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many a time they have persecuted me from my youth, but they have not prevailed against me.
Psalms 129:2 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB many times they have afflicted me from my youth up, yet they have not prevailed against me.
  • KJV Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me.
  • NKJV “Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth; Yet they have not prevailed against me.
  • NASB “Many times they have attacked me from my youth up; Yet they have not prevailed against me.
  • NLT From my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me, but they have never defeated me.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Despite repeated affliction from youth, enemies have not prevailed against Israel. It celebrates God's preservation of His people through every assault.

Overview

The confession is repeated and then turned to triumph: though afflicted again and again, Israel has not been overcome. The survival of God's people testifies to His sustaining power against all opposition. The same preserving grace upholds Christ's church, against which the gates of hell will not prevail.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 10

  • Matt 16:18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
  • Rev 12:8–9But the dragon was not strong enough, and no longer was any place found in heaven for him and his angels.
  • 2 Cor 4:8–9We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;
  • Ps 34:19Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him from them all.
  • Ps 118:13I was pushed so hard I was falling, but the LORD helped me.
  • John 16:33I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”
  • Ps 125:1A song of ascents. Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion. It cannot be moved; it abides forever.
  • Ps 42:1For the choirmaster. A Maskil of the sons of Korah. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after You, O God.
  • Job 5:19He will rescue you from six calamities; no harm will touch you in seven.
  • Rom 8:35–39Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Psalms videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Psalms 129:2YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PsalmsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.

How Psalms 129:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.