Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal
Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 129:5-8

The psalmist, having triumphed in the defeat of the many designs that had been laid as deep as hell to ruin the church, here concludes his psalm as Deborah did her song, So let all thy enemies perish, O Lord! Jdg. 5:31. I. There are many that hate Zion, that hate Zion's God, his worship, and his worshippers, that have an antipathy to religion and religious people, that seek the ruin of both, and do what they can that God may not have a church in the world. II. We ought to pray that all their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 129:5

Let them all be confounded ,.... Or "ashamed": as all the enemies of God's people will be sooner or later, either in this world, or however when Christ shall come in the clouds of heaven; or let them be disappointed of their views, aims, and ends, when they will be confounded, as disappointed persons are; and turned back ; from pursuing their designs and accomplishing them; as the Assyrian monarch was, who had a hook put into his nose, and a bridle in his lips, and was turned back by the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 129:5

Let them all be confounded - They shall be confounded. They who hate Zion, the Church of God, hate God himself; and all such must be dealt with as enemies, and be utterly confounded. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 129:5

Verse 5 5.All who hate Zion shall be confounded, and tutored backward. Whether we take this as a prayer or a promise, the Prophet has a respect to the time to come. Since all the verbs are in the future tense, it is certainly a very appropriate interpretation to understand him as deriving from times past instruction as to what is to be hoped for in future, even to the end. In whichever way we understand the passage, he declares that the faithful have no reason to be discouraged when they behold... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 129:1-8

Sin a failure. Neither the violence of sin against others nor its effort on its own behalf is successful. I. THE FAILURE OF ITS VIOLENCE . The enemies of Israel are regarded as the enemies of the Lord; their attempts to despoil and destroy Israel were sins against God. They consequently proved to be utter failures. They were mercilessly cruel; they "ploughed upon the back, and made long their furrows;" they strove to enslave with their strong cords ( Psalms 129:4 ), but... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 129:1-8

The Divine life. This psalm is capable of a threefold application. It tells of the Divine life— I. IN ISRAEL . 1. The existence of the chosen people was a lifelong struggle . The sounds of battle and war are never, save but for short intervals, absent from their history. From the oppression they had to endure in Egypt right down to the time when this psalm was composed, they never lacked enemies who "fought against" them, and did them all the harm they could. 2. But... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 129:1-8

Suffering and victory. "Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth," etc. The connection is shown thus— I. THE PSALMIST SAW THE REDEMPTIVE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD AS SUPREME . ( Psalms 129:4 .) God's strength and justice surely prevail against all the devices of evil men. II. GOOD MEN PREVAIL WHEN THEY USE THEIR SUFFERING AS CORRECTIVE DISCIPLINE . Some of the greatest lessons of life are learned from our severest sufferings. "For I... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 129:5

Let them all be confounded ; or, "they shall all be confounded," or "put to shame." And turned back. Made to turn their backs upon their foes. That hate Zion . That have shown themselves enemies to Israel. The main verbs are in the future tense, but may be taken as expressive either of a wish or of a confident expectation. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 129:5

Let them all be confounded and turned back ... - This might be rendered in the indicative, “they are ashamed,” but the connection seems to require the rendering in our version. It is a prayer that God would now interpose as he had done in former times, and that he would cause all the haters of Zion to be put to shame as formerly. read more

Group of Brands