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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”

Prayer for the overthrow of Zion’s enemies.

A Song of Ascents.

[a]129 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth up,
Let Israel now say,
[b]Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth up:
Yet they have not prevailed against me.
The plowers plowed upon my back;
They made long their furrows.
Jehovah is righteous:
He hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.
Let them be put to shame and turned backward,
All they that hate Zion.
Let them be as the grass upon the housetops,
Which withereth before it [c]groweth up;
Wherewith the reaper filleth not his hand,
Nor he that bindeth sheaves, his bosom:
Neither do they that go by say,
The blessing of Jehovah be upon you;
We bless you in the name of Jehovah.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 129:1 Or, Much
  2. Psalm 129:2 Or, Much
  3. Psalm 129:6 Or, is plucked up