Psalm 129 speaks of the enemies which had afflicted Israel; many a time during the long period from the captivity and cruel bond slave of Egypt in the early history of the people to the last enemy, the king of the north, or the Assyrian, the children of Israel has or will yet have suffered at the hands of those who hated them. God has protected them from destruction as a people; what other nation has endured such persecution and scattering, and continued to this day? Surely none. True, the ten tribes carried away by the Assyrians (see 2 Kings 17:66In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. (2 Kings 17:6)) have disappeared, so that for many centuries they have been searched for in vain, but they will be soon brought back to join the two tribes of the Jews. (Ezekiel 37: 21).
The enemies, those who hate Zion, the center of Israel's future glory, will be brought to naught as the grass upon the house tops. This psalm affords a fresh illustration of what has been remarked before, that all the psalms are for and of Israel, though Christians find much in them of comfort in trial, and, above all, they picture in most touching language the suffering One, the crucified One who is God's King and David's Lord.