Their wadis and river beds were normally dry, but rain could quickly restore them to life-giving streams. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. “Those who sow in tears will reap in joy” (v. 5). 1-3. Ross says that this is a prayer that Yahweh would return the remaining captives to Jerusalem (Ross, 669). Why would it have such large culverts when it gets only ten inches of rain a year? ), which the WEB has updated. Commentary John 1:6-8, 19-28 Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 Psalm 126 Scriptural Index Discipleship Isaiah 61:1-11 Discipleship Team Submit Discipleship Resources Music Song Selection for Advent 3B Liturgics He believes that the psalmist is praying for the return of the rest of the exiles. They needed a large drainage system––the largest I have ever seen. Psalm 126:1–6 1 When the Lord restored i the fortunes of a Zion, we were like those who dreamed. “When Yahweh brought back those who returned to Zion” (v. 1a). 3  (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2016), Tate, Marvin E., Word Biblical Commentary: Psalms 51-100 (Dallas: Word Books, 1990), Waltner, James H., Believers Church Bible Commentary: Psalms (Scottdale, Pennsylvania: Herald Press, 2006), Baker, Warren (ed. 1-3; 4-6). Both are filled with positive energy. It would take their best efforts to make the land productive again. The nations–that is, the people who worship other gods and often threaten Israel (cf. Find some music for Psalm 126 and sing the psalm. This brings credit to God among the ungodly. Psalm 126 Commentary by Brad Boyles Dr. J. Vernon McGee writes… “The Psalms are full of Christ. They dreamed of returning one day­­–– although they could hardly imagine how that might be possible. Professor of Old Testament and Alvin N. Rogness Chair in Scripture, Theology, and Ministry, A resource for the whole church from Luther Seminary. b Then it 3 But it is also possible that it is a prayer that Yahweh would restore Israel to its former prosperity. 126:1 When Hashem restores the fortunes of Tzion Psalm 126 refers to Tzion (ציון), one of the Bible’s names for Yerushalayim, which is also used in a more general sense for the entire Land of Israel. And like the psalmist in the Psalms of Ascent… 3. It also inspires respect for Israel, who obviously enjoys God’s protection. The word sub has a number of meanings: Turn, return, and restore being three of the more prominent ones. 126:4 126:1 "brought back" This verbal (BDB 996, KB 1427, Qal infinitive construct) has a wide semantic field. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2014), Gower, Ralph, The New Manners and Customs of Bible Times (Chicago: Moody Press, 1987), Kidner, Derek, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries: Psalms 73-150, Vol. “and we are glad” (Hebrew: sameah) (v. 3b). These psalms may have been sung by pilgrims ascending the road to Jerusalem (which was on a mountain) for the three great festivals:  Passover, the Feast of Weeks (which we know as Pentecost), and the Feast of Tabernacles. In this Psalm, the way of the righteous and the way of the ungodly are contrasted. “He who goes out weeping, carrying seed for sowing, will certainly come again with joy, carrying his sheaves” (v. 6). set the exiles free to return to Jerusalem. Acknowledging that the Lord had done great things for them indeed. (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1979-1988), Brown, Francis; Driver, S.R. Psalms 126:1. Because God’s gracious and faithful acts of restoration are so self-evident, even the blind nations can see them. Look in Psalm 120 about the covenant. PSALM 126 * The Reversal of Zion’s Fortunes 1 A song of ascents. set the exiles free to return to Jerusalem. Restore our fortunes, LORD, like streams in the Negev. “Yahweh has done great things (Hebrew: gadal)  for us” (v. 3a). 3 The Lord hath done great things for … Psalm 122:1-9 Why Going To Church Should Make Us Glad Psalm 126:1-6 The Psalm Of The Sowing Saint Psalm 126:5 The Passion And The Promise Psalm 136:1-26 Why The Saints Ought To Shout Psalm 137:1-4 The In this psalm, the theological theme of restoration is knitted together with the theme of rejoicing. 14b (Downers Grove, Illinois:  Inter-Varsity Press, 1973), Limburg, James, Westminster Bible Companion: Psalms (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000, Mays, James Luther, Interpretation: Psalms (Louisville: John Knox, 1994), McCann, J. Clinton, Jr., The New Interpreter’s Bible: The Book of Psalms, Vol. While the word goyim can mean nations in general, it was often use to mean Gentile nations––heathen. 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). Although one should not press the metaphor, one can make an analogy between the ancient pilgrimages that Israelites made to Jerusalem and the modern preparations that Christians make during Advent for Christmas. 85:1; Jer. In terms of theological content, “those who dream” are prophets–those who receive visions from God (see Joel 2:28-29). Jerusalem is on Mount Zion, so this verse speaks of the return of the exiles to Jerusalem. