Add parallel Print Page Options

Yahweh Has Cut the Cords of the Wicked

A Song of Ascents.

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

Let all who (G)hate Zion
Be (H)put to shame and turned backward;
Let them be like (I)grass upon the rooftops,
Which dries up before it [e]grows up;
With which the reaper does not fill his [f]hand,
Nor the binder of sheaves the (J)fold of his garment;
And those who pass by will not say,
“The (K)blessing of Yahweh be upon you;
We bless you in the name of Yahweh.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 129:1 Lit Much
  2. Psalm 129:1 Lit showed hostility toward
  3. Psalm 129:2 Lit Much
  4. Psalm 129:2 Lit showed hostility toward
  5. Psalm 129:6 Lit draws out
  6. Psalm 129:7 Lit palm

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,
“Too often[c] they have attacked me from my youth,
yet they have not prevailed against me.
On my back plowmen have plowed.
They have made their furrows[d] long.”
Yahweh is righteous.
He has cut the ropes[e] of the wicked.
Let all be put to shame and repulsed
who hate Zion.
Let them be like grass on the housetops,
that withers before it grows up,
with which a reaper cannot fill his hand,
nor the binder of sheaves his arms,[f]
so that passersby do not say,
“The blessing of Yahweh be upon you.
We bless you in the name of Yahweh.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 129:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm
  2. Psalm 129:1 Or “Greatly”
  3. Psalm 129:2 Or “Greatly”
  4. Psalm 129:3 According to the reading tradition (Qere)
  5. Psalm 129:4 That is, the yoke and tackle on a beast of burden
  6. Psalm 129:7 Literally “bosom”