1 M any a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say:

“ Many times they have persecuted me from my youth up,” Let Israel now say,

2 M any a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me.

“ Many times they have persecuted me from my youth up; Yet they have not prevailed against me.

3 T he plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows.

“The plowers plowed upon my back; They lengthened their furrows.”

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

The Lord is righteous; He has cut in two the cords of the wicked.

5 L et them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.

May all who hate Zion Be put to shame and turned backward;

6 L et them be as the grass upon the housetops, which withereth afore it groweth up:

Let them be like grass upon the housetops, Which withers before it grows up;

7 W herewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom.

With which the reaper does not fill his hand, Or the binder of sheaves his bosom;

8 N either do they which go by say, The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we bless you in the name of the Lord.

Nor do those who pass by say, “The blessing of the Lord be upon you; We bless you in the name of the Lord.”