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Psalm 129

Prayer for the Downfall of Israel’s Enemies

A Song of Ascents.

Often have they attacked me from my youth
    —let Israel now say—(A)
often have they attacked me from my youth,
    yet they have not prevailed against me.(B)
The plowers plowed on my back;
    they made their furrows long.
The Lord is righteous;
    he has cut the cords of the wicked.(C)
May all who hate Zion
    be put to shame and turned backward.(D)
Let them be like the grass on the housetops
    that withers before it grows up,(E)
with which reapers do not fill their hands
    or binders of sheaves their arms,
while those who pass by do not say,
    “The blessing of the Lord be upon you!
    We bless you in the name of the Lord!”(F)

They Have Afflicted Me from My Youth

A Song of (A)Ascents.

129 “Greatly[a] have they (B)afflicted me (C)from my youth”—
    (D)let Israel now say—
“Greatly have they (E)afflicted me (F)from my youth,
    (G)yet they have not prevailed against me.
(H)The plowers plowed (I)upon my back;
    they made long their furrows.”
The Lord is righteous;
    he has cut (J)the cords of the wicked.
May all who hate Zion
    be (K)put to shame and turned backward!
Let them be like (L)the grass on the housetops,
    which (M)withers before it grows up,
with which the reaper does not fill his hand
    nor the binder of sheaves his arms,
nor do those who pass by say,
    (N)“The blessing of the Lord be upon you!
    We (O)bless you in the name of the Lord!”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 129:1 Or Often; also verse 2