Psalm 129 (128):2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Furthermore, their victories were not lasting; they were unable to entirely obliterate the Jewish people, nor could they annihilate cities or completely eradicate the populace. Though they experienced a temporary triumph by God’s allowance, they ultimately faced defeat again. What led to their defeat? The restoration of the Jews to their former glory. This notion is encapsulated succinctly in another translation: "But they overcame me not.”

"We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we mourned for you, and you did not weep" (Matthew 11:17). Thus, let Him sing; we place our faith in the mercy of God, who will send comfort through others. Yet, the persistent evildoers, despite hearing the Word of God, continually disrupt the Church with their transgressions. This psalm addresses such individuals as it begins.

The Church speaks of those she endures: “They have fought against me many times since my youth” (Psalm 127:1). It raises a question—Is it now? With a history that stretches far back, the Church has been present on earth since the saints were named. Once, it was solely represented by Abel while his malevolent brother Cain opposed it (Genesis 4:8). There was a time when Enoch upheld the Church, transcending the unrighteousness that surrounded him (Genesis 5:24). In the age of Noah, the Church existed within his family, weathering the fate of those lost in the flood until the ark safely reached land (Genesis 6-8). Abraham once harbored the Church, facing adversity from the wicked, as did his nephew Lot, who bore the sins and corruptions of Sodom until God rescued him (Genesis 13-19). The Church arose amidst the Israelites, enduring Pharaoh and the Egyptians as saints joined the people of Israel. Moses and the faithful suffered at the hands of the wicked, a testament to the promise of the Church. As we turn to our Lord Jesus Christ, we see the Gospel fulfilled in the psalms.

Thus, to avoid shock among those aspiring to be faithful members of the Church, let them heed the voice of their Mother, the Church: "Do not be astonished, my child; they have fought against me many times since my youth."

Now let Israel voice her plight, almost as if she speaks of herself, responding to the questions posed by those who lament the magnitude of their struggles and scandals as ungodly individuals infiltrate the Church. May the Church address these concerns through the voices of the strong, offering reassurance to the weak, stability to the unstable, and guidance to the inexperienced, proclaiming: “Many times have they troubled me since my youth” (Psalm 128:2). The Church must declare this and embrace it without fear. What does the phrase “from my youth” convey? Although the Church faces attacks in its old age, it stands resolute, having thrived despite persistent opposition. Have they succeeded in erasing her from existence? Let Israel encourage herself with the examples found in history. Why did they wage war against me? Because they could not conquer me.

"On my back sinners have laid their burdens; they have committed their iniquities" (Psalm 127:3). Why did they engage in battle against me? Because they were unable to defeat me. What does this signify? They lacked the ability to rely on me. I did not conspire with them in their transgressions. Each wicked individual persecutes a righteous one simply because the good person does not acquiesce to their evil. If a wrongdoer commits an act and a bishop remains silent, the bishop is deemed virtuous; but should that bishop reprimand him, then he is regarded as corrupt. If he steals and keeps his silence, he is seen as righteous; yet if he dares to speak out, he stands condemned, regardless of not returning the wrongdoer’s acts. An accuser of thieves is perceived as wicked while the thief is portrayed as good! Do not be swayed by their words; for it is through an evil person that such speech reaches you; but the divine message addressed to you is not flawed. Challenge God—attempt to place blame upon Him.

You charge an individual with greed, and he, in turn, accuses God for creating gold. “Do not be covetous,” you assert, yet imply that God should not have created precious metals. This blame persists because you cannot contain your own sinful actions, thus projecting your faults onto God’s virtuous works. The Creator should also refrain from creating the sun, for many argue over the light that spills into their windows, dragging one another to court. Oh, if only we could govern our vices! All that exists is good, crafted by a benevolent God: His works glorify Him, as those with a reflective spirit—imbued with godliness and wisdom—contemplate them.

“Do not lend money with interest.” You criticize the Scripture that states, “He has not given his money for interest.” This was not a declaration from me; it did not originate from my lips; heed the voice of God. His response is clear: Let not the clergy charge interest. Perhaps the one speaking to you does not impose interest; but if they do, is the voice of God through them also subject to such practices? If they fulfill their instructions while you remain disobedient, you risk being cast into the flames, while they ascend to the kingdom. If they disregard their own counsel and commit just as many evils as you, despite preaching duties they neglect, both of you face equal condemnation. The straw will be consumed, yet the words of the Lord endure forever.

