A Song of Ascents.

1 Many times they have afflicted me from my youth up.

Let Israel now say:

2 many times they have afflicted me from my youth up,

yet they have not prevailed against me.

3 The ploughers ploughed on my back.

They made their furrows long.

4 The LORD is righteous.

He has cut apart the cords of the wicked.

5 Let them be disappointed and turned backward,

all those who hate Zion.

6 Let them be as the grass on the housetops,

which withers before it grows up,

7 with which the reaper doesn’t fill his hand,

nor he who binds sheaves, his bosom.

8 Neither do those who go by say,

"The blessing of the LORD be on you.

We bless you in the LORD’s name."