Psalms 126

General context

The group says that when the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, they were like those who dream. Their mouth was filled with laughter and their tongue with singing, and among the heathen it was said that the Lord had done great things for them. The group repeats that the Lord has done great things for them and that they are glad. They then ask the Lord to turn again their captivity, like the streams in the south. The psalm says those who sow in tears shall reap in joy, and that the one who goes out weeping, carrying precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

Cited passages: Psalms 126:1, Psalms 126:2, Psalms 126:3, Psalms 126:4, Psalms 126:5, Psalms 126:6

Psalms 126 (KJV)

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Historical context

The source prints no heading for this psalm; verse 1 begins with "When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion", so no title, author or occasion is given and none is asserted. The psalm speaks of a captivity of Zion that the Lord turned in the past and of a captivity the group asks him to turn again, and it does not say what either captivity was, when it happened, or whether the two are the same. Zion is the only place named; "the south" is a direction attached to streams, not a named location. The speakers are "we" and "our" and are not otherwise identified. The words of "the heathen" are reported in verse 2 and then repeated by the group in verse 3, so the same sentence is spoken by outsiders and by the group itself. No Selah occurs.

Cited passages: Psalms 126:1, Psalms 126:4, Psalms 126:2, Psalms 126:3

Literary context

The psalm has two halves. Verses 1-3 look back: a turning already done, laughter, singing, and a line of praise that the heathen speak and the group takes up as its own with one pronoun changed, "for them" becoming "for us". Verse 4 turns to petition with the same verb, "Turn again", so the past act becomes the model for the request. Verses 5-6 answer the petition not with a promise from the Lord but with a proverb-like pair about sowing and reaping: tears and joy, going out and coming again, weeping and rejoicing, seed and sheaves. The image of streams in the south belongs to the petition and is not explained. Verse 6 is built as one long sentence with the word "doubtless" set in its middle.

Cited passages: Psalms 126:1, Psalms 126:2, Psalms 126:3, Psalms 126:4, Psalms 126:5, Psalms 126:6

Key moments

1. Like them that dream (Psalms 126:1). When the Lord turned the captivity of Zion, the group was like those who dream.
2. Laughter and the heathen's words (Psalms 126:2). Mouths fill with laughter and the heathen say the Lord has done great things.
3. Turn again our captivity (Psalms 126:4). The group asks the Lord to turn their captivity again like streams in the south.
4. Sowing in tears (Psalms 126:5). Those who sow in tears are said to reap in joy.
5. Coming again with sheaves (Psalms 126:6). The one who goes out weeping with seed comes back rejoicing with sheaves.

For reflection

The group remembers a turning that made them like dreamers, then asks for a turning again. What does it mean that the psalm holds a completed rescue and an unanswered request in the same six verses?