The Meaning of Psalms 129:1 Explained

Psalms 129:1

KJV: {A Song of degrees.} Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say:

YLT: A Song of the Ascents. Often they distressed me from my youth, Pray, let Israel say:

Darby: {A Song of degrees.} Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth oh let Israel say --

ASV: Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth up, Let Israel now say,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

{{A Song  of degrees.  }} Many a time  have they afflicted  me from my youth,  may Israel  now say: 

What does Psalms 129:1 Mean?

Study Notes

A Song of degrees
See title note; .
Literally, "of ascents." Perhaps chanted by the people as they went up to Jerusalem to the feasts. See, e.g. Psalms 112:1 ; Psalms 112:2 .

Chapter Summary: Psalms 129

1  An exhortation to praise God for saving Israel in their great afflictions
5  The haters of the church are cursed

What do the individual words in Psalms 129:1 mean?

A Song of Ascents Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth let say now Israel
שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת רַ֭בַּת צְרָר֣וּנִי מִנְּעוּרַ֑י יֹֽאמַר־ נָ֝א יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

שִׁ֗יר  A  Song 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שִׁיר 
Sense: song.
הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת  of  Ascents 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: מַעֲלָה 
Sense: what comes up, thoughts.
רַ֭בַּת  Many  a  time 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular construct
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
צְרָר֣וּנִי  they  have  afflicted  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural, first person common singular
Root: צָרַר 
Sense: to bind, be narrow, be in distress, make narrow, cause distress, besiege, be straitened, be bound.
מִנְּעוּרַ֑י  from  my  youth 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: נְעוּרִים 
Sense: youth, early life.
יֹֽאמַר־  let  say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
נָ֝א  now 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.