“Many times they have attacked me from my youth up; Yet they have not prevailed against me.
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.
- BSB many a time they have persecuted me from my youth, but they have not prevailed against me.
- NKJV “Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth; 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 16:18I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
- Rev 12:8–9They didn’t prevail, neither was a place found for him any more in heaven.
- 2 Cor 4:8–9We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair;
- Ps 34:19Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but Yahweh delivers him out of them all.
- Ps 118:13You pushed me back hard, to make me fall, but Yahweh helped me.
- John 16:33I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have oppression; but cheer up! I have overcome the world.”
- Ps 125:1A Song of Ascents. Those who trust in Yahweh are as Mount Zion, which can’t be moved, but remains forever.
- Ps 42:1For the Chief Musician. A contemplation by the sons of Korah. As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants after you, God.
- Job 5:19He will deliver you in six troubles; yes, in seven no evil shall touch you.
- Rom 8:35–39Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Could oppression, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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.