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.”

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.

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!”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 129:1 persecuted
  2. Psalm 129:7 armsful, lit. bosom

PSALM 129

Gericht über die Unterdrücker

129 Ein Wallfahrtslied.

Sie haben mich oft bedrängt von meiner Jugend auf
- so sage Israel -,
sie haben mich oft bedrängt von meiner Jugend auf
und haben mich doch nicht übermocht;
auf meinem Rücken haben Pflüger gepflügt
und ihre Furchen lang gezogen.
Der Herr, der Gerechte,
hat die Stricke der Gottlosen zerschnitten.
Es müssen zuschanden werden und zurückweichen
alle, die Zion hassen;
sie müssen werden wie das Gras auf den Dächern,
welches verdorrt ist, bevor man es ausrauft,
mit welchem kein Schnitter seine Hand füllt
und kein Garbenbinder seinen Schoß;
von denen auch die Vorübergehenden nicht sagen: „Der Segen des Herrn sei mit euch!
Wir segnen euch im Namen des Herrn!“