Psalms 129

1 A Song of Ascents. Many times they have afflicted me from my youth up. Let Israel now say:

[I say that] my enemies have (afflicted/caused trouble for) me ever since I was young. [Now I ask you, my fellow] Israelis, to repeat those same words:

2 many times they have afflicted me from my youth up, yet they have not prevailed against me.

“Our enemies have afflicted us since our nation began, but they have not defeated us!

3 The ploughers ploughed on my back. They made their furrows long.

[Our enemies struck us with whips] that cut into our backs [MET] like a [farmer uses a] plow to cut deep furrows into the ground.”

4 The LORD is righteous. He has cut apart the cords of the wicked.

[But] Yahweh is righteous, and he has freed [me] from being a slave [MTY] of wicked [people].

5 Let them be disappointed and turned backward, all those who hate Zion.

I wish/hope that all those who hate Jerusalem/Israel will be ashamed because of being defeated.

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

I hope/wish that they will be [of no value], like grass that grows on the roofs of houses that dries up and does not grow tall;

7 with which the reaper doesn’t fill his hand, nor he who binds sheaves, his bosom.

[as a result] no one [cuts it and] puts it in bundles and carries it away.

8 Neither do those who go by say, “The blessing of the LORD be on you. We bless you in the LORD’s name.”

People who pass by [and see men harvesting grain usually greet them by saying to them], “We wish/hope that Yahweh will bless you!” But this will not happen [to those who hate Israel]. We, acting as Yahweh’s representatives, bless you [Israelis.]