Psalm 129 (128):7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Thus, he cries out: “Let all those who despise Zion be filled with shame and retreat!” Not only should they experience defeat, but they should also be humiliated. By stating, “Let them be like the grass on the roofs,” he emphasizes this comparison, not merely likening them to ordinary grass, but specifically to grass on rooftops. While grass can wither quickly in a fertile field, the metaphor of rooftops serves to underscore the utter insignificance of his foes—pointing to both the weakness of the grass itself and the nature of its environment. Their designs, he asserts, are akin to the grass—they lack roots or foundation, flourishing briefly before ultimately falling away. Such is the fate of those who pursue wickedness, such is the fleeting glory of earthly possessions! They emerge briefly only to vanish without support or strength. For this reason, we should not anchor ourselves to them but rather seek the eternal, steadfast treasures that are not subject to change, which we can all partake in through the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory, along with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

Therefore, let Him sing; we place our hope in God's mercy, expecting comfort through those He will send our way. Yet, those who continue in wrongdoing, despite hearing God's Word, frequently disturb the church with their offenses—this Psalm is a reflection upon such individuals, as exemplified in its opening line.

Many adversaries have relentlessly assailed me since my youth (Psalm 127:1). The Church reflects on those whom She endures, almost questioning, “Is this the situation now?” The Church has a long-standing history, having existed since the saints were designated as such. At one point, Abel constituted the Church, subjected to hostility from his unruly brother Cain (Genesis 4:8). There was a time when the Church was represented solely by Enoch, who was taken away from the wicked (Genesis 5:24). At another juncture, the Church found its embodiment in Noah's family, which weathered the calamity of the flood, saved within the ark (Genesis 6-8). The Church was also present uniquely in Abraham, amidst the trials brought by the wicked, and in Lot, whose experiences in Sodom showcased the Church’s struggle against iniquity until God rescued him (Genesis 13-20).

The Church emerged among the Israelites, enduring the oppression of Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Saints became part of the Church as part of Israel; Moses and others bore the brunt of the transgressions of the unfaithful Jewish populace. As we reflect on our Lord Jesus Christ, we see the Gospel foretold in the Psalms. For this reason, let not the Church or any righteous member be taken aback at present troubles; instead, hear the words of the Church, our Mother: “Do not be astonished, my child: many have battled against me since my youth.”

Let Israel now express her thoughts. It is as though She speaks regarding herself as if responding to the cries of those lamenting the severity of adversities and the increasing scandals arising as ungodly individuals infiltrate the Church. But let the Church respond through the voice of the strong, addressing the grievances of the weak, assuring the steadfast in faith that “Many times have they assailed me since my youth” (Psalm 128:2). The Church must proclaim this truth without fear. What does the phrase “from my youth” signify in relation to the statement “Many times have they waged war against me”? The fact that the Church has endured to this day despite the continuing struggles illustrates Her resilience. Has She ever been obliterated from the earth? Let Israel, let the Church find solace in historical examples. Why were they adversaries? Because they could not conquer me.

On my back, they have constructed burdens; they have wrought their iniquity (Psalm 127:3). Why engage in conflict with me? Because they cannot prevail against me. The issue lies in their inability to align with my righteousness. A wicked person will persecute a good person precisely because the latter does not condone their evil actions. Assume someone commits wrongdoing and the bishop refrains from chastising him; the bishop is deemed good. Conversely, should the bishop rebuke that individual, he is perceived as bad. If the perpetrator is permitted to take advantage of others without consequence, they are seen as virtuous; yet, if they speak out against wrongdoing, no matter how righteous their criticism, they are labeled as entirely bad. The one who denounces a thief is bad, while the thief is good! ... Do not heed the words of such a person; they are an evil individual speaking through you, but the Word of God carries no malice. Accuse God if you dare.

You charge a man with greed while he accuses God for having created gold. Do not be covetous. And you retort that God should not create gold. This rationale persists only because you cannot suppress your sinful inclinations, leading you to vilify the benevolent actions of God: He, the Creator and Architect of the universe, becomes displeasing to you. Shouldn’t He have created the sun as well? Many express resentment over the light entering their homes, pulling each other into legal disputes. Oh, if we could only curtail our vices! For all things are good as everything is made by a good God: His creations glorify Him when those who possess discernment, godliness, and wisdom contemplate His goodness.

Do not engage in usury. You criticize the Scriptures, which declare, “He who has not lent at interest.” That did not originate from me; those words did not issue forth from my lips: heed the voice of God. He commands: the clergy should not lend at interest. Perhaps it is the case that he who addresses you does not do so; but does the one speaking through him practice usury? If he follows His commands and you do not, you shall face the flames, while he climbs to the kingdom. If he does not heed the commands he imparts and indulges in the same evils as you, thus failing to fulfill his obligations, both of you shall share the same fate. The chaff will be consumed, yet the Word of the Lord endures forever.

The righteous Lord will sever the cords of the unrighteous (Psalm 128:4). Who among us does not lower his gaze like the tax collector, pleading, “Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner”? (Luke 18:13). If everyone is a sinner, and no one is without sin, then all should be wary of the impending doom represented by the sword poised above their necks, since the righteous Lord will sever the necks of the wicked. I do not accuse all sinners collectively; the blow He delivers serves as a reminder of the specific transgressors He strikes. It is not stated that “the righteous Lord will hack off the hands of sinners” or “their feet”; rather, it concerns the proud, who insist upon their elevated status, committing sinful acts while refusing to admit to their wrongdoing, and justifying themselves when reprimanded.

