Psalms 129

1 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say:

A song of ascents. ‘Sore have they vexed me from youth’ thus let Israel say

2 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me.

‘Sore have they vexed me from youth, but they have not prevailed against me.

3 The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows.

‘The ploughers ploughed on my back, they made their furrows long.

4 The LORD is righteous: he has cut asunder the cords of the wicked.

But the Lord, who is righteous, has cut the cords of the wicked.’

5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.

Let all who are haters of Zion be put to shame and defeated.

6 Let them be as the grass upon the housetops, which withers before it grows up:

May they be as the grass on the house-top, which withers before it shoots up;

7 Wherewith the mower fills not his hand; nor he that binds sheaves his bosom.

which fills not the arms of the reaper, nor the lap of the binder of sheaves

8 Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the LORD be upon you: we bless you in the name of the LORD.

whereof no one says as they pass, ‘The blessing of God be upon you.’ In the name of the Lord we bless you.