A Song of degrees.

129 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth—oh let Israel say—

² Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth; yet they have not prevailed against me.

³ The ploughers ploughed upon my back; they made long their furrows.

⁴ Jehovah is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.

⁵ Let them be ashamed and turned backward, all that hate Zion;

⁶ Let them be as the grass upon the house-tops, which withereth before it is plucked up,

⁷ Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand, nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom;

⁸ Neither do the passers-by say, The blessing of Jehovah be upon you; we bless you in the name of Jehovah!

A Song of degrees.

130 Out of the depths do I call upon thee, Jehovah.

² Lord, hear my voice; let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.

³ If thou, Jah, shouldest mark iniquities, Lord, who shall stand?

⁴ But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

⁵ I wait for Jehovah; my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.

⁶ My soul [waiteth] for the Lord more than the watchers [wait] for the morning, [more than] the watchers for the morning.

⁷ Let Israel hope in Jehovah, because with Jehovah there is loving-kindness, and with him is plenteous redemption;

⁸ And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

A Song of degrees. Of David.

131 Jehovah, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; neither do I exercise myself in great matters, and in things too wonderful for me.

² Surely I have restrained and composed my soul, like a weaned child with its mother: my soul within me is as a weaned child.

³ Let Israel hope in Jehovah, from henceforth and for evermore.