Psalms 126

Ps 126:1-6.

To praise for God's favor to His people is added a prayer for its

continued manifestation.

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;

Ps 14:7;

Pr 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

(De 30:2, 3).

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

(Jos 15:9),

reappearing after dry seasons (compare

Job 6:15;

Ps 68:9).

The point of comparison is joy at the reappearing of what has been so

painfully missed.

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,

Ezr 6:16, 22).

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

(Isa 35:10).

precious seed--rather, seed to be drawn from the seed box for sowing;

literally, "seed-draught." Compare on this Psalm,

Jer 31:9,

&c.