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A Prayer Against the Enemies

A song ·for going up to worship [of ascents; C perhaps sung while traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate an annual religious festival like Passover].

129 ·They have treated me badly all my life [L Many are my foes from my youth].
    (Let Israel ·repeat this [L say].)
·They have treated me badly all my life [L Many are my foes from my youth],
    but they have not ·defeated [overcome; prevailed over] me.
·Like farmers plowing, they plowed over my back [L The plowers plowed my back],
    making ·long wounds [L their furrows long].
But the Lord does what is right;
    he has ·set me free from those [L cut the cords of] wicked people.

Let those who hate ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple]
    be ·turned back in shame [L humiliated and turn back].
Let them be like the grass on the roof
    that dries up before it has grown.
There is not enough of it ·to [L for the harvester to] fill a hand
    or ·to make into a bundle [those who bind sheaves] to fill one’s arms.
Let those who pass by them not say,
    “May the Lord bless you.
We bless you by the ·power [L name] of the Lord.”

Psalm 129

A song of ascents.

“They have greatly oppressed(A) me from my youth,”(B)
    let Israel say;(C)
“they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,
    but they have not gained the victory(D) over me.
Plowmen have plowed my back
    and made their furrows long.
But the Lord is righteous;(E)
    he has cut me free(F) from the cords of the wicked.”(G)

May all who hate Zion(H)
    be turned back in shame.(I)
May they be like grass on the roof,(J)
    which withers(K) before it can grow;
a reaper cannot fill his hands with it,(L)
    nor one who gathers fill his arms.
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.”