. And he recognizes that ALL of Israel has suffered the same.

Just as Israel suffered affliction from the world in the Old Testament, so the church suffers affliction from the world now. Israel carried the gospel of God, and told of a coming Messiah. The world mocked and scorned, and fought against them.

Jesus told His disciples that "..The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you;..." (John 15:20)

But the Christian lives in HOPE (verse 4). The Lord IS our hope!

One day, the Lord WILL come and vindicate the righteous (verses 5-8).

PSALM 130

Song of degrees. Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD. 2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. 3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? 4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

God LISTENS to those who surrender to Him. If He didn't work through MERCY and GRACE, we'd still be lost. But God applies the blood of Christ to our souls, and adopts us as His children. Then He forgives our daily sins as a loving father when children ask.

The FORGIVENESS of God causes the Christian to have a great REVERENCE for Him. Just as a child must admit guilt and beg forgiveness from his father, so a Christian must admit his sins and ask God's forgiveness through what Christ has done for us.

5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. 6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. 7 Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. 8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

Again, let me say that the word for "wait" means patient servitude. We serve while we wait for our total redemption.

The desire of the Christian for a genuine relationship with God is greater than the desire of the watchman for the morning light.

Until God's total redemption, we are given mercy and grace. And one day He will totally REDEEM us from ALL sin.

Praise God!

PSALM 131

1 A Song of degrees of David. LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. 2 Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child. 3 Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.

A "weaned" child has learned how to eat food, but still realizes a total dependency upon his parents.

This is the life of a Christian. We have learned that the sustaining food we need is in the Word (Bible) of God. The Christian is able to read and study and be "fed" everyday.

However, the Christian is still totally dependent upon God for His protection and provision in this world.

Therefore, as a "weaned" child, we must discipline ourselves to come to God for our needs (verse 2).

Our hope of today and of eternity is in the Lord Himself.

Please continue in Bible Study with us.