Psalm 129

They Have Afflicted Me from My Youth

A Song of Ascents.

1  "Greatlyt have they afflicted me from my youth"—
let Israel now say—
2  "Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth,
yet they have not prevailed against me.
3  The plowers plowed upon my back;
they made long their furrows."
4  The Lord is righteous;
he has cut the cords of the wicked.
5  May all who hate Zion
be put to shame and turned backward!
6  Let them be like the grass on the housetops,
which withers before it grows up,
7  with which the reaper does not fill his hand
nor the binder of sheaves his arms,
8  nor do those who pass by say,
"The blessing of the Lord be upon you!
We bless you in the name of the Lord!"

Psalm 129

A song of ascents.

1 They have greatly oppressed me from my youth—
let Israel say—

2 they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,
but they have not gained the victory over me.

3 Plowmen have plowed my back
and made their furrows long.

4 But the Lord is righteous;
he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.

5 May all who hate Zion
be turned back in shame.

6 May they be like grass on the roof,
which withers before it can grow;

7 with it the reaper cannot fill his hands,
nor the one who gathers fill his arms.

8 May those who pass by not say,
“The blessing of the Lord be upon you;
we bless you in the name of the Lord.”