As it is remarked in Job—concerning the wicked sinner—he assails God with pride, as signified by the thickness of his shield (Job 15:26). Here, it is the neck that signifies arrogance, as it suggests an unwillingness to look upon the ground, a failure to humble oneself in repentance. You must express, as I do in another Psalm: “Lord, have mercy upon me, for I have sinned before You.” Yet, since you refuse this and instead justify your actions against God’s Word, what follows in Scripture is upon you: the righteous Lord will sever the cords of the wicked.

May all who harbor malevolence be shamed and turned away, O Zion (Psalm 128:5). Those who despise Zion are enemies of the Church: Zion is the Church. Those who enter the Church with false intentions hate its true essence. Those who refuse to adhere to God's Word harbor hatred for the Church: “On my back they constructed burdens.” What recourse does the Church have but to bear this load until the end?

What, then, does He say regarding them? The next lines read, “Let them be as the grass that grows on rooftops, which withers before being harvested” (Psalm 128:6). The grass that sprouts atop houses lacks deep roots; visible from a height, it thrives in a precarious place. How much better it would be if it grew in a stable position, flourishing more readily! Currently, its high elevation hastens its withering. Though not yet uprooted, it has already begun to fade. Their deeds are evident; they yield only withered works... The reapers will arrive, yet they will collect nothing to fill their sheaves. For the reapers will gather the good grain into the barn while bundling the tares to be thrown into the fire. Likewise, they will remove the grass from rooftops, all that is plucked will be cast into fire; for it withered prior to harvest. The reaper does not gather from it. His subsequent statement reads, “Why does the reaper not fill his hands? Nor does the one binding sheaves find anything” (Psalm 128:7). The reapers are angels, as noted by the Lord (Matthew 13:39).

Lest those passing by should proclaim, “The blessing of the Lord be upon you; we bless you in the name of the Lord” (Psalm 128:8). You are aware, brethren, that it is customary for those who encounter laborers to greet them with a blessing, especially among the Jewish people. No one can overlook seeing a person working in the fields, vineyards, or during the harvest without offering a blessing. Who are these passersby? They are those who have journeyed from this life to their eternal home; the Apostles were indeed passersby in this world, and so were the Prophets. Whom did the Prophets and Apostles bless? Those aware of merciful roots. But those they found exalted on the rooftops and proud in their arrogance were not recipients of blessings but rather warnings about their destined demise. Thus, those who scour the Holy Scriptures will recognize that all such wicked individuals birthed by the Church belong to the Antichrist, to the devil, akin to tares... Those who assert that no one is sanctified without God’s sanctification, and no one can possess goodness without God’s grace; bless in the name of the Lord, not in their name: as they are friends of the bridegroom (John 3:29), they refrain from being unfaithful to the bride.

Imagine the spectacle of witnessing individuals once esteemed and formidable, who believed their estates were as secure as royal thrones, only to find these haughty giants dismissed and cast into the depths of hell. Those accustomed to indulgence and comfort, who could scarcely tolerate even minor distress, will be condemned to perpetual torment, existing eternally devoid of any hope for solace.

The oppressors have subjected them to continuous and brutal hardships, yet the Lord has consistently subdued their haughty foes (vv. 3-4). Delasha ετεκτενον – refers to what has been made or constructed. This serves as a reference to the burdensome labor imposed during their time in Egypt. Such grievous injustice, identified as ανομία, persisted for an extensive duration (εμάκριναγ), including oppression from the Philistines and others during the era of the judges. The expression from the Hebrew, "on my back the wicked ploughmen ploughed long furrows," evokes images of the lashes suffered. Amid these painful memories, the oppressed people express their hope and confidence that the Lord will shame the Samaritans and all of Israel's adversaries, bringing a swift and definitive end to their tyranny (v. 6-8). The imagery of "Grass on the ground (on the roofs)" highlights the common eastern practice where rooftops are often covered with a thin layer of soil, allowing grass to grow easily. However, this grass, lacking deep roots, quickly withers away, as it is unharvested and uncared for. Thus, no one offers the usual blessings at harvest time (Ruth 2:4), symbolizing that the enemies may soon find themselves powerless (εξηρανθη) and contemptible (ουκ επληροσε την χειρα, etc.), ultimately deprived of every blessing (v. 8).

Christ the Savior bore wounds for the sake of humanity's salvation (Isaiah 53:4). The Jews persist in their wickedness, proclaiming: ‘His blood is on us and on our children’ (Matthew 27:25). Those who sin in pride, without humbling themselves through repentance, will face torment. Zion represents the Holy Church, and those who persecute her will ultimately depart with lamentation upon hearing the words: Depart from Me, ye cursed. The ungodly are fruitless and weak, failing to extend their hands in generosity to those in need for Christ's sake. As a result, they shall be stripped of God’s grace before death, and after death, they will be left without the promise of eternal life, unable to enter Abraham's bosom. Just as grass that grows on rooftops withers before its time, so too does the prosperity of the unrighteous, as does the fleeting glory of earthly possessions! (Chrysostom). The ungodly will not receive praise or blessing in the life to come.

The grass on a rooftop towers above that which grows at ground level; thus, those with lofty aspirations for salvation devise their own elevated paths, discontent with what Divine Wisdom has provided them in their current station. They mistakenly believe that the grass atop the roof is closer to heaven and more likely to receive the nourishing rain and warming sun, leading them to assume they are nearer to the light of grace and its spiritual abundance. In contrast, the grass on the ground sustains animals and occasionally feeds humans, while the rooftop grass serves no one, untouched by footfall. These individuals have not grasped the essence of humility or the way of love that nurtures and invigorates humanity; thus, the rooftop grass eventually withers, becoming a source of decay for the building it rests upon, destined to be gathered and consumed by fire. Likewise, those who elevate themselves in the pursuit of salvation may inadvertently create a source of impurity within the Church; if they remain uncorrected, they will face the penalty of being cast out—like a branch that is thrown away, only to be gathered and burned (John 15:6).