Martin Luther on Psalms 129:1

The .129. Psalme. They haue often times afflicted, &c.

This Psalme consisteth of two partes. The argument of the Psalme. In the former he giueth thankes to God for the defence and continuall deliuerance of the people of God. In the later part he maketh his prayer against the aduersaries, & in praying he prophecieth withal. Both these serue for our instruction, and also conteyne an exhortation to patience vnder the crosse, which perteyneth not to one age or tyme, but as the continuall history of the Church doth shew, to all times and to the whole life of man. Moreouer we doe here comprehend both Churches, of the Iewes and of the Gentiles, as Paule also in a maner ioyneth them both togither when he sayth: First to the Iewe and then to the Grecian. For as touching the Church or people of the Iewes, it appeareth by the histories that they were placed in the middes of their enemies, as a goodly rose in the middest of thornes. On the southside the Ismaelites, the Arabians & other cruell people vexed them. On the west part the Egyptians, the Ethiopians, the Troglodites and other like. On the North side the Philistines, the Assyrians, &c. So the Church after the destruction of the Synagoge, is compassed euery way with enemies, and Christ, according to the Psalme, reigneth in the middes of his enemies. Thus were they often times and many wayes afflicted. But herewithall God shewed this miracle, that when they were so afflicted, he alwayes deliuered them. And thus was the kingdom of Israel a miraculous kingdom, in that the Lord when he would correct and chastise them, suffered the Philistines, Edomites, Moabites, Assyrians and Babylonians to haue victory ouer them. Againe, when they seemed to be vtterly oppressed, they victoriously preuailed against their enemies. So continued this kingdom in despite of the cruel nations round about it, and of Satan him selfe: as is to bee seene in the bookes of the Kinges and also of the Chronicles. Now, because this people had both threatnings and promises set before them as touching their afflictions & deliuerance, this was vnto them a great consolation euen when they were afflicted & spoyled, that they knew that all these things came to passe not by the wil or power of their enemies, and much lesse by their righteousnes or desertes, but onely by the will of God thus punishing and chastising his people, yea threatning and forewarning them by the Prophetes that he would so punish the disobedient. This is no small consolation, that in thy affliction and calamitie thou mayst be able to say: this is ye scourge of God thus correcting me and visiting my sinnes: It is not the wrath of God or the merite and deseruing of my aduersary.

These thinges must we apply vnto our selues also, to the ende that when we be oppressed, we may comfort our selues that we are not oppressed by ye power of death, sinne, hell, or any creature, but by the will of God our creator, afflicting vs and punishing our sinnes & ingratitude, and yet so that he leaueth vnto vs this fatherly promise, the he will not forsake vs. And such a figure of ye whole kingdome of Christ is set forth in the Apocalyps. For how much doth is speake of euill angells, of cruel beasts & such other plagues of the Church which should enter into the Church & the kingdom of Christ, God so permitting. Notwithstanding consolation followeth afflictions and calamities, and though the Church be neuer so sore afflicted, yet shal it continue and endure, & at the length shall ouercome and victoriously triumph.

But this Psalme agreeth especially vnto our time, wherein the Church hath bene most greuously afflicted both vnder the Turks and also vnder the Romish Bishops, yea and as it were vtterly abolished: So that if ye wey the matter well, it may appeare that the condition of the Iewes in Babylon was better then the state of the Church vnder Antichrist: where the true vse of the Sacraments was taken away, the benefit of Christ darkned, faith extinguished, no true seruice of God vsed, no true good workes exercised: generally all thinges which perteyne to true religion were cleane abolished or most miserably deformed and defaced. Wherfore, like as the Iewes in Babylon were put from the sight & vse of the temple, the sacrifices, the ceremonies & all politike gouernment: so the Church vnder Antichrist had no true ministery, no true seruice of God, not her owne kingdom and gouernment, but was constrayned to obserue and keepe the babylonicall and hethenish rites and ceremonies of the Papistes. Thus was the wrath, and thus haue bene the punishments of God in a maner all one in the Church of the Iewes and the Gentiles.

Wherefore it is most necessary that we lay hold vpon this consolation, that, as the Psalme sayth, we are afflicted, we are cast downe, we are troden vnder foote, but we are not ouercome. For the Church shall stand and remaine inuincible, notwithstanding that through great incredulitie and incredible infirmitie the victorye therof is hidden & can not be seene. As it was vnder the Pope, where all Scholes and all Churches taught nothing else but the blasphemous doctrine of the Romish bishops and doting dreames of the Monks. This was the very same thing that the psalme 73. complayneth of, where it sayth: VVe see not our signes, and yet God had euen then his Church, although it was very litle, obscure, & miserably deformed. Before the kingdome of the Romish Antichrist what a swarme of heretikes sprang vp? Of whem also the Church was sore vexed and afflicted, euen as the Iewes were afflicted of the nations which dwelled nere vnto them. And like as the captiuitie followed that affliction of the Iewes, so the kingdom of the Romish Bishops was that captiuitie which f[illegible: 1 letter]llowed the outragious furie of the heretikes, & out of the which also haue flowed all the euills, and plagues which haue bene euer since in the Church, as out of a foule sinke and filthy pudle. But nowe by the great mercie of God the captiuitie beginneth to be turned, the temple is repaired, and the true seruice of God restored.

This Psalme, after my iudgement, speaketh generally of all such troubles and afflictions of the Church, as haue bene at all times & in all ages: As first that the kingdom of the Iewes when they were yet vnder good Kinges, was mightely assailed, but yet not vtterly ouercome: And that the people afterwards were spoyled of the Assyrians and Babylonians and carried away captiue, but not cleane forsaken. For they were againe deliuered out of captiuitie, and in their owne land enioyed the promise concerning Christ. Thus speaketh ye Psalme first of the Iewish Church. Afterwards it comprehendeth as a prophecy, the state and condition of the Church of the Gentiles: to witte, that God would preserue and defend it against all heretikes, against all the rage and fury of the world, against the kingdom of the Romish Antichrist, & moreouer against al the tentations of sinne which vexe and oppresse the conscience. Thus must we apply this Psalme to all times and ages of the Church, to all chaunges and alterations, all daungers of the world, the flesh, sinne, the lawe, death, and the gates of hell. For the world assaileth it with power & wisedome: the deuil with desperation and dubitation: heretikes with errors in faith and religion, and the conscience with sinnes. In all these perills we say: Blessed be the Lord God, who suffereth vs not to be tēpted aboue that we are able to beare. In deede we must be tempted and tried, but in the tentation he will giue an outscape: besides this, that he giueth vs strength also to beare the tentation vntill the time of deliuerance come. This benefite Dauid here setteth forth, and sheweth vnto vs the state of his people, to the ende we may thereby learne this comfort, that like as he preserued that people, euen so wil he also preserue vs. For we haue one and the same God, the same spirit, the same word, the same promises, & briefly all things else, whatsoeuer. Wherefore we may say and sing with Dauid.

Verse. 1. They haue often tymes afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say: