In this week’s study from Tehillim / Psalms 129:1-8, the psalm opens saying, א שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת רַבַּת צְרָרוּנִי מִנְּעוּרָי יֹאמַר-נָא יִשְֹרָאֵל: ב רַבַּת צְרָרוּנִי מִנְּעוּרָי גַּם לֹא יָכְלוּ-לִי: 129:1 ‘Many times they have persecuted me from my youth up,’ Let Israel now say, 129:2 ‘Many times they have persecuted me from my youth up; Yet they have not prevailed against me. (NASB) In life, as the children of God, we will see persecution. The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Timothy 3:12) The psalmist continues saying, ג עַל-גַּבִּי חָרְשׁוּ חֹרְשִׁים הֶאֱרִיכוּ לְמַעֲנִותָם [לְמַעֲנִיתָם]: ד יְהֹוָה צַדִּיק קִצֵּץ עֲבוֹת רְשָׁעִים: 129:3 ‘The plowers plowed upon my back; They lengthened their furrows.’ 129:4 The Lord is righteous; He has cut in two the cords of the wicked. (NASB) Yeshua the Messiah said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:10). Yeshua defines “persecution” as being reviled and having false things uttered against us. This is similar to what the psalmist is saying, but the Lord God turns the persecution into a future expectation of a blessing. One caveat regarding this blessing is that it is for persecution for “righteousness’ sake.” Read more here: Tehillim 129-Part 1
