“Since my youth they have often attacked me— let Israel say—…but they have not prevailed against me. The Lord is righteous; he has cut the ropes of the wicked.” (Psalm 129:1, 2, 4)
I think the cornerstone of Psalm 129 is that phrase: “The Lord is righteous.” The psalmist makes that claim in giving the reason why God rescued his people – because he is righteous.
Righteous means just or morally upright. But in the Hebrew mind it was always a relationship word. In other words, God protected his people because it was the right thing to do…but it was the right thing to do because they were HIS people! God sticks with his people!
That’s what the psalmist wants us to know. “They have never prevailed against me!” he claims. But it wasn’t just his perseverance and determination that got him through. He persevered because God is faithful!
That’s the reason a Christian can look back over a life filled with sorrows, unexpected tragedies, suffering, disappointments, depression, loneliness, pandemics, and sing a song of victory rather than complaint – They’ve been after me since I was a kid, but I never gave up, because God never gave up on me!
The central reality of our faith is the personal relationship we have with God. He’s got our back through thick and thin. We persevere, not because of our strength or determination, but because of God’s faithfulness. We survive trials and tribulations because God sticks with us!
I hope you’ll join us on Sunday – Mother’s Day – as we study Psalm 129 together.
Until then, don’t give up!
Pastor Jim
