שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת רַבַּת צְרָרוּנִי מִנְּעוּרַי יֹאמַר נָא יִשְׂרָאֵל

A song of ascents. Let Israel now say: They have greatly beleaguered me, from the time of my youth. The nation of Israel can truthfully claim that it has been surrounded by enemies from the very dawn of its history.

רַבַּת צְרָרוּנִי מִנְּעוּרָי גַּם לֹא יָכְלוּ לִי

They have greatly beleaguered me from the time of my youth, yet they did not prevail against me. Even though I have been plagued relentlessly by foes, they have been unsuccessful in their attempts to destroy me.

עַל גַּבִּי חָרְשׁוּ חֹרְשִׁים הֶאֱרִיכוּ לְמַעֲנִיתָם

Across my back the plowers plowed, as though they slashed at my flesh. They extended their furrows, creating a seemingly endless furrow.

ה' צַדִּיק קִצֵּץ עֲבוֹת רְשָׁעִים

But the Lord is righteous; He cuts the cords of the wicked, the thick cords by which they try to bind the righteous.

יֵבֹשׁוּ וְיִסֹּגוּ אָחוֹר כֹּל שׂנְאֵי צִיּוֹן

And eventually, all those who hate Zion will be put to shame and made to retreat.

יִהְיוּ כַּחֲצִיר גַּגּוֹת שֶׁקַּדְמַת שָׁלַף יָבֵשׁ

The psalmist now presents a graphic image of what will eventually befall these enemies. Houses in those days had flat roofs, some of which were made of a mixture of mud and clay. Therefore, at times seeds of grain would take root, though these never got beyond the initial stage of sprouting, as there was not enough soil to sustain their growth. The psalmist expresses his wish that the enemies be like this roof grass: They will be like grass on a roof, which withers before it flowers or produces grain,

שֶׁלֹּא מִלֵּא כַפּוֹ קוֹצֵר וְחִצְנוֹ מְעַמֵּר

and which does not fill the palm of the reaper, nor the bosom of the sheaf binder, as there are no stalks to harvest.

וְלֹא אָמְרוּ הָעֹבְרִים בִּרְכַּת ה' אֲלֵיכֶם בֵּרַכְנוּ אֶתְכֶם בְּשֵׁם ה'

And those who pass by will not say: The blessing of the Lord be upon you; we bless you in the name of the Lord. The custom was for passersby to offer a blessing to those engaged in harvesting. No such blessing is issued in this case, for there is nothing to harvest.