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.”

Psalm 130

A song of ascents.

Out of the depths(N) I cry to you,(O) Lord;
    Lord, hear my voice.(P)
Let your ears be attentive(Q)
    to my cry for mercy.(R)

If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
    Lord, who could stand?(S)
But with you there is forgiveness,(T)
    so that we can, with reverence, serve you.(U)

I wait for the Lord,(V) my whole being waits,(W)
    and in his word(X) I put my hope.
I wait for the Lord
    more than watchmen(Y) wait for the morning,
    more than watchmen wait for the morning.(Z)

Israel, put your hope(AA) in the Lord,
    for with the Lord is unfailing love(AB)
    and with him is full redemption.(AC)
He himself will redeem(AD) Israel
    from all their sins.(AE)

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

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

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

The Lord is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.

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

Let them be as the grass upon the housetops, which withereth afore it groweth up:

Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom.

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

130 Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.

Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.

My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.

Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.

And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

Song of Victory over Zion’s Enemies

A Song of Ascents.

129 “Many a time they have (A)afflicted[a] me from (B)my youth,”
(C)Let Israel now say—
“Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth;
Yet they have not prevailed against me.
The plowers plowed on my back;
They made their furrows long.”
The Lord is righteous;
He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked.

Let all those who hate Zion
Be put to shame and turned back.
Let them be as the (D)grass on the housetops,
Which withers before it grows up,
With which the reaper does not fill his hand,
Nor he who binds sheaves, his [b]arms.
Neither let those who pass by them say,
(E)“The blessing of the Lord be upon you;
We bless you in the name of the Lord!”

Waiting for the Redemption of the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

130 Out (F)of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord;
Lord, hear my voice!
Let Your ears be attentive
To the voice of my supplications.

(G)If You, Lord, should [c]mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could (H)stand?
But there is (I)forgiveness with You,
That (J)You may be feared.

(K)I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
And (L)in His word I do hope.
(M)My soul waits for the Lord
More than those who watch for the morning—
Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.

(N)O Israel, hope in the Lord;
For (O)with the Lord there is mercy,
And with Him is abundant redemption.
And (P)He shall redeem Israel
From all his iniquities.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 129:1 persecuted
  2. Psalm 129:7 armsful, lit. bosom
  3. Psalm 130:3 take note of