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The plowers plowed upon my back; They lengthened their furrows (Psalm 129:3, NASB1995).
The image used in Psalm 129 to illustrate suffering is plowing.
Many of us know little of farming techniques, but the agrarian society of Israel at the time of Psalm 129 would understand two things about plowing: it disturbed the soil so that seed could be planted, and there would be little or no harvest without plowing.
In this psalm, Israel had just returned from Babylonian captivity. Most of those returning had been born and raised in Babylon and could say…
Many times they have persecuted me from my youth up (v. 1).
But now returning to Israel and Jerusalem, they could declare…
Yet they have not prevailed against me (v. 2b).
Persecution or “plowing” (and Christians will be plowed) has purposes in future hope. Prophesying in Israel after the return of the Israelites from Babylon, the prophet Zechariah exhorted them with the ultimate reason for their trials…
Jerusalem will be inhabited without walls because of the multitude of men and cattle within it. “For I,” declares the Lord, “will be a wall of fire around her, and I will be the glory in her midst” (Zechariah 2:4-5).
Thus says the Lord, “I will return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.” Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each man with his staff in his hand because of age. And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets” (Zechariah 8:3-5).
The plowing, though difficult, prepared Israel (and us) for future blessing — the captives returned and rebuilt Jerusalem. Jesus came to Jerusalem mounted on a donkey and will soon return to rule the earth for eternity from there.
Remember that plowing, though painful initially, yields the fruit of God’s will.
Recently, a friend posted on Facebook® a sermon in which the pastor used these phrases in his PowerPoint®:
- A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted
- God often tests what we’re tempted to put in His place
- Temptations are designed to trip you up to make you fail. Tests are designed to strengthen you and help you grow.
Before the Babylonian captivity, Israel worshipped God, then idols, back to God, and then again to idols, following this varied path for hundreds of years. But after their return from Babylon, they never worshipped idols again.
The methods of God’s testing for future harvest not only work with nations but in our personal lives, which is why James writes…
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:2-4).
Amen.