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 pilgrimage song.

129 From youth, people have constantly attacked me—
    let Israel now repeat!—
    from youth people have constantly attacked me—
    but they haven’t beaten me!
They plowed my back like farmers;
    they made their furrows deep.
But the Lord is righteous—
    God cut me free from the ropes of the wicked!

Let everyone who hates Zion be ashamed, thoroughly frustrated.
    Let them be like grass on a roof
    that dies before it can be pulled up,
    which won’t fill the reaper’s hand
        or fill the harvester’s arms.
Let no one who passes by say to them:
    “May the Lord’s blessing be on you!
        We bless you in the Lord’s name!”