Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Eight

For the same purpose – the religious inspiration of Israel and the instilling of faith in God – not only promises of good in the future, as we saw in psalm 127, but also indications of the facts of his past life could serve, from which it is clearly seen that the Lord rewarded the Hebrews for their faithfulness to Him. Therefore, this psalm, as a continuation of 127, should be considered written also during the post-captivity period, during the activity of the prophets Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, during or about the time of the activity of Ezra and Nehemiah.

My enemies have greatly oppressed me, but the Lord has cut the bonds of the wicked and saved me (1–4). May all my enemies now be put to shame, may they turn back, and may the dried grass and may they not hear the wishes of success for their deeds (5–8).

Psalm 128:1. Many times have they troubled me from my youth, let Israel now say: By “youth” is meant here the earlier life of the Hebrew before the captivity period and especially the earliest period of his life after the exodus from Egypt, when he, as a young people devoted to God, often enjoyed His miraculous help in difficult moments of his life.

Psalm 128:3. Ploughers have ploughed upon my back, they have made long their furrows. “Ploughers have ploughed upon my back” – an image of heavy misfortunes that the Hebrew people had to endure, when upon his back sat enemies and bent him to the earth, that is, caused him to suffer greatly. One can also understand here the Babylonian captivity, a time of civil disenfranchisement of the Hebrews. Some understand by the back Mount Zion and Jerusalem, which was destroyed by the Babylonians.

Psalm 128:4. But the Lord is righteous: He has cut the bonds of the wicked. “He has cut the bonds of the wicked” – He has led them out of captivity.

Psalm 128:5. May all those who hate Zion be put to shame and turn back! “Be put to shame and turn back” – have no success. May even now all persecutions from enemies end in failure.

Psalm 128:6. May they be like grass on the roofs, which before it is plucked up withers, Psalm 128:7. by which the reaper cannot fill his hand, nor he that binds sheaves his bosom; The writer prays to God that He would turn enemies into withered grass on roofs. On the flat roofs of Hebrew houses, as is done now by the inhabitants of the East, a small, thin layer of earth was often spread, on which grass appeared, quickly growing and quickly drying, which therefore could not be reaped. May the enemies of the Hebrews be thus weakened, may they turn to dust and be scattered by the wind.

Psalm 128:8. And those who pass by do not say: “The blessing of the Lord be upon you; we bless you in the name of the Lord! It is customary to say wishes of success to everyone working in his labors. May the activity of the enemies of the Hebrew people be so unsuccessful that no one will express to them wishes and blessings from the Lord.