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

A Song of Ascents

God Defeats Israel’s Enemies

129 “Since my youth they have often persecuted me,”
    let Israel repeat it,
“Since my youth they have often persecuted me,
    yet they haven’t defeated me.
Wicked people[a] plowed over my back,
    creating long-lasting wounds.”[b]

The Lord is righteous—
    he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.

Let all who hate Zion
    be turned away and be ashamed.
May they become like a tuft of grass on a roof top,
    that withers before it takes root—
not enough to fill one’s hand
    or to bundle in one’s arms.
And may those who pass by never tell them,
    “May the Lord’s blessing be upon you.
        We bless you in the name of the Lord.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 129:3 So LXX DSS 11QPsa; MT reads The ploughman
  2. Psalm 129:3 Or long furrows; LXX reads back; they prolonged their lawlessness