Psalms 129

1 A Song of Ascents. 'Much have they afflicted me from my youth up', let Israel now say;

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

2 'Much have they afflicted me from my youth up; but they have not prevailed against me.

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

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

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

4 The LORD is righteous; He hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.'

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

5 Let them be ashamed and turned backward, all they that hate Zion.

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

6 Let them be as the grass upon the housetops, which withereth afore it springeth up;

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

7 Wherewith the reaper filleth not his hand, nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom.

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

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

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.