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007), Freedman, David Noel (Ed. 4 (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996), Ross, Allen P., A Commentary on the Psalms, 90-150, Vol. This word renanah means a joyful shout or singing. Anderson, A.A., The New Century Bible Commentary: Psalms 73-150 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1972), Broyles, Craig C., New International Biblical Commentary: Psalms (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1999, Brueggemann, Walter, The Message of the Psalms A Theological Commentary (Minneapolis: Augsburg Press, 1984), Clifford, Richard J., Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries: Psalms 73-150 (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2003), DeClaisse-Walford, Nancy; Jacobson, Rolf A.; Tanner, Beth Laneel, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament:  The Book of Psalms (Grand Rapids:  Wm. and Kahane, Ahuvia, The Oxford English-Hebrew Dictionary (Oxford University Press, 1998), Fohrer, Georg, Hebrew & Aramaic Dictionary of the Old Testament (SCM Press, 2012), Freedman, David Noel (ed. In other words, its not all, all, all the way up all the time. It is the normal word used for "repentance" (see Study the bible online using commentary on Psalm 126:3 and more! 5 Those who sow in tears will reap in joy. Interestingly enough, the word sebut means captivity rather than fortunes. To praise for God's favor to His people is added a prayer for its continued manifestation. The Negev (which means dry) is the far south region of Israel, a desert-like region that gets only eight inches (200 mm) or less of rain a year––barely enough to sustain subsistence agriculture. a bag of seed for sowing Psalm 126:6 with shouts of joy Cross references: Psalm 126:1: Ps. I When the LORD restored the captives of Zion, a we thought we were dreaming. But Ross, because of the proximity of this verse to verse 4, says “the psalmist’s concern was not with a harvest of wheat, but people” (Ross, 670). the restoration of Joseph to Jacob and his brothers, the restoration of the people to the land after the Exodus, the restoration of the ark to the people after the Philistines captured it, the birth of the Messiah; the restoration of Jesus to his parents, Dry river beds coursing with torrents of water, Farmers weeping as they plant because they did not expect a harvest, Those same farmers singing joyfully as they harvest, because creation has produced an unlooked-for bounty, Those same farmers bearing heavy sheaves of produce as they return home from the fields. 4 Restore our fortunes again, Yahweh, When they finally got to Jerusalem, even though it was in ruins, they could imagine restoring it to its former glory. INTRODUCTION: We are continuing in our study on the Psalms of Ascent, and our message series is called Stepping Stones to Gods Heart. 126 When the Lord brought back [ a]the captive ones of Zion, We were like those who dream. The psalmist is describing singing powered by exuberance and energy and enthusiasm. (General Editor), New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis, 5 vol., (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997), All Rights Reserved | © 1997-2020 Richard Niell Donovan. ), Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2000), Mounce, William D., (ed. They remembered how wonderful it was and how free they had been there. These images may reflect a prayer for rescue from drought, but they also may simply be metaphors for a people in need of God’s restoring actions in many different crises–crises of spiritual drought, of national military defeat, of plague, etc. The exiles had dreamed of Jerusalem for fifty years. The word gadal (great things) has several meanings. ), The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary, 6 vol. Read Psalm 126:3 commentary using The Treasury of David. ), Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Grand Rapids:  Zondervan, 2006), Renn, Stephen D., Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words: Word Studies for Key English Bible Words Based on the Hebrew and Greek Texts (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 2005), Richards, Lawrence O., Encyclopedia of Bible Words (Zondervan, 1985, 1991), Sakenfeld, Katharine Doob (ed. Only a remnant had returned; others remained in Babylon. Laughter and singing are expressions of joy. The Gospel readings for the Third Sunday of Advent in Years A, B, and C focus on the person of John. There is a more complete picture of Him in the Psalms than in the Gospels. It was known to wash cars down the street. And they know that until the Son of God comes again, we will be in constant and everlasting need of God’s continued restoration. The theme of restoration that began with Psalm 80 in Advent 1, and Psalm 85 in Advent 2, is continued this week in Psalm 126. They recall the testimony of the nations to God’s deliverance. 126:1-3 This strophe contrasts the Israelites' feelings about being taken captive into exile with the great joy of returning to Judah and Jerusalem and the temple. The temporal clause with which the psalm begins, “When the Lord restores the fortunes of Zion,” most likely has in mind the return of the people to the land following the Babylonian exile. 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