let Israel now say—
2"Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth,
yet they have not prevailed against me.
3The plowers plowed upon my back;
they made long their furrows."
4The LORD is righteous;
he has cut the cords of the wicked.
5May all who hate Zion
be put to shame and turned backward!
6Let them be like the grass on the housetops,
which withers before it grows up,
7with which the reaper does not fill his hand
nor the binder of sheaves his arms,
8nor do those who pass by say,
"The blessing of the LORD be upon you!
We bless you in the name of the LORD!"
Questions to consider:
- What is the writer of this psalm seeking?
- Who is responsible for victory over one's enemies?
- Who do you think this psalm is addressed to?
The writer of this psalm seems to me to be clearly upset about the way in which he has been oppressed. However, in the midst of frustration and anger, the writer is able to declare God's victory over those people, and acknowledge the way in which God did not allow them to prevail. This is a common theme in the psalms--anger, frustration, sorrow that are turned into joy, confidence, and victory. Let's make it a common theme in our lives as well...today, let's ask God that whenever we encounter adversity in our lives, we would be able to confidently claim God's ultimate triumph.
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