Bible Commentaries
Psalms 126

Introduction

PSALM 126

:-. To praise for God's favor to His people is added a prayer for its continued manifestation.

Verse 1

1-3. When the Lord, c.—The joy of those returned from Babylon was ecstatic, and elicited the admiration even of the heathen, as illustrating God's great power and goodness.

turned again the captivity—that is, restored from it (Job 39:12 Psalms 14:7; Proverbs 12:14). HENGSTENBERG translates: "When the Lord turned Himself to the turning of Zion" (see Margin), God returns to His people when they return to Him (Deuteronomy 30:2; Deuteronomy 30:3).

Verse 4

4. All did not return at once; hence the prayer for repeated favors.

as the streams in the south—or, the torrents in the desert south of Judea, dependent on rain (Joshua 15:9), reappearing after dry seasons (compare Job 6:15; Psalms 68:9). The point of comparison is joy at the reappearing of what has been so painfully missed.

Verse 5

5, 6. As in husbandry the sower may cast his seed in a dry and parched soil with desponding fears, so those shall reap abundant fruit who toil in tears with the prayer of faith. (Compare the history, Ezra 6:16; Ezra 6:22).

Verse 6

6. He that goeth forth—literally, better, "He goes—he comes, he comes," c. The repetition implies there is no end of weeping here, as there shall be no end of joy hereafter (Isaiah 35:10).

precious seed—rather, seed to be drawn from the seed box for sowing literally, "seed-draught." Compare on this Psalm, Isaiah 35:10- :, &c.