Psalm 129 (128):4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

As it began to take root, it faced persistent assaults from every quarter: initially from kings, nations, and rulers, followed by deceitful heretics, with various and significant wars waged against it on all fronts. Nevertheless, she has not been vanquished; her adversaries have been defeated, and the Church continues to thrive.

“We played the flute for you, but you did not dance; we mourned for you, but you did not lament” (Matthew 11:17). So let Him sing; we place our faith in God’s mercy, for He will send comfort through those who heed His voice. Those who persist in wickedness, despite hearing God’s word, continue to disrupt the Church with their actions. This is precisely what this Psalm addresses, as it commences with the words: "They have fought against me many times since my youth" (Psalm 127:1).

The Church endures those who challenge her, questioning whether it is time for her to react. The Church, born from ancient times, has existed since the days when saints were first recognized. During one period, it was typified by Abel, who faced opposition from his rebellious brother, Cain (Genesis 4:8). Another time, the Church was embodied in Enoch, who was taken up from among the unrighteous (Genesis 5:24). The Church found refuge in Noah's household, enduring the destructive flood, while only the ark floated safely to dry land (Genesis 6-8). The Church manifested through Abraham, who faced trials from the wicked, and through his nephew Lot, who suffered amidst the evils of Sodom until Divine deliverance (Genesis 13-20). Among the Israelite people, the Church faced Pharaoh and the Egyptians, as saints took their place within the community, bearing with the sinful behavior of their fellow Israelites. The foundation of the Church is reflected in the Psalms, revealing that despite persistent battles, the Church remains steadfast. To anyone contemplating their role within this Church, let them hear these words from their Mother: “Do not be astonished, my child; they have repeatedly fought against me since my youth.”

Let Israel now voice her thoughts. It seems as if she responds, having not originated the conversation herself. But to whom does she respond? To those remarking on the severity of their tribulations, lamenting the increasing scandals brought by ungodly entrants into the Church. Yet through the strong, let the Church reassure the weak, encouraging the steadfast to uplift the fragile, declaring: “Many times have they assailed me since my youth” (Psalm 128:2). The Church should voice this truth confidently. What is the significance of the phrase “from my youth” following “They have warred against me”? The old age of the Church may face trials now, yet she should not cower. Has she not survived to age precisely because the assaults have not ceased? Can they erase her from existence? Let Israel find comfort in historical examples. Why did they contend with me? Because they could not conquer me.

“When my shoulders were laden by sinners’ burdens; they have wrought their iniquity” (Psalm 127:3). Why did they wage war against me? Because they have not succeeded. They could not find support in me, for I did not acquiesce to their sins. Evil men pursue the righteous precisely because the latter do not condone their wrongdoing. If a man commits an evil act and is not reprimanded by the bishop, then the bishop is deemed good; if he is chastised, he is deemed bad. If he gathers wealth while silencing the robbed, he is praised; but if he merely speaks out against wrongdoing, he is maligned. It is wrong to heed such voices; they convey evil but the Word of God remains untainted. Accuse the Lord; dispute if you can.

You may call a man greedy, and he might retaliate by blaming God for creating gold. “Do not be greedy,” God may well reply, “but your desire for gold belies your own transgressions.” The creation of the world itself, including the sun, brings about disputes among men who quarrel over light and take each other to court. How we wish we could reign in our iniquities! All of creation is good, for it comes from a benevolent God. His works affirm His goodness, and those who meditate on His creations in a spirit of piety and wisdom will recognize their value.

“Do not lend money with interest.” You might assert that Scripture states, “He who has not increased his money” speaks in truth. It is not I who authored this; these are not my words but God’s own. He instructs that no lending should occur with interest. If the one speaking to you refrains from charging interest, reflect: is He who speaks through him not equally bound by this principle? Should he act according to God's guidance while you neglect it, then you will face consequences, as will he; both will experience judgment. The word of the Lord stands eternal, while the transitory foliage will perish.

The righteous Lord will sever the ties that bind sinners (Psalm 128:4). Who among us does not lower his gaze with humility, like the tax collector, crying out, “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13)? If we all are sinners, and if sin is a common thread, then we all should be wary of the sword poised above us, for the righteous Lord will sever sinners from His presence. It is not an accusation against every sinner; for God’s judgment strikes those who are proud and unrepentant. It is not mentioned that the righteous Lord will sever the hands or feet of sinners, but He signifies the prideful for whom the neck symbolizes self-exaltation, refusing to acknowledge wrongdoing.

As described in Job (who spoke of the wicked), they oppose God even through their stubbornness, as evident on the proud shields of their sin (Job 15:26). Here, the neck is a metaphor for arrogance; those who refuse to bow down, who do not humbly beat their breasts in repentance, must cry out as I do in another psalm: “Lord, have mercy on me, for I have sinned against You.” If you do not confess this but instead rationalize your actions, then the fate described in Scripture will befall you: for the righteous Lord will terminate the connections of those who sin.

