126 A Song of Ascents.
126:1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us;
we are glad.
4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like streams in the Negeb!
5 Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy!
6 He who goes out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.
Section Overview
Psalm 126 is a community lament that recalls a previous time of God’s mercy to his people (v. 1) and asks for a fresh display of that mercy (v. 4). The psalm does not specify the particular mercy or crisis in view (cf. comment on 126:1–3) and is thus well suited to a wide variety of comparable situations. In such crises God’s people may take encouragement from past events of mercy and pray for more of it.
The psalm’s structure is simple: verses 1–3 look back to a past occasion in which the Lord delivered Zion, while verses 4–6 ask for a renewal of this saving activity. The term “shouts of joy” appears throughout (vv. 2, 5, 6). The psalm’s images stress reversal, from bad circumstances and unhappiness to good ones and rejoicing.
Section Outline
I. Recalling the Past Restoration of Zion (126:1–3)
II. Prayer for a Renewed Restoration (126:4–6)
Response
Psalm 126 serves as a community lament; it can apply to the request for a good harvest and can also apply to other occasions in which the people can request God to restore their fortunes or to bring them from a situation of poverty and disgrace to one of fruitfulness and beneficial influence among the Gentiles. The psalm itself does not include a confession of the people’s unfaithfulness as the cause of their low fortunes, although the common usage of the expression “restore the fortunes” generally implies events subsequent to a period of judgment (cf. Deut. 30:3; Jer. 29:14; 30:3; etc.). As indicated above, the psalm denotes the people by their capital (“Zion”) to focus their attention on their reason for existence as worshipers of the true God.
Christian communities can use the psalm in at least two ways. One is to pray for the reversal of their fortunes at a time in which they are at a low ebb (perhaps as a judgment for their toleration of unfaithfulness, or when under persecution). Another usage is to recollect the way in which God has answered this prayer in the past. In both cases believers can see from the name Zion that their calling is to be worshipers who bring others into their worship (cf. Rom. 15:5–6; 1 Cor. 14:16; Eph. 2:20–22; 1 Pet. 2:4–5).Psalm 126
Psalm 127