Psalm 129 is interesting. We may find ourselves a little uneasy with the “victim role” taken up by the psalmist in the first few verses; kind of whiny isn’t it? Probably even further removed from our modern sensibilities, we cringe a bit at the thought of calling down curses on our enemies (vv. 5-8). But I think we all too often overlook, ignore or pass by the parts of the Psalter that strike us as strange or weird or archaic; preferring instead the “nice” parts, or the penitent parts (to help us wrestle with sin), or even the violent parts as long as they predict Christ in explicit ways. But the whining, cursing voice we find in Psalm 129? This is surely a Psalm we can do without right?
But when we parse out the psalms and take in only that which is familiar and comfortable, we miss the world made available to us in them. Psalm 129 in particular may seem distant and strange and odd… But Christ is everywhere in this Psalm.
It might be easy to see Christ in the first few verses, as the victim. Has not Christ been persecuted? (vv. 1 and 2) Was Christ not scourged? His back cut to ribbons? (v. 3) But what of the second half of the Psalm where the Psalmist calls down curses upon his enemies? Is not Christ there too?
The Gospel is not simply that Christ takes my place as “victim.” The Gospel is that Christ takes my place as “enemy.” It is certainly true and comforting that Christ steps in and offers refuge in my life when I am hurting and “persecuted” (the speaker in Psalm 129). But is there not also a sense in which Christ steps in when I am the enemy and the victimizer (he or she who is being spoken about in Psalm 129)?
In the second half of Psalm 129 I see Christ, at the cross, being turned back in (apparent) defeat (v. 5). It is there that I see Christ as withering grass scorched by the summer heat (v. 6). I see Christ as ignored and looked over as worthless (v. 7). I see Christ, on the cross, passed by and refused blessing (v. 8).
My heart is often hard and cold with sin, violence and judgement. I look at the world and see nothing but potential enemies, and mostly I figure a few “righteous curses” from yours truly might wake the world up and set everyone straight. But when I see Christ as suffering, not only for their sake, BUT FOR MINE, my heart melts, softens and finds compassion and a new story emerges– a story where my sin is profoundly greater than I ever realized, but where Christ’s love is infinitely greater.
Today, I pray you find comfort in knowing that Christ offers refuge when you are sinned against. I also pray you find comfort in knowing that Christ offers refuge when you sin against others. I pray that knowing and experiencing Christ's offering of grace to both the victim and the victimizer opens your eyes to the new creation reality where you are now an agent, not of curses, but of blessings.
May we sing together, the heart cry of Psalm 129:
“The Lord is righteous; he has cut the cords of the wicked.” (v. 4)
- Chaz Holsomback