The righteous Lord will sever the cords of the wicked (Psalm 128:4). Who among us does not lower their gaze like the tax collector and plead, “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner”? (Luke 18:13). If all are sinners and none are without fault, then all ought to respect the judgment looming above, knowing the righteous Lord will sever the necks of transgressors. I do not imagine all the unjust, but when He strikes, He marks those who have strayed. Scripture affirms, “The righteous Lord will cut off” the proud. It is not simply that He will sever the hands or feet of sinners; the proud are particularly noted, as all proud individuals bear lofty necks and not only engage in wrongdoing but also refuse to recognize their faults, justifying themselves when confronted.

As it is articulated in Job (referring to the wicked), “He rushes against God with his neck, with the thick shields he brandishes” (Job 15:26). Here the neck symbolizes arrogance—where you elevate yourself, neglecting to lower your eyes and repent in humility. You should cry out to Him, as expressed in another psalm: “Lord, have mercy on me, for I have sinned before You.” Since you will not utter such words but rather defend your actions against God’s truth, you will experience the consequences outlined in Scripture: the righteous Lord will sever the cords of the wicked.

“Let all with evil intent be put to shame and turned back, Zion” (Psalm 128:5). Those who revile Zion revile the Church; Zion represents the Church. Individuals who enter the Church with hypocrisy are likewise adversaries. Those who reject the divine Word harbor animus against the Church: “On my back they have built.” How else can the Church respond to this burden than to endure it to the end?

Yet what does He say about them? The ensuing phrases declare: “Let them be as the grass of the rooftops which withers before it can be plucked” (Psalm 128:6). The grass atop houses flourishes but is rootless, visible from above. How much better it would be if it grew at ground level, where it would thrive! Its elevation causes it to wither more quickly. It appears not yet eradicated but faded; they have not yet faced God’s judgment and possess no vitality left within them. Observe their deeds, and witness their decay. The harvesters will come, yet they shall not fill their baskets with them. For the reapers will gather the wheat into the barn and bundle the tares to be cast into the flames; much like removing the grass from the rooftops, everything plucked will be discarded into the fire, having withered before it was uprooted. The reapers do not gather from there. “Why do the reapers not fill their hands, nor do those who bind the sheaves?” (Psalm 128:7). The harvesters are angels, as the Lord teaches (Matthew 13:39).

That those who pass by may declare, “The blessing of the Lord is upon you; we have blessed you in the name of the Lord” (Psalm 128:8). For you know, dear friends, when people notice others toiling, it is customary to greet them: “The blessing of the Lord be upon you.” This was especially true among the Jewish people. No one would pass by a laborer in the field or vineyard without offering such a blessing. Who are these passersby? Those who have journeyed from this life to their own eternal home: the Apostles were passersby in this life, and so were the Prophets. Whom did the Prophets and Apostles bless? Only those in whom they discerned the root of mercy. But those elevated to lofty positions, blinded by pride, were not recipients of blessing; rather, they proclaimed the fate that awaited them.

Thus, those who read the Holy Scriptures will discover that all wicked individuals, spawned by the Church and declared accursed, belong to Antichrist, belong to darkness, belong to the tares. Those who assert that sanctification comes solely from God and that no one is good without His grace bless in the name of the Lord, not their own, for they are companions of the Bridegroom and shun the treachery of the Bride.

