What does Psalms Chapter 128 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Israel recalls repeated opposition unable to prevail. The Lord will cut sinners’ necks in the speaker’s declaration. Confusion and grass likeness are requested, not witnessed.

Chapter breakdown

Saepe expugnaverunt is the incipit, and the separate heading interprets church invincibility and persecutors’ downfall; the inscription is a gradual canticle. Israel is invited to say twice that often they fought against me from youth, but could not prevail. The verse does not specify centuries, foreign nations or a military campaign.

The wicked have wrought upon the speaker’s back and lengthened iniquity. Plowing furrows is not imported into this edition’s wording. The just Lord will cut sinners’ necks; cords and yokes are not newly supplied and future cutting is not witnessed completion.

The speaker asks all Sion-haters confounded and turned back, like housetop grass withering before plucking, giving mower no handful and sheaf-gatherer no bosomful. Passersby have not spoken the Lord’s blessing or blessed in His name. These requests and image are not evidence of achieved enemy extinction or a universal metaphysical sterility doctrine.

The story inside

Opening: Israel recalls repeated opposition unable to prevail. Development: The Lord will cut sinners’ necks in the speaker’s declaration. Conclusion: Confusion and grass likeness are requested, not witnessed.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Israel recalls repeated opposition unable to prevail.
2
The Lord will cut sinners’ necks in the speaker’s declaration.
3
Confusion and grass likeness are requested, not witnessed.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 66192–66193
Often have they fought against me from my youth: but they could not prevail over me.
Lines 66195–66196
The wicked have wrought upon my back: they have lengthened their iniquity.
Lines 66198–66198
The Lord who is just will cut the necks of sinners:
Lines 66200–66200
Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Sion.
Lines 66202–66203
Let them be as grass upon the tops of houses: which withereth before it be plucked up:
Lines 66208–66209
And they that passed by have not said: The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we have blessed you in the name of the Lord.