129 1-4 “They’ve kicked me around ever since I was young”
    —this is how Israel tells it—
“They’ve kicked me around ever since I was young,
    but they never could keep me down.
Their plowmen plowed long furrows
    up and down my back;
But God wouldn’t put up with it,
    he sticks with us.
Then God ripped the harnesses
    of the evil plowmen to shreds.”

5-8 Oh, let all those who hate Zion
    grovel in humiliation;
Let them be like grass in shallow ground
    that withers before the harvest,
Before the farmhands can gather it in,
    the harvesters get in the crop,
Before the neighbors have a chance to call out,
    “Congratulations on your wonderful crop!
    We bless you in God’s name!”

A song for those who go up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord.

129 Here is what Israel should say.
    “My enemies have treated me badly ever since I was a young nation.
My enemies have treated me badly ever since I was a young nation.
    But they haven’t won the battle.
They have made deep wounds in my back.
    It looks like a field a farmer has plowed.
The Lord does what is right.
    Sinners had tied me up with ropes. But the Lord has set me free.”

May all those who hate Zion
    be driven back in shame.
May they be like grass that grows on the roof of a house.
    It dries up before it can grow.
There isn’t enough of it to fill a person’s hand.
    There isn’t enough to tie up and carry away.
May no one who passes by say to those who hate Zion,
    “May the blessing of the Lord be on you.
    We bless you in the name of the Lord.”

Psalm 129

A song of ascents.

“They have greatly oppressed(A) me from my youth,”(B)
    let Israel say;(C)
“they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,
    but they have not gained the victory(D) over me.
Plowmen have plowed my back
    and made their furrows long.
But the Lord is righteous;(E)
    he has cut me free(F) from the cords of the wicked.”(G)

May all who hate Zion(H)
    be turned back in shame.(I)
May they be like grass on the roof,(J)
    which withers(K) before it can grow;
a reaper cannot fill his hands with it,(L)
    nor one who gathers fill his arms.
May those who pass by not say to them,
    “The blessing of the Lord be on you;
    we bless you(M) in the name of the Lord.”