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

129 A Song of the Ascents. Often they distressed me from my youth, Pray, let Israel say:

Often they distressed me from my youth, Yet they have not prevailed over me.

Over my back have ploughers ploughed, They have made long their furrows.

Jehovah [is] righteous, He hath cut asunder cords of the wicked.

Confounded and turn backward do all hating Zion.

They are as grass of the roofs, That before it was drawn out withereth,

That hath not filled the hand of a reaper, And the bosom of a binder of sheaves.

And the passers by have not said, `The blessing of Jehovah [is] on you, We blessed you in the Name of Jehovah!'

Prayer for the Overthrow of Zion’s Enemies.

A Song of Ascents.

129 [a]Many times they have (A)attacked me from my (B)youth up,”
(C)Let Israel say,
[b]Many times they have attacked me from my youth up;
Yet they have (D)not prevailed against me.
The plowers plowed upon my back;
They lengthened their furrows.”
The Lord (E)is righteous;
He has cut up the (F)ropes of the wicked.

May all who (G)hate Zion
Be (H)put to shame and turned backward;
May they be like (I)grass upon the housetops,
Which withers before it [c]grows up;
With which the harvester does not fill his [d]hand,
Or the binder of sheaves his [e](J)arms;
Nor do those who pass by say,
“The (K)blessing of the Lord be upon you;
We bless you in the name of the Lord.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 129:1 Lit Much
  2. Psalm 129:2 Lit Much
  3. Psalm 129:6 Lit draws out
  4. Psalm 129:7 Lit palm
  5. Psalm 129:7 Lit the fold of his robe

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.”