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Expository - OT

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Psalm 134

Expository - Songs of Degrees

Psalm 129
by Graham Jones - The Church at Gun Hill

Psalm 129

We have now arrived at the tenth step in the Songs of Ascents. It was pointed out before that every fifth one of these Psalms appears to be a summary of what has happened so far. This second group of five Psalms speak to us about revelation, about learning spiritual truth and about going on in the Lord, forsaking our own ways. This summary brings these points out and the experiences we have gone through to learn that. Then there is a looking forward to the next five songs which concentrate on our full and constant communion with the Lord.

Review

Psalm 125 was a Psalm of trusting: "They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion." Trusting means ceasing from one's own works and letting the Lord have His way. Those that so trust will be raised up, like Mount Zion, to dwell with Him, safe, secure, immovable.

The next Psalm, 126, was the song of the soul set free. Those that go the way of the cross realise that the Lord has given them everything, even though they deserve nothing. Once we were captives but now have been set free. In turning to the Lord, we have found acceptance in the Beloved. Our mouth is filled with laughter and our tongue with singing - full of praise for God. However, at this stage, we found that there may still be those things in our lives that are not fitting and which must be dealt with. There might be tears and weeping but these things must be endured if we are to come again rejoicing bearing precious fruit.

Then Psalm 127 took us into the experience of learning to lean on the Lord, letting Him do the work as we are workers together with Him. Here we found that key phrase, "Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it." Unless the Lord is doing the work, it is useless. In this song the principle applies to building, being kept and working for the Lord.

Then progress is made in Psalm 128 to reveal the blessing of the Lord that comes from fearing Him and walking in His ways. And the blessing goes on to future generations - to children's children.

As we read Psalm 129, we shall find that the processes that have been involved in all this are the object of our meditation.

The Way of Jacob

A testimony of Israel is recited at the beginning of this Psalm. It is a testimony of continually being afflicted. Israel was Jacob; Jacob was Israel. In his life he knew many afflictions. His name, Jacob, means "supplanter", that is one who gets hold of the sole of the foot of another in order to trip up. He was one who wrestled with the Lord. He planned, plotted, struggled and schemed. That was Jacob throughout his life, but throughout his life the Lord had been dealing with him, in much the same way as these Psalms explain the Lord's dealings with us.

Remember that Jacob actually wanted spiritual things: he wanted the birthright which Esau despised. Esau is described as "that profane person." Outwardly he was honest, reasonable, nice, but he had no time for the things of the Lord. However, Jacob tried to get those spiritual blessings through the energies of the flesh. So the Lord would speak to us through His word. You want spiritual blessings but you will not get them through your methods and own ability. Jacob went through his life wrestling with people, with situations, with problems and even with the Lord. At each stage apparent successes turn into defeats. He tricked Esau; he deceived his father, Isaac; he dealt craftily with his uncle Laban. He seemed to get what he wanted but what afflictions ensued! He ran scared of his brother Esau, leaving parents and home for many, many years, probably never seeing his mother again; he himself was cheated by his uncle and parted company from him on bad terms.

The so-called victories of the flesh came to nothing. But then the Lord wrestled with him. God does not force His will upon us. That is why the Lord did not prevail until Jacob yielded his will to the Lord. In the end Jacob, in acknowledging the character of his name, confessed his failure to God. God touched him in the flesh. From that moment on he could no longer rely on the flesh. Physically he limped and leaned on a staff - an outward sign of what had happened in his life. No more wrestling and struggling. When Jacob gave in to God, the Lord said to him, "You have prevailed." And God gave him a new name - Israel, a prince with God. Many are the afflictions until that place of submission is reached.

The Afflictions of Youth

The Life of the nation of Israel was just like that of Jacob: it was full of afflictions because they went about things in the power of their own ability. In Egypt they were under bondage and much affliction, but, through it, God was teaching them. Eventually He brought them out with a strong and mighty hand. However, they did not continue to trust the Lord. They would not go into the land of promise. Having looked at their own ability, they said, "No, we cannot do it." When, at last, they did enter the land, there were continual afflictions which we read about in the book of Judges. As they trusted the Lord, things were fine, but when they relied on their own ideas, they went away from the Lord and things went wrong. The same principles applied during the times of the kings of Israel and Judah. Thus could they truly say, "Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth."

In Romans 9, Paul brings out the spiritual truth, that it was on this point that Israel failed. They had the right aim of righteousness, but went about getting it their own way. Verse 27 onwards declares: "Isaiah also cries concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved... What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law... For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God."

Now these afflictions are called the afflictions of youth. This is the time of learning to lean and rely on the Lord. Then we learn to yield to the Lord. The lesson of Ecclesiastes 12 is "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth when the evil days come not." It is the time of learning, before hearts become hardened and stubborn. Youth typifies the time of the strength of the flesh. In Isaiah 40 vv 30,31: "Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength... " As we grow in the Lord, learning to wait and rely on Him, we get stronger and stronger.

Through the afflictions endured and experienced in younger years, there has been a learning process in operation - a learning to yield to the Lord and not to rely on the flesh. This is part of that progress to full and constant communion with God, for the flesh can have no fellowship with God. The flesh rebels against God, but He strips that all away, that we might trust Him completely and know the blessings and joy of fellowship with Him.

The Work of the Cross

Psalm 129 also speaks of the "plowers" who "plowed upon my back", making long their furrows. This is a description of the work of the cross. Jesus Himself experienced that suffering as He endured the cruel Roman scourging, and He brings us through such experiences that the flesh may be thoroughly dealt with. The work of the cross lays us bare that it might be seen that everything is wholly for God, with no hidden motives. But notice that the analogy is one of ploughing. When a farmer ploughs his field and breaks up the ground, it is for a purpose. Seed will be planted in the ground that is now able to receive it; it will grow and produce fruit for the harvest. Fruitfulness results. So it will be for us too. In Leviticus, we read of the burnt offering that was flayed and cut open for all to see. Why? So that everyone might see that the offering was suitable, without blemish and wholly for the Lord. Hebrews 12 gives us an appropriate commentary upon this: "Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." Fruitfulness is the result.

Conclusion

The last five verses of this Psalm show us the folly of trusting the way of the flesh. The righteous Lord has broken the cords of the wicked and released us, just as Paul showed, at the end of Romans 7, that the Lord cuts us free from the body of death that threatens to drag us under. However, those that hate Zion, that is God's sovereign rule, and hold to the works of the flesh will be confounded and turned away. The works of the flesh will be seen for what they are: without root, like grass on the housetops, useless and rejected in harvest. There is no fruitfulness in the works of the flesh, neither is there any fellowship for no blessing is received and none is given in return. We want the blessing of the Lord that makes rich and He adds no sorrow after.

Expository - OT