The event was so great that it seemed like a dream to the people. Our mouth had never been filled with holy laughter if it had not been first filled with the bitterness of grief. 2 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. [16], Currently, in the Liturgy of the Hours, Psalm 126 is recited or sung at vespers on Wednesday of the third week,[17] In the liturgy of the Mass, it is read on the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time of the year B6, the second Sunday of Advent and 5th Sunday of Lent that year. 1 When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. In fact, it’s a major theme of the crucifixion/resurrection. There is a more complete picture of Him in the Psalms than in the Gospels. 2 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Psalms 126:1 When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. [14], Psalm 126 is one of the 15 Songs of Ascents recited after the Shabbat afternoon prayer in the period between Sukkot and Shabbat HaGadol (the Shabbat prior to Passover). And while we are in this world there will be matter for prayer, even when we are most furnished with matter for praise. He was back... © 2020 The Warehouse – All rights reserved. 2. Though other chapters of Scripture document remnant Israel returning from Babylonian captivity, the Psalms give us the song that they sang to God. Sorrow is our sowing, rejoicing shall be our reaping. After two or three generations (some 70 years) of captivity in Babylon, they are suddenly on the way back to Jerusalem, just as God had promised. All metrical versions of the psalms have been written by Tim and Julie Tennent in order to provide an open source psalter for public and private worship. A proverbial expression, encouraging faith in prayer put up for the return of the captivity, whether in a literal or spiritual sense. Use this table to get a word-for-word translation of the original Hebrew Scripture. 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". 6. Psalm 126, NKJV. Imagine their joy; they had been in captivity and the Lord just delivered them. Psalm 126 / Refrain: The Lord has indeed done great things for us. There is a fact to cling to. If there were no sowing in tears there would be no reaping in joy. But they did not believe that he was still alive, and did not show him honor.[6]. [18] It, along with at least eleven other proposals, was ultimately passed over in favor of "Hatikvah", which was ratified as the official national anthem in 2004. 126   When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion,    we were like those who dream. [26], The psalm is also sung to secular melodies such as "Waltzing Matilda", "The Longest Time","It's a Small World", Beethoven's Ninth, and college football songs, among many others. I think that's exactly what David is referring to in the first three verses of Psalm 126. At the core of the Gospel – that we profess to believe in and follow – is an underlying theme that the predictably heart-wrenching hour of darkness is followed by an exclusive, personal, tidal wave of joy! 3 The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Restore our fortunes, O LORD,    like streams in the Negeb! Although they aren’t the only... Ephesians 6 - As Paul brings his final thoughts to a close within his letter, he has spoken of a deep calling upon every Believer's life. The people felt as if they were in a dream.. and Psalm 126 gives a peep into the hearts of Jewish men and women who along with their parents and grandparents had been forced to experience this terrible time of great trouble. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Psalm_126&oldid=993599515, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2018, Articles with International Music Score Library Project links, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, "When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion", שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּֽ֫עֲל֥וֹת בְּשׁ֣וּב יְ֖הֹוָה אֶת־שִׁיבַ֣ת צִיּ֑וֹן הָ֜יִ֗ינוּ כְּחֹֽלְמִֽים, אָ֚ז יִמָּלֵ֪א שְׂחֹ֡ק פִּינוּ֘ וּלְשׁוֹנֵ֪נוּ רִ֫נָּ֥ה אָ֖ז יֹֽאמְר֣וּ בַגּוֹיִ֑ם הִגְדִּ֥יל יְ֜הֹוָ֗ה לַֽעֲשׂ֥וֹת עִם־אֵֽלֶּה, הִגְדִּ֣יל יְ֖הֹוָה לַֽעֲשׂ֣וֹת עִמָּ֑נוּ הָ֜יִ֗ינוּ שְׂמֵחִֽים, שׁוּבָ֣ה יְ֖הֹוָה אֶת־שְׁבִיתֵ֑נוּ (כתיב שְׁבִותֵ֑נוּ)כַּֽאֲפִיקִ֥ים בַּנֶּֽגֶב, הַזֹּֽרְעִ֥ים בְּדִמְעָ֗ה בְּרִנָּ֥ה יִקְצֹֽרוּ, הָ֘ל֚וֹךְ יֵלֵ֨ךְ | וּבָכֹה֘ נֹשֵׂ֪א מֶֽשֶׁךְ־הַ֫זָּ֥רַע בֹּֽא־יָבֹ֥א בְרִנָּ֑ה נֹ֜שֵׂ֗א אֲלֻמֹּתָֽיו. It seemed too good to be true. "People that were dreaming" means that people could not believe the good thing that God did for them! In Henry's view, the psalm was written either by Ezra, who led the nation at that time or by one of the Jewish prophets. In other words, its not all, all, all the way up all the time. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." The psalm inspired the hymn Bringing in the Sheaves, the lyrics were written in 1874 by Knowles Shaw, now usually set to a tune by George Minor, written in 1880. This six-verse psalm is a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Anglican and Protestant liturgies. No matter where we may be standing today,  now God has greater plans for restoration even if the facts don’t dictate such a thing. Psalms 126. Parts of this psalm have been singled out, for example They that sow in tears shall reap in joy is included in Ein deutsches Requiem by Johannes Brahms. Psalm 126:5 Translation & Meaning. 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