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, have they harassed me from my youth, well may Israel say:

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

Many a time, have they harassed me from youth, yet have they not prevailed against me.

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

Upon my back, have ploughmen ploughed, They have lengthened their furrow!

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

Yahweh, is righteous, He hath cut asunder the cords of the lawless.

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

Let all who hate Zion, be ashamed and shrink back:

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

Let them become like the grass of housetops, which, before it is pulled up, hath withered;

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

Wherewith no reaper, hath filled his hand, nor binder, his bosom:

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

Neither have the passers-by ever said, The blessing of Yahweh, be unto you, —We have blessed you in the Name of Yahweh.