Corpus Psalterium · Vol. VI
Psalm CXXIX (129)
Cantillated — Communal Confidence with Imprecation
Paul Whitehorn
Study the Word
Psalm 129 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.
A Song of Ascents.
Many times they have afflicted me from my youth up. Let Israel now say:
שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת רַ֭בַּת צְרָר֣וּנִי מִנְּעוּרַ֑י יֹֽאמַר־נָ֝א יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
many times they have afflicted me from my youth up, yet they have not prevailed against me.
רַ֭בַּת צְרָר֣וּנִי מִנְּעוּרָ֑י גַּ֝ם לֹא־יָ֥כְלוּ לִֽי׃
The plowers plowed on my back. They made their furrows long.
עַל־גַּ֭בִּי חָרְשׁ֣וּ חֹרְשִׁ֑ים הֶ֝אֱרִ֗יכוּ למענותם׃
Yahweh is righteous. He has cut apart the cords of the wicked.
יְהוָ֥ה צַדִּ֑יק קִ֝צֵּ֗ץ עֲב֣וֹת רְשָׁעִֽים׃
Let them be disappointed and turned backward, all those who hate Zion.
יֵ֭בֹשׁוּ וְיִסֹּ֣גוּ אָח֑וֹר כֹּ֝֗ל שֹׂנְאֵ֥י צִיּֽוֹן׃
Let them be as the grass on the housetops, which withers before it grows up,
יִ֭הְיוּ כַּחֲצִ֣יר גַּגּ֑וֹת שֶׁקַּדְמַ֖ת שָׁלַ֣ף יָבֵֽשׁ׃
with which the reaper doesn’t fill his hand, nor he who binds sheaves, his bosom.
שֶׁלֹּ֤א מִלֵּ֖א כַפּ֥וֹ קוֹצֵ֗ר וְחִצְנ֥וֹ מְעַמֵּֽר׃
Neither do those who go by say, “The blessing of Yahweh be on you. We bless you in Yahweh’s name.”
וְלֹ֤א אָֽמְר֨וּ ׀ הָעֹבְרִ֗ים בִּרְכַּֽת־יְהוָ֥ה אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם בֵּרַ֥כְנוּ אֶ֝תְכֶ֗ם בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָֽה׃
Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.
Over and over
they came at me
ever since I was a child
now let Israel say it
Over and over
they came at me
ever since I was a child
Over and over
they came at me
ever since I was a child
and still
they could not win!
they could not win!
(over and over)
They ran their plows
down my back
dragging the rows out long
The LORD does right
He slashed the cords
the wicked tied!
Over and over
they came at me
ever since I was a child
and still
they could not win!
they could not win!
Let all who hate Zion
blush and back away
let them be grass on the roof
dry before anyone pulls it
never a handful for the reaper
never an armload for the one who binds
Over and over
they came at me
ever since I was a child
and still
they could not win!
they could not win!
and nobody walking by will say
the LORD's blessing on you
we bless you
in the LORD's name
Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.
Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 150 psalms free.