JULY 1
Psalm 129:1-2, “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth”—let Israel now say—“Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth, yet they have not prevailed against me.”
Psalm 129 speaks powerfully to the afflictions endured by Israel—from their early days of slavery in Egypt to the many times they were oppressed by surrounding nations. The psalmist uses vivid and graphic imagery to describe this suffering: “The plowers plowed on my back; they made their furrows long” (Psalm 129:3). It’s a striking picture of deep, repeated wounds—of prolonged severe pain. Yet, in the face of this painful history, the psalmist confidently declares, “They have not prevailed against me” (Psalm 129:2). This victory was not due to Israel’s strength, but to God’s faithful deliverance. The cords of the wicked—whatever they use to bind, oppress, or control—do not endure. God cuts them. For all who belong to Him, this psalm serves as a powerful reminder: affliction may come, but it does not have the final word. God’s faithfulness ensures that His people are never ultimately overcome (Romans 8:37).
As pilgrims made their way to Jerusalem for the annual feasts, Psalm 129 was among the “Songs of Ascents” they sang along the journey. These were more than travel songs; they were expressions of identity, shared memories, and enduring hope. Recounting their history of suffering while drawing near to worship was a way to declare that God had been faithful through every trial. With each step toward the holy city, they remembered how He had delivered them time and again. Their journey became a living testimony that although they had suffered, they had not been defeated. In the act of worship, they proclaimed that the God who brought them through affliction was still leading them forward in hope.
That experience still speaks today. In a world broken by sin, affliction spreads like a virus—touching our lives in many ways. Yet Psalm 129 reminds us that we are not alone in our suffering, nor without hope. Just as God was faithful to His people in the past, He remains faithful now. When trials press hard, we can look back at His past deliverance to strengthen our faith in the present. As Paul wrote, “We were under great pressure… but this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us…and He will deliver us again” (2 Corinthians 1:8–10). Let that truth anchor your heart today.
“God never promises to remove us from our struggles. He does promise, however, to change the way we look at them.” — Chuck Swindoll
APPLICATION QUESTIONS: What past affliction or trial has God brought you through that you need to remember and thank Him for today? How can that memory strengthen your faith in what you’re facing now?
LookingtoJesus 