Psalm 129
Lexham English Bible
Victory Over the Enemies of Zion
A song of ascents.[a]
129 “Too often[b] they have attacked me from my youth.”
Let Israel say,
2 “Too often[c] they have attacked me from my youth,
yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 On my back plowmen have plowed.
They have made their furrows[d] long.”
4 Yahweh is righteous.
He has cut the ropes[e] of the wicked.
5 Let all be put to shame and repulsed
who hate Zion.
6 Let them be like grass on the housetops,
that withers before it grows up,
7 with which a reaper cannot fill his hand,
nor the binder of sheaves his arms,[f]
8 so that passersby do not say,
“The blessing of Yahweh be upon you.
We bless you in the name of Yahweh.”
Footnotes
- Psalm 129:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm
- Psalm 129:1 Or “Greatly”
- Psalm 129:2 Or “Greatly”
- Psalm 129:3 According to the reading tradition (Qere)
- Psalm 129:4 That is, the yoke and tackle on a beast of burden
- Psalm 129:7 Literally “bosom”
Psalm 129
King James Version
129 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say:
2 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows.
4 The Lord is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.
5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.
6 Let them be as the grass upon the housetops, which withereth afore it groweth up:
7 Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom.
8 Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we bless you in the name of the Lord.
Psalm 129
English Standard Version
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—
2 “Greatly have they (E)afflicted me (F)from my youth,
(G)yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 (H)The plowers plowed (I)upon my back;
they made long their furrows.”
4 The Lord is righteous;
he has cut (J)the cords of the wicked.
5 May all who hate Zion
be (K)put to shame and turned backward!
6 Let them be like (L)the grass on the housetops,
which (M)withers before it grows up,
7 with which the reaper does not fill his hand
nor the binder of sheaves his arms,
8 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
- Psalm 129:1 Or Often; also verse 2
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