Thought for the Week
Psalm 129 starts by reflecting on Israel’s history and the how they have been continuously afflicted from the time that they were a young nation and beyond. The Psalmist describes it as being as if the nation had been ploughed upon their back, causing immense pain. Yet they have not prevailed against the people of Israel. They have an always be God’s people and he has a plan and a purpose with them. God has ensured that they have remained throughout history all the way until now where we see the nation of Israel in the 21st century for this purpose. Truly God and his purpose are righteous, and he cuts the wicked asunder. God will confound the and turn those away that hate Zion and stand against the people of Israel. They will fade away like the grass and be unfruitful, and they will not receive the blessings of the Lord.
It is truly comforting to be able to see the hand of God with the people of Israel throughout history. It gives us confidence that God will fulfil his promises and bring about his plan and purpose with the earth, with his people Israel, and with us. As we continue our preparations for conference, may we look for the hand of God in our lives as he was with the people of Israel.
WEEKLY READING
Psalm 129
1 “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth”—
let Israel now say—
2 “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth,
yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 The plowers plowed upon my back;
they made long their furrows.”
4 The Lord is righteous;
he has cut the cords of the wicked.
5 May all who hate Zion
be put to shame and turned backward!
6 Let them be like the grass on the housetops,
which withers before it grows up,
7 with which the reaper does not fill his hand
nor the binder of sheaves his arms,
8 nor do those who pass by say,
“The blessing of the Lord be upon you!
We bless you in the name of the Lord!”
The LORD is righteous.
— Psalm 129:4
