They Have Afflicted Me from My Youth

1 “Greatlya have they 1afflicted me 2from my youth”— 3let Israel now say—
2 “Greatly have they 4afflicted me 5from my youth, 6yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 7The plowers plowed 8upon my back; they made long their furrows. ”
4 The Lord is righteous; he has cut 9the cords of the wicked.
5 May all who hate Zion be 10put to shame and turned backward!
6 Let them be like 11the grass on the housetops, which 12withers 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, 13“The blessing of the Lord be upon you! We 14bless you in the name of the Lord! ”