The plowers plowed on my back; They made their furrows long.”
Parallel translations
- WEB The plowers plowed on my back. They made their furrows long.
- KJV The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows.
- BSB The plowmen plowed over my back; they made their furrows long.
- NASB “The plowers plowed upon my back; They lengthened their furrows.”
- NLT My back is covered with cuts, as if a farmer had plowed long furrows.
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
Oppressors plowed long furrows across Israel's back like a field. It vividly depicts the deep, prolonged suffering inflicted on God's people.
Overview
Using a striking agricultural image, the psalm portrays enemies treating Israel's back as plowed ground, scarring it with long furrows. The metaphor conveys severe, sustained abuse. Such suffering anticipates the Servant of the Lord, whose back was literally torn for the salvation of His people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- Isa 51:23and I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you, who have said to your soul, ‘Bow down, that we may walk over you;’ and you have laid your back as the ground, like a street to those who walk over.”
- Ps 141:7“As when one plows and breaks up the earth, our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.”
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 129:3 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.