Psalm 129 gives us a scrappy underdog who just happens to have a protective older brother on the wrestling team. (In this case, the scrappy underdog is Israel and the older brother is God.) I don’t know about you, but I just don’t expect to find this sort of fight-the-man screed in scripture. But there it is: “May all who hate Zion (Israel) be turned back in shame… May those who pass by not say, ‘The blessing of the Lord be upon you.'” Ouch.
I decided the best way to express the pent up anger and the down-but-not-out camaraderie of the Psalm was with the music of a full-throated sea chanty. And since my voice is way too velvety for that sort of thing, I enlisted the help of my favorite Viking, Steve Brown. Steve delivers the lead vocal in a way that makes you want to grab your Ulfberht and finally avenge your people of their oppressors. (In the love of the Lord.)
1. Been pushed around since the day we were born,
but we won’t stay down forever.
Let all God’s people say it once more:
oh, we won’t stay down forever.
We won’t stay down.
No, we won’t stay down.
We won’t stay down forever.
2. Their feet on our necks and they plowed up our backs,
but we won’t stay down forever.
God broke our chains, we’re free at last!
Oh, we won’t stay down forever.
3. So confident of their schemes and their plans,
but we won’t stay down forever.
but God has saved! They leave empty-handed.
Oh, we won’t stay down forever.
And you were worried that your best work was behind you!