Psalms 129

1 Often have they 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 Often have they fought against me from my youth: but they could not prevail over me.

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

3 The wicked have wrought upon my back: they have lengthened their iniquity.

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

4 The Lord who is just will cut the necks of sinners:

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

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

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

6 Let them be as grass on the tops of houses: which withered before it be plucked up:

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

7 Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand: nor he that gathereth sheaves his bosom.

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

8 And they that have passed by have not said: 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.