1A Song of degrees. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say:
2Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me.
3The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows.
4The LORD [is] righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.
5Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.
6Let them be as the grass [upon] the house-tops, which withereth before it groweth up:
7With which the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves, his bosom.
8Neither do they who go by, say, The blessing of the LORD [be] upon you: we bless you in the name of the LORD.