A bruise is worthy of a crown; sorrow deserves joy. “Many a time have they fought with me from my youth.” Let the virgin of the Lord proclaim this truth, let the monk who has dedicated himself to God from an early age speak it. But I, who became His servant at forty or fifty, how can I claim such words? Let the virgin speak in this way, says the monk who is pure in both body and spirit. What does he express? Why have these struggles beset me since my youth? One might ask, “O monk, how do the demons and the devil engage you?” It becomes clear that despite being assailed by people, I see the devil working through them. Hence, when we face persecution from others, we should not harbor resentment against our persecutors but rather feel compassion for them and grieve for them, for it is another at work within them. If a demon-possessed individual confronts me and strikes my foot, should I be angry with him? He may strike, yet I weep for the anguish he endures within. I realize that he suffers far more from his inner turmoil than I do from his assault. Thus, whenever we experience trials and endure hardships, we recognize that it is the devil and those plotting against us who are involved. Some might argue that we must align our words with what is proven in Scripture. Judas was a traitor, and Satan entered him, resulting in his betrayal. At the moment Potiphar's wife targeted her servant Joseph, the matron seized the servant; the wealthy overshadowed the poor, and the citizen rejected the stranger. In that moment, the holy man understood that he was ensnared by the devil. Why do I mention this? So that when we suffer at the hands of men, we may not be irritated by them but mourn for them, recognizing the one who operates behind them. “Many times have they wrestled with me from my youth, yet they have not overcome me.” They have attacked me with wicked thoughts, assaulted me with anger. I find solace in the realization that had I succumbed to temptation, acted on my anger, and wronged my brother, I could not truthfully state, “they did not overcome me”—for they indeed would have prevailed.

Nicetas remarks that when David proclaims, “They have fought against me many times from my youth,” he is prophetically indicating future internal uprisings against the Church while foretelling her invincibility in such endeavors; he adds, “And they have not overcome me.” This does not pertain to the physical Israel, which was subjugated by the Egyptians and attacked by various foreign nations, including the Babylonians, Macedonians, and Romans. Rather, it pertains to God's Israel, those who sincerely seek God, namely the new Christian community that James represented, who can rightly affirm, “They have fought against me many times from my youth, but they have not overcome me.” For from the very dawn of his ministry, countless opponents arose to confront him, but in every assault, they failed to defeat him; instead, they only highlighted his invulnerability and their own inadequacy. Hence, Basil remarked that akin to those who enhance the fire by adding fuel, those who strive to extinguish the Church through oppression only serve to amplify her splendor and strength.

Therefore, it is appropriate for her to declare, “I have had many companions since my youth.” Right from her inception, she faced persecution from Cain through Abel, and has since encountered many similar trials from others. Consequently, the Prophet provides insight into why the foes engaged in repeated confrontations and asserts that they could never triumph; had they achieved victory even once and annihilated the people of God, there would have been no reason to renew the struggle so persistently. Thus, it is significant that the Prophet reiterates, “They fought against me in great numbers,” illustrating that the people of God engaged with their adversaries not merely once or twice, but learned endurance through ongoing challenges.

The mention of Delasha (meaning made, built, wrought) alludes to the burdensome labor imposed by the Egyptians, which is part of a lengthy history of grievous and unjust oppression, including that faced during the era of the judges at the hands of the Philistines and others. The expression “on my back the wicked ploughmen ploughed long furrows” conveys the physical and emotional scars from their torments. In light of this history, the oppressed fervently express their hope that the Lord would bring disgrace upon the Samaritans and all Israel’s enemies, swiftly and decisively ending their terror (v.6). The analogy of grass on the roofs refers to the eastern roofs often covered with a thin layer of soil where grass may sprout. However, like the shallow roots of this grass that soon wither and receive no care, these enemies will also be rendered powerless and despised (v.8), stripped of every blessing and left unacknowledged during harvest time (Ruth 2:4), signifying their impending defeat.

Christ the Savior bore wounds for the salvation of humanity (Isaiah 53:4). The Jews persist in their wrongdoing, declaring: "His blood is on us and on our children" (Matthew 27:25). Those in sin—driven by pride—refuse to bow in repentance and will face torment as a result. Zion represents the Holy Church, whose adversaries will depart with lamentation upon hearing, "Depart from Me, ye cursed." The unjust are without fruit, their hands weakened, as they fail to extend generosity to those in need for the sake of Christ. Deprived of God's grace before their death, they will experience withering in eternity, denied entry into Abraham's bosom. Just as grass withers on rooftops before its time, so too does the fortune of the wicked fade, and so does the allure of earthly possessions (Chrysostom). The ungodly will not be honored nor blessed in the life to come.