The Cords of the Wicked A song of ascents.
“Many a time they have persecuted me from my youth—let Israel now declare—many a time they have persecuted me from my youth, but they have not prevailed against me. The plowmen plowed over my back; they made their furrows long.
The LORD is righteous; He has cut me from the cords of the wicked. May all who hate Zion be turned back in shame. May they be like grass on the rooftops, which withers before it can grow, unable to fill the hands of the reaper, or the arms of the binder of sheaves. May none who pass by say to them, “The blessing of the LORD be on you; we bless you in the name of the LORD.”
“Many a time they have persecuted me from my youth—let Israel now declare—many a time they have persecuted me from my youth, but they have not prevailed against me. The plowmen plowed over my back; they made their furrows long.” For many of us, life has been a struggle. Perhaps we have come from poor families or families whose members have medical problems. Perhaps we have had to work to support our advanced education. Perhaps we were orphans who fought to survive the foster care system. There are all kinds of struggles people might face, and many times we feel that we have been completely isolated in our struggles. We might even feel that we have scars so deep on our backs that it appears that someone has plowed over our backs as well.
“The LORD is righteous; He has cut me from the cords of the wicked. May all who hate Zion be turned back in shame. May they be like grass on the rooftops, which withers before it can grow, unable to fill the hands of the reaper, or the arms of the binder of sheaves. May none who pass by say to them, “The blessing of the LORD be on you; we bless you in the name of the LORD.” There’s a fascinating cultural tidbit here. Evidently, it was common for those passing farmers caring for their crops to say, “The blessing of the Lord be with you; we bless you in the name of the Lord.” How do we know this? Because the psalmist says that the wicked will be like grass on the rooftops that grows up and withers-in other words, worthless weeds that don’t result in a useful harvest.
“The Lord is righteous; He has cut me from the cords of the wicked.” God is truly our Deliverer, and He alone can save us from Satan’s schemes. Here the image is one of someone who has been tied up suddenly having their ropes that bind them cut away. Naturally, that person would leap and dance for joy.
Why does the psalmist lay curses on the wicked, indicating that they hate Zion? Zion is the place God has chosen for His temple and as a center of worship for the nation. Wickedness isn’t segmented. People aren’t merely wicked in one area and then righteous in another. No matter how wickedness manifests itself, it is ultimately rebellion against God and anything pertaining to Him. Wickedness invades every portion of a person’s life. Oswald Chambers refers to this phenomenon as “spiritual measles.” We might look all right in some spots but not in others. But the longer we practice evil, the more evil will come to dominate us.
APPLICATION: Few things are as disappointing as expecting someone to behave righteously, only for them to exhibit wickedness. This year is an election year in many countries and the politicians are already jockeying for position, each one making more fantastic promises than the last. But those promises frequently don’t last any longer than the grass on the rooftops described in this psalm, and they are just as fruitless. Many of those who would truly make the best rulers will never get the opportunity, for those running political parties want someone whom they can manipulate. We can only hope and pray that somehow despite all the wrangling in the back rooms, God will still promote those who can provide righteous leadership.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, You know all the elections in various countries this year. Raise up righteous God-fearing leadership that will bring the nations of the world into true revival. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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