Psalms 129

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

A song for pilgrims going up to Jerusalem. Many enemies have attacked from the time I was young. Let everyone in Israel say:

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

Many enemies have attacked from the time I was young, but they never defeated me.

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

They beat me on my back, leaving long furrows as if it had been ploughed by a farmer.

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

But the Lord does what is right: he has cut me free from the ropes of the wicked.

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

May everyone who hates Zion be driven back in humiliating defeat.

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

May they be like grass that grows on a roof that withers before it can be harvested,

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

There's not enough even for a reaper to hold, not enough even for the binder to bind.

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.'

May passers-by not say to them, “The blessing of the Lord be on you; we bless you in the name of the Lord.”