Mondays with the New Psalms: Psalm 129

Psalm 129

A song of ascents.

Viciously have they attacked me from my youth,
let Israel say now.
Viciously have they attacked me from my youth,
yet they have not prevailed against me.

Upon my back the plowers plowed,
as they traced their long furrows.
But the just LORD cut me free
from the ropes of the wicked.

May they recoil in disgrace,
all who hate Zion.
May they be like grass on the rooftops
withered in early growth,

Never to fill the reaper’s hands,
nor the arms of the binders of sheaves,
And with none passing by to call out:
“The blessing of the LORD be upon you!
We bless you in the name of the LORD!”
-NABRE


A Song of Ascents.

"They have pressed me hard from my youth,"
let Israel sing.
"They have pressed me hard from my youth,
but could never overcome me.

The plowmen plowed my back,
drawing long furrows.
Yet the LORD, who is just, has destroyed
the yoke of the wicked."

Let them be shamed and routed,
all those who hate Sion!
Let them be like grass on the roof,
that withers before it flowers.

With that no reaper fills his hands,
no binder of sheaves his arms.
And those passing by will not say,
"The blessing of the LORD be upon you!"
We bless you in the name of the LORD!
-Revised Grail Pslams


NABRE Notes:
[Psalm 129] A Psalm giving thanks for God’s many rescues of Israel over the long course of their history (Ps 129:1–4); the people pray that their oppressors never know the joy of harvest (Ps 129:5–8).


[129:4] The ropes of the wicked: usually understood as the rope for yoking animals to the plow. If it is severed, the plowing (cf. Ps 129:3) comes to a halt.

[129:6] Like grass on the rooftops: after the spring rains, grass would sprout from the coat of mud with which the flat roofs of simple houses were covered, but when the dry summer began there was no moisture in the thin roof-covering to sustain the grass.

[129:8] The blessing of the LORD be upon you: harvesters greeted one another with such blessings, cf. Ru 2:4.