Psalms 129

1 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say:

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

2 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me.

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

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

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

4 YHWH is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.

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

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

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

6 Let them be as the grass upon the housetops, which withereth afore it groweth 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 bindeth sheaves his bosom.

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

8 Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of YHWH be upon you: we bless you in the name of YHWH.

whereof no one says as they pass, “The blessing of God be upon you.” In the name of the Lord we bless you.