✧A 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 housetops, which withereth afore it groweth up: ✧7Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom. ✧8Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the LORD [be] upon you: we bless you in the name of the LORD.