Psalm 129:8

This psalm’s author has one final shot to fire at his enemies and the enemies of his people. He pictures reapers and hay-gatherers standing in their fields; they stare bleakly at the scorched ground and the withered remains of their crop. Travellers pass by the fields and look away, for there is nothing for the farm labourers to gather in, the fields are bare, the hoped-for harvest is non-existent. Perhaps it was common practice for passers-by to call out a blessing, for a farmer’s abundant crop was good news for his balance sheet and also for all who benefited from his labours. But in this scenario, there is no blessing and those who pass by are happy to see the barren fields for this was the wish of all who hated Babylon and any other nations that came against Israel. 

To pray a blessing over crops and those who work them was obviously common practice in Israel. Ruth 2:4 records this, “And then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “The Lord be with you!” “The Lord bless you!” they answered.” It seems that we have a duty to pray over the fields and land that is used for food production and not just at harvest time. On the other hand, we live in a brutal world where there are many who seek to abuse and destroy God’s people and they should be rebuked in our prayers, there are no blessings in store for them! This Psalm does not imply that we should curse God’s enemies, it's simply saying that we should not pray a blessing over them. 

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