Psalms 129

1 A Canticle in steps. They have often fought against me from my youth, let Israel now say:

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

2 they have often fought against me from my youth, yet they could not prevail over me.

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

3 The sinners have made fabrications behind my back. They have prolonged their iniquity.

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

4 The just Lord will cut the necks of sinners.

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

5 Let all those who hate Zion be confounded and turned backwards.

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

6 Let them be like grass on the rooftops, which withers before it can be pulled up:

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

7 with it, he who reaps does not fill his hand and he who gathers sheaves does not fill his bosom.

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

8 And those who were passing by have not said to them: “The blessing of the Lord be upon you. We have blessed 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.