They Have Afflicted Me from My Youth

A Song of Ascents.

¹ “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth”—

let Israel now say—

² “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth,

yet they have not prevailed against me.

³ The plowers plowed upon my back;

they made long their furrows.”

⁴ The Lord is righteous;

he has cut the cords of the wicked.

⁵ May all who hate Zion

be put to shame and turned backward!

⁶ Let them be like the grass on the housetops,

which withers before it grows up,

⁷ with which the reaper does not fill his hand

nor the binder of sheaves his arms,

⁸ nor do those who pass by say,

“The blessing of the Lord be upon you!

We bless you in the name of the Lord !”