Psalms 129
A psalm of survival against long affliction and hatred.
Psalm 129 opens with Israel recalling a history of suffering, "many a time have they afflicted me from my youth," yet insisting the enemy "have not prevailed." It offers a harder-edged companion to the blessing pronounced in Psalms 128, this time framed as survival rather than prosperity.
The `title of the hundrid and nyne and twentithe `salm. The song of greces. Lord, Y criede to thee fro depthes; Lord, here thou mi vois.
Thin eeris be maad ententif; in to the vois of my biseching.
Lord, if thou kepist wickidnessis; Lord, who schal susteyne?
For merci is at thee; and, Lord, for thi lawe Y abood thee. Mi soule susteynede in his word; my soule hopide in the Lord.
Fro the morewtid keping til to niyt;
Israel hope in the Lord.
For whi merci is at the Lord; and plenteous redempcioun is at hym.
And he schal ayen bie Israel; fro alle the wickidnessis therof.