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Psalm 129
1599 Geneva Bible
Psalm 129
1599 Geneva Bible
129 1 He admonisheth the Church to rejoice though it be afflicted. 4 For by the righteous Lord it shall be delivered. 6 And the enemies for all their glorious show, shall suddenly be destroyed.
A song of degrees.
1 They have oftentimes afflicted me from my youth (may [a]Israel now say)
2 They have oftentimes afflicted me from my youth: but they could not prevail against me.
3 The plowers plowed upon my back, and made long furrows.
4 But the [b]righteous Lord hath cut the cords of the wicked.
5 They that hate Zion, shall be all ashamed and turned backward.
6 [c]They shall be as the grass on the house tops, which withereth afore it cometh forth.
7 Whereof the mower filleth not his hand, neither the gleaner his lap:
8 [d]Neither they which go by, say, The blessing of the Lord be upon you, or, We bless you in the Name of the Lord.
Footnotes
- Psalm 129:1 The Church now afflicted ought to remember how her condition hath ever been such from the beginning to be molested most grievously by the wicked: yet in time it hath ever been delivered.
- Psalm 129:4 Because God is righteous, he cannot but plague his adversary, and deliver his, as oxen out of the plough.
- Psalm 129:6 The enemies that lift themselves most high, and as it were approach near to the Sun, are consumed with the heat of God’s wrath, because they are not grounded in godly humility.
- Psalm 129:8 That is, the wicked shall perish, and none shall pass for them.
Psalm 129
New English Translation
Psalm 129
New English Translation
Psalm 129[a]
A song of ascents.[b]
129 “Since my youth they have often attacked me,”
let Israel say.
2 “Since my youth they have often attacked me,
but they have not defeated me.
3 The plowers plowed my back;
they made their furrows long.
4 The Lord is just;
he cut the ropes of the wicked.”[c]
5 May all who hate Zion
be humiliated and turned back.
6 May they be like the grass on the rooftops,
which withers before one can even pull it up,[d]
7 which cannot fill the reaper’s hand,
or the lap of the one who gathers the grain.
8 Those who pass by will not say,[e]
“May you experience the Lord’s blessing!
We pronounce a blessing on you in the name of the Lord.”
Footnotes
- Psalm 129:1 sn Psalm 129. Israel affirms God’s justice and asks him to destroy the enemies of Zion.
- Psalm 129:1 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
- Psalm 129:4 tn The background of the metaphor is not entirely clear. Perhaps the “ropes” are those used to harness the ox for plowing (see Job 39:10). Verse 3 pictures the wicked plowing God’s people as if they were a field. But when God “cut the ropes” of their ox, as it were, they could no longer plow. The point of the metaphor seems to be that God took away the enemies’ ability to oppress his people. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 187.
- Psalm 129:6 tn The Hebrew verb שָׁלַף (shalaf) normally means “to draw [a sword]” or “to pull.” BDB 1025 s.v. suggests the meaning “to shoot up” here, but it is more likely that the verb here means “to pluck; to pull up,” a nuance attested for this word in later Hebrew and Aramaic (see Jastrow 1587 s.v. שָׁלַף).
- Psalm 129:8 tn The perfect verbal form is used for rhetorical effect; it describes an anticipated development as if it were already reality.
Psalm 129
New International Version
Psalm 129
New International Version
Psalm 129
A song of ascents.
1 “They have greatly oppressed(A) me from my youth,”(B)
let Israel say;(C)
2 “they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,
but they have not gained the victory(D) over me.
3 Plowmen have plowed my back
and made their furrows long.
4 But the Lord is righteous;(E)
he has cut me free(F) from the cords of the wicked.”(G)
5 May all who hate Zion(H)
be turned back in shame.(I)
6 May they be like grass on the roof,(J)
which withers(K) before it can grow;
7 a reaper cannot fill his hands with it,(L)
nor one who gathers fill his arms.
8 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.”
Psalm 129
King James Version
Psalm 129
King James Version
129 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say:
2 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows.
4 The Lord is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.
5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.
6 Let them be as the grass upon the housetops, which withereth afore it groweth up:
7 Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom.
8 Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we bless you in the name of the Lord.
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) 
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New English Translation (NET)
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