When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, We were like those who dream. Psalm 126:1
God will bring His people home rejoicing
Psalm 126, a song of Zion, is the 7th song of ascent. The distinctive element of this poem is that it comes from the time of the restoration of Jerusalem following the Babylonian captivity. The mood of this psalm is one of sweet joy following the sorrows of long separation. Psalm 126 is both a prayer for captives and a testimony to the conviction that God will bring His people home rejoicing.
126:1 The return from Babylonian captivity had been anticipated for so long that it seemed like a dream to the returnees. Some of the people had waited an entire lifetime. The joy of the people could not be contained; their praise to God was unstoppable. The mood of this section is one of laughter and joy, of rejoicing in God’s salvation (Is. 12).
1 A Song of Ascents. When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, We were like those who dream.
126:4 The people who returned were a small percentage of those who had been exiled. Bring back is the beginning of the prayer that God would complete the restoration of His people to their land. Ultimately, this is a prayer for the coming of Jesus, who will complete God’s work among His people.
4 Bring back our captivity, O Lord, As the streams in the South.
126:5 The people of Judah had gone to Babylon in tears. Yet their sorrow reaped tremendous rewards; the Lord came to the rescue of His humbled people (34:18; Is. 66:2; Matt. 5:4). Upon their return to Jerusalem and Judah, they were reaping a harvest of rejoicing.
5 Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy.
** This does not seem to be the time to laugh but to weep in grief. But our sorrow is not that of despair and we are joyful already. Because we know that the time of celebration is coming. Our task at hand to bear seeds for sowing – prepare ourselves to rescue others. They are God’s sheaves that God wants us to bring home.
He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him. Psalm 126:6
126 1 A Song of Ascents. When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, We were like those who dream. 2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” 3 The Lord has done great things for us, And we are glad. 4 Bring back our captivity, O Lord, As the streams in the South. 5 Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy. 6 He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him.
