Psalms 129

1 A Song of the going up. Great have been my troubles from the time when I was young (let Israel now say);

A Song of Degrees. Many a time have they warred against me from my youth, let Israel now say:

2 Great have been my troubles from the time when I was young, but my troubles have not overcome me.

Many a time have they warred against me from my youth: and yet they prevailed not against me.

3 The ploughmen were ploughing on my back; long were the wounds they made.

The sinners wrought upon my back: they prolonged their iniquity.

4 The Lord is true: the cords of the evil-doers are broken in two.

The righteous Lord has cut asunder the necks of sinners.

5 Let all the haters of Zion be shamed and turned back.

Let all that hate Sion be put to shame and turned back.

6 Let them be like the grass on the house-tops, which is dry before it comes to full growth.

Let them be as the grass of the house-tops, which withers before it is plucked up.

7 He who gets in the grain has no use for it; and they do not make bands of it for the grain-stems.

Wherewith the reaper fills not his hand, nor he that makes up the sheaves, his bosom.

8 And those who go by do not say, The blessing of the Lord be on you; we give you blessing in the name of the Lord.

Neither do they that go by say, The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we have blessed you in the name of the Lord.