“Let all who harbor malevolence experience shame and retreat, Zion” (Psalm 128:5). Those who detest Zion also despise the Church; Zion is synonymous with the Church. Those who enter the Church deceitfully likewise harbor ill will toward it. Any refusal to uphold God's Word signifies a hatred of the Church. “On my back they have built.” What can the Church do but bear this burden until the end? But what does Scripture declare? “Let them be likened to the grass upon rooftops: which withers before it is gathered” (Psalm 128:6). Grass on rooftops grows without roots, visible from above yet ephemeral. How much better if it flourished in lower grounds! It would flourish more cheerfully, as those settings provide sustenance while the roof heightens its vulnerability to fading quickly. Though it may yet remain unharvested, it already withers. Their deeds reveal their barrenness; the time for Divine judgment has not yet come. The harvesters will come, yet they will not gather from these. They will collect the wheat for the barns and bundle the tares, casting them into fire. Similarly, they will remove grass from rooftops and discard it in flames for it withered before being collected. The reapers will not find bounty here: “Why does the reaper not fill his hands? Nor he that binds sheaves in his groove?” (Psalm 128:7). The reapers are angels, as the Lord said (Matthew 13:39).

Lest those who pass by should proclaim, “The blessing of the Lord is upon you; we have blessed you in the name of the Lord” (Psalm 128:8). For it is customary to bless laborers engaged in work within fields or vineyards; it reflects a cultural habit among the Jewish people. No one can walk by observing someone laboring without extending a blessing. Who then are these passersby? They are individuals who have journeyed past this life to their eternal home. The apostles and prophets are such passersby. Whom did they bless? Those who possessed mercy in their hearts? Yet, those they observed elevated in pride, who adorned themselves with the trappings of arrogance, received no blessing but rather warnings of the judgment awaiting them. Therefore, those who read the Holy Scriptures must recognize that all wicked individuals birthed by the Church fall under condemnation: they belong to Antichrist, to the devil, and to the tares. Thus those who affirm that sanctification and goodness are solely divine gifts, bless in God’s name and not by their own merit, for they are friends of the bridegroom who refuse to betray her.

Instead of "yoke," Aquila and Symmachus utilized "tenet," and Theodotion used "bond." All of this is indeed true; for every entrapment devised by God for the faithful has been opened, and the burdens that weighed upon them have been lifted, while the very heads of the unrighteous have been severed.

Indeed, the righteous God has brought down many who persecuted His Church, including Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Antiochus, Nero, Domitian, Diocletian, and others like them. The association of God's righteousness with the faithful is well-founded: although He may appear to defer justice temporarily, He never forgets it and will provide relief to His suffering people. This is echoed by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 1:7, reminding us that the salvation of the Church is always intrinsically linked to God's righteousness.

The enemies have indeed inflicted harsh and lengthy oppression, but the Lord has, time and again, quelled the haughty aggressors (vv. 3-4). The term Delasha ετεκτενον refers to laborious endeavors reminiscent of the burdens placed upon them in Egypt. This painful, unjust subjugation, ανομία, persisted for a long duration (εμάκριναγ), as evidenced during their struggles with the Philistines and others in the era of the judges. The text alludes to the heavy burdens that were metaphorically like ploughing a field on the back (long stripes from the lashes). In light of this historical injustice, the afflicted express their trust and plea for the Lord to bring shame upon the Samaritans and all enemies of Israel, seeking a swift and decisive conclusion to their suffering (v. 6 - v. 8). The imagery of grass growing on rooftops, often found in the East where roofs are lightly covered in soil, illustrates its fragile existence; this grass, lacking deep roots, quickly withers and is neglected, not harvested or gathered into sheaves (the reaper sometimes tucks the sheaf close to his heart). Thus, the psalm conveys a yearning for the adversaries to be rendered weak (εξηρανθη) and scorned (ουκ επληροσε την χειρα, etc.), stripped of all blessings (v. 8).

The Jews persist in their wrongdoing, declaring: “His blood is on us and on our children” (Matthew 27:25). You sinners, filled with pride, shall face torment if you do not humble yourselves in repentance. Zion represents the Holy Church, and those who persecute her will ultimately depart with sorrow upon hearing the words: “Depart from Me, ye cursed.” The wicked are barren and, with feeble hands, neglect to assist those who seek help in Christ’s name; thus, before their death, they lose God's grace, and after death, they shall wither away and miss the comfort of Abraham’s bosom. Just as grass withers on rooftops prematurely, so too does the prosperity of the unrighteous fade; the glory of earthly riches is fleeting! (Chrysostom). In the life to come, the ungodly will not receive praise or blessing eternally.