It may have been designed to be sung as the returning captives went up to Jerusalem, but was more probably composed subsequently to that event, as designed to keep it in remembrance. We see it; we feel it; we acknowledge it. This sentiment, "Coincides with the Preacher on the Mount, `Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted' (Matthew 5:4)."[13]. 2. Also, there is a key verse in the understanding of this idiom in Job 42:10 which reveals that, "God turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends; and God gave Job twice as much as he had before." Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; … "Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south." When our weeping's over, He will bid us welcome. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy - Though the sowing of seed is a work of labor and sorrow - often a work so burdening the farmer that he weeps - yet the return - the harvest - is accompanied with rejoicing. 126… Diligent work, the good seed which is the Word of God, and tearful earnestness on the part of the sower are the certain pledges of a bountiful harvest, when "We shall come rejoicing, Bringing in the Sheaves.". This psalm is entitled simply “A Song of Degrees.” See the Introduction to Psalm 120:1-7. The Lord hath done great things for them - In causing their return to their own land; in ordering the arrangements for it; in bringing their captivity to an end; in securing such interposition from the civil rulers as to facilitate their return. "Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible". i., pp. Polybius, in describing the joy of the Greeks when unexpectedly rescued from the Macedonians, says, "Most of the men could scarcely believe the news, but imagined themselves in … Whole Psalm. Commentary, Psalm 126 (Lent 5C), Mark Throntveit, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2013. Psalms 120-134 are 15 psalms that are called ‘Songs of Degrees’ or ascents. It is obvious here that the ASV, which we are following, renders these opening lines as a reference to the return of the Babylonian exiles; and, as we noted above, there is nothing in the psalm that denies this possibility. "[17], Thus, as Kidner noted, "The psalm, speaking first to its own times, speaks still. 1983-1999. Posted on Dec 21, 2015. It was a work of toil and tears, but there would be joy, like that of the harvest, when, their long journey over they should again come to their native land. Josephus gives this account of the edict of Cyrus. Shall doubtless come again - Shall come to this sown field again in the time of harvest. 1870. Psalms 126. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary 126:4-6 The beginnings of mercies encourage us to pray for the completion of them. Wherefore we take this Psalm to be a prophecy of the redemption that should come by Jesus Christ, and the publishing of the gospel, whereby the kingdom of Christ is advanced, and death and the devil with all the powers of darkness are vanquished. # 126:1 Or those restored to … A song of ascents. This cannot mean, "Bring us back from Babylon again"! When the L ord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. This must indeed have been an understatement. "We were like unto them that dream" (Psalms 126:1). Tho' the loss sustained our spirit often grieves. WHEN THE LORD RESTORED THE FORTUNES OF ZION (RSV). "[8] However, we are delighted that the same author candidly admitted that such an interpretation requires, "Reading into the text more than is warranted."[9]. Then said they among the heathen - The nations; the people among whom they dwelt. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/psalms-126.html. This will agree well with the account of the return of the exiles from Babylon, and with all that had been done for them by Cyrus. He has made us … Compare Isaiah 9:3. "[18] And what does it say to us? The design of this illustration was, undoubtedly, to cheer the hearts of the exiles in their long and dangerous journey to their native land; it has, however, a wider and more universal application, as being suited to encourage all in their endeavors to secure their own salvation, and to do good in the world - for the effort is often attended with sacrifice, toil, and tears. introduction to psalm 126 A Song of degrees . As God made his people free, (either from Sennacherib or from Babylon) so God has made us free. Compare Ezra 1:1-4. All other rights reserved. Every dry stream should be looked upon as a potential river. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. In this passage, the turning of Job's "captivity," simply meant the restoration of his good fortunes and not his release from imprisonment or captivity. Bibliography InformationBarnes, Albert. There is more in his redemption, his conversion, his peace and joy, than they do or can perceive, and with emphasis he himself will say, “The Lord has done great things for me.”. Biblical Commentary (Bible study) Psalm 126 EXEGESIS: CONTEXT: This psalm is composed of two sections: Verses 1-3 speak of a wondrous, joyful time "when Yahweh brought back those who returned … As he had “turned the captivity of Zion,” as he had filled their “mouth with laughter,” so the psalmist prays that he would again interpose in similar circumstances, and renew his goodness. Young converts - those “turned” from sin to God - sing. (Psalm 126:2) Before you can understand their laughter and joy, you must first understand their sorrow. When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. This song is titled A Song of Ascents.Like the others in the series of 15 Songs of Ascents, it was especially appropriate for those pilgrims on their way to … Check out these helpful resources Biblical Commentary Sermons Children's Sermons Hymn Lists Psalm 126:1-8 Too Good To Be True? Dr. J. Vernon McGee writes… “The Psalms are full of Christ. Surely the hand of Almighty God is visible in those events. "They were robbing God"! This is an argument wherewith he presseth the foregoing prayer, Psalm 126:4, taken from the common course of God’s providence towards men of all nations, to whom he affords vicissitudes of sorrow and … https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/psalms-126.html. The latter is probably the idea, that while a considerable part of the nation had been restored, and while an order had been issued for the restoration of all the captives to their native land, it was still true that a portion of them remained in exile; and the prayer is, that God would interfere in their behalf, and complete the work. The distress is frequently so great that government is obliged to furnish seed, or none would be sown. The Gospels tell us that He went to the mountain to pray, but the Psalms … With rejoicing … - Then his tears will be turned to joy. 2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the … We reject as ridiculous the notion that back of this verse is, "The ancient myth of the death of the god of fertility,"[15] and that the wailing when the sower sowed the seed made it fertile! Psalm 126 is the 126th psalm of the Book of Psalms, generally known in English by its first verse, in the King James Version, "When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream", and in Hebrew by its opening words, "Shir HaMaalot" (שיר המעלות בשוב ה’, a Song of Ascents). Copyright StatementJames Burton Coffman Commentaries reproduced by permission of Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. Please explain Psalm 126:5-6. For the title here we have selected the opening line of the RSV. Some question Josephus' writings; but the pertinent question is, "If Cyrus did not indeed give God the honor of ordering the return of Israel, how can we account for the fact that the Gentile nations of the world of that period ascribed the honor to God instead of to Cyrus? Ibrahim Pasha did this more than once within my remembrance, copying the example, perhaps, of his great predecessor in Egypt when the seven years‘ famine was ended. When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion - Margin, as in Hebrew, “returned the returning of Zion.” The Hebrew word which is rendered in the text captivity means properly return; and then, those returning. It is impossible, of course, to determine the exact date of this psalm. "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. It is, of course, now impossible to determine precisely to what this refers. A portion of the exiles, in fact, returned under Cyrus; a part under Darius; a part under Xerxes and his successors. This would indicate that the surrounding people had not an unfriendly feeling toward them, but that they pitied them in exile, and were disposed to acknowledge the hand of God in what was done. The water courses in the Negeb (desert) all dry up during the dry season, but spring to life when the rains come. What is stated in Psalms 126:3 is that Israel itself joined the chorus of the Gentile nations in praising God for the mighty things done upon behalf of the Chosen People. Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 126:5-6 The promise of abundant water in Ps. Therefore, the RSV would appear to be correct in reading the expression, "Restore our fortunes, O Lord." Delitzsch declared that, "Any other rendering than that of the LXX in these opening lines is impossible. 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