Psalms 129-131 - “But...” Can Be a Wonderful Word!

by Becky

LINKS: Psalm 129, Psalm 130, Psalm 131

We continue "The Songs of Ascent."

REFLECTION

Psalm 129 speaks of affliction. As I’ve meditated on the psalm, it seems to me that this psalm can be understood on two levels – we can understand it personally and we can understand it as God’s people. God’s people were afflicted. God’s people suffered over and over again. Some of the Jews were faithless, but there was always a remnant who continued to follow God. They had been afflicted by others since their youth (in Egypt) and the oppression occurred over and over again. Look at the images there: “Plowmen have plowed my back and made their furrows long.” Plows run over and over again in the ground. There is a sense of deep and continual affliction.

BUT! Don’t you love the way that word is used here? The whole psalm turns on verse 4. “But the LORD is righteous!” Being freed from the bonds of the wicked is tied directly to the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God. It’s not tied to His love or His mercy, but His righteousness. “He has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.” God is the one who rescued and freed His people.

Remember, these songs were sung on the way to Jerusalem – Zion – where they could come to God’s presence. The rest of the psalm is a request that those who hate Zion – those who don’t long for God’s reign and presence will be turned back in shame. The figurative language of this song asks that those who don’t love God and His righteousness be like grass on the roof. It withers before it can grow and therefore can’t be reaped and used.

Psalm 130 deserves far more time and space than I can give it today. It is a meditation on God’s mercy and forgiveness and redemption. It also speaks of waiting.

Look at these verses:

“If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,

O Lord, who could stand?

BUT with you there is forgiveness,

therefore you are feared.

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,

and in his word I put my hope.

My soul waits for the Lord

more than watchmen wait for the morning,

more than watchmen wait for the morning.”

This psalm jars us by telling us that it is because God forgives that we fear him. I would put that differently and say that fear comes from experiencing punishment and justice. So it makes me stop to think. When we know that what we deserve is punishment, when we truly understand our sin, and what we deserve, and then when we experience the fullness of the LORD’s forgiveness, we do want to give him pleasure, we do fear disappointing him. Notice that “but” here.

Spurgeon put it this way in Treasury of David: “None fear the Lord like those who have experienced his forgiving love. Gratitude for pardon produces far more fear and reverence of God than all the dread which is inspired by punishment. If the Lord were to execute justice upon all, there would be none left to fear him; if all were under apprehension of his deserved wrath, despair would harden them against fearing him: it is grace which leads the way to a holy regard of God, and a fear of grieving him.”

This psalm is the heart cry of someone who has known forgiveness of his sin and sees the sin all around him. He is waiting and longing for the LORD’s redemption of His people – just as the night watchmen longs for the morning. Of course, we know that God provided fully for his people’s redemption from sin; he loved us so much that he came in the flesh to redeem us! Jesus is our redeemer!

Psalm 131, though brief, packs an emotional wallop. Almost a year ago, my husband was in an accident and was severely injured. His pelvis was crushed, both femurs were broken, his left leg was mangled and half of his left foot had to be amputated. He spent over a month in the hospital. I would read to him from the Bible and this is one psalm that I happened to read toward the end of his hospitalization when we were both asking God some of those hard questions. I remember reading this through once and then rereading it, sobbing as I read. I looked up and saw tears streaming down Jerry’s face, too.

At that point Jerry was still in pain; he was dependent on everyone. We didn’t know how fully he’d recover. We didn’t know what the future held. Life had suddenly come crashing in on us. We knew we were not in control and even the questions seemed pointless. All we could do was rest in God’s arms and trust.

We want the answers. We want to understand why and how and what and when. We want to be in control (that’s the proud and haughty in this psalm). BUT… (There’s that “but” again!)…

This psalm is from someone who has come to the end of himself. He knows he doesn’t understand. Look what he compares himself to:

“I have stilled and quieted my soul;

like a weaned child with its mother,

like a weaned child is my soul within me.”

What a picture of trust! Think about a little child, one who has been cuddled and fed by his mother, and who rests in his mother’s arms. That little one isn’t worried about what is going to happen next, or wondering where the food comes from or exactly how it got it or if there’s going to be food again in the future. That child simply rests in the arms of his mother in peace and trust.

That is what we are to cultivate in ourselves. (Notice that the psalmist says “I have stilled and quieted my soul.” It took some realization and effort on his part.) We are to rest in God’s arms, just like a baby rests in his mother’s arms after being nursed. That is humility. That is trust.

APPLICATION

What are you experiencing in life right now? Which “BUT” do you need to remember?

Do you need God’s righteousness to free you from the cords of the wicked?

Do you need God’s forgiveness?

Do you need to still and quiet your soul and rest in the arms of your loving, caring LORD?

I hope you’ll take some time today to truly meditate on at least one of these psalms.

PRAYER

I need you, LORD. Thank you for the reminder today that you freed me through your righteousness, that you hear my cry for mercy and keep no record of my sin, and that you care for me as a mother cares for her baby. Help me to cultivate trust and obedience in response to your righteousness, mercy, and care. I want to be like that weaned child, Lord.