A song of ascents. 

Psalms 120-134 are called “the psalms of ascents.” A better name would be “the songs of the pilgrim caravans.” These pilgrimage songs were sung when Israel traveled upwards to Jerusalem (usually in caravans) during the Jewish feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. Four of these songs were attributed to David. Solomon wrote one of these songs. The other ten songs are anonymous. The author of Psalm 129 is unknown.

129:1 “Since my youth they have often attacked me,” let Israel say. 

During her youth, Israel has been attacked often by Gentile nations. She was taken into slavery by Egypt. As she ventured into the Promised Land, she was attacked by many of her relative nations. 

129:2 “Since my youth they have often attacked me, but they have not defeated me. 

Israel was protected by the Abrahamic Covenant.

129:3 The plowers plowed my back; they made their furrows long. 

The plowers are the nations who persecuted Israel. Egypt enslaved Israel and made her work hard. Israel gained deep scars on her back which were non-fatal.

129:4 The Lord is just; he cut the ropes of the wicked.” 

Israel was protected by the Abrahamic Covenant. Therefore, God cut off these nations. Egypt lost her political, religious, and economic world status.

129:5 May all who hate Zion be humiliated and turned back! 

Zion is Jerusalem. Much of the Gentile world was and has been anti-Semitic. The psalmist asked God to humiliate these anti-Semitic Gentile nations.

129:6 May they be like the grass on the rooftops which withers before one can even pull it up, 129:7 which cannot fill the reaper’s hand, or the lap of the one who gathers the grain! 

The grass which is blown on a rooftop does not last very long. The psalmist asked for a quick death for the anti-Semitic Gentiles.

129:8 Those who pass by will not say, “May you experience the Lord’s blessing! We pronounce a blessing on you in the name of the Lord.”

The psalmist would not give the customary greeting to the anti-Semitic Gentiles.