make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee; but I will not make a full end of thee, but I will correct thee in measure (or with judgment ), and will in no wise leave thee unpunished" (Jer. xxx. I i). Well might the inspired writer of Ps. cxxix., looking back, not only on the particular period embraced in the prophetic " times of the Gentiles," but on the whole course of Gentile oppression, exclaim in the name of the remnant of Israel:
" Many a time (or, more literally, greatly ) have they afflicted me from my youth; yet they have not prevailed against me."
" Israel's national youth, or childhood," to borrow words of our own from elsewhere, " was in Egypt, even as we find in Hos. xi. I, which literally reads, When Israel was yet a child (the word being the same as youth in the I2pth Psalm), I loved him, and from the time that he was in Egypt I called him my son " that is, from the very beginning of their history, when God began to love Israel, the nations began to hate them; and from the very time when God first called them " His son, His first-born " (Ex. iv. 22, 23), the nations began "to afflict them" (Ex. i. 1 2), and to lay plans for their extermination. Yes, from the very commencement of their history have the plowers mercilessly
" Plowed upon his back;
" They made long and deep their furrows " (Ps. cxxix. 3).
And " yet," in spite of it all, " they have not prevailed against him"
This is Israel's final shout of triumph, even as in a sense it has been their national song and their defiant answer to the nations all through the ages.
To commence with Israel's " youth " deep and terrible was the pain and laceration when Egypt plowed upon his back; but who came off worst in the end? Egypt was plagued; Pharaoh and his host were drowned; but of Israel we read, " The more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew." Truly Egypt, with all its worldpower, did " not prevail against him" 4
