Psalms 129

1 A SONG OF THE ASCENTS. Often they distressed me from my youth, Pray, let Israel say:

A song of ascents. Many a time they have persecuted me from my youth— let Israel now declare—

2 Often they distressed me from my youth, Yet they have not prevailed over me.

many a time they have persecuted me from my youth, but they have not prevailed against me.

3 Plowers have plowed over my back, They have made their furrows long.

The plowmen plowed over my back; they made their furrows long.

4 YHWH [is] righteous, He has cut apart cords of the wicked.

The LORD is righteous; He has cut me from the cords of the wicked.

5 All hating Zion [are] confounded and turn backward.

May all who hate Zion be turned back in shame.

6 They are as grass of the roofs, That withers before it was drawn out,

May they be like grass on the rooftops, which withers before it can grow,

7 That has not filled the hand of a reaper, And the bosom of a binder of sheaves.

unable to fill the hands of the reaper, or the arms of the binder of sheaves.

8 And the passers by have not said, “The blessing of YHWH [is] on you, We blessed you in the Name of YHWH!”

May none who pass by say to them, “The blessing of the LORD be on you; we bless you in the name of the LORD.”