INTRODUCTION: We are continuing in our study on the Psalms of Ascent, and our message series is called Stepping Stones to Gods Heart. Whole Psalm. Remembering the former joy of a past rescue they cry to Jehovah for a repetition of it. The reason is this, because the south is a dry country, where there are few springs, scarce a fountain to be found in a whole desert. ... Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary. And while we are in this world there will be matter for prayer, even when we are most furnished with matter for praise. As the streams in the south - In the southern parts of Palestine, or in the regions bordering it on the south - Idumea and Arabia. The Wisdom of Righteousness (126:5-6). Psalm 126:4 Parallel Verses [⇓ See commentary ⇓] Psalm 126:4, NIV: "Restore our fortunes, LORD, like streams in the Negev." have “in the south wind,” evidently thinking of the melting of a frozen stream, instead of the filling of a dry river-bed. So hard. When we are free, and in prosperity ourselves, we must not be unmindful of our brethren that are in trouble and under restraint. Psalm 126:1-6 The Greatest Future Is Yet to Come is a sermon about letting go of the past, taking inventory of the present and looking to the future. Psalm 126. Let those that are returned to their own land be eased of their burdens which they are yet groaning under. The Targum seems to understand it of the change made upon them, like that made on the earth by those; paraphrasing the words, "as the land is turned, when streams of water flow out in a time of drought.''. As the streams in the south. Salem Media Group. Naturally there is joy for the husbandman when those valley beds are filled again with flowing waters. An EasyEnglish Translation with Notes (about 1200 word vocabulary) on Psalm 126. www.easyenglish.bible. PSALM 126:4-6. 3. a past act, Ps. Gordon Churchyard. The allusion is to the sudden filling of the dry torrent-beds of the southern district of Palestine in the rainy season. Psalms 126:4 - Restore our captivity, O LORD, As the streams in the South. 126:1; a prayer for YHWH to do it again, Ps. So you go to the building supply store and buy a bunch of those items and take them to your property. --Joseph Caryl, 1602-1673. These psalms trace the upward ascent of our heart to Gods heart, but its not smooth sailing all the way. Those who sow in tears sign in your account to have access to different features. And while we are in this world there will be matter for prayer, even when we are most furnished with matter for praise. username. It is the normal word used for "repentance" (see Special Topic: Repentance in the OT ) from the basic meaning "to turn" or "to return." I will pray for you tonight–that you will know that God sees you and your family, and that He knows. Words in boxes are from the Bible. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. The joyful are, in general, the most believing and the most hopeful; their expectation of success leads them to prayer, and impels them to effort. The second part of the Psalm, as I have said, contains a prayer that God would gather together the residue of the captives. They are these mighty strong torrents, which are caused by the showers of heaven: so the meaning of that prayer in the psalm is, that God would suddenly turn their captivity. Psalm 126:4-6, Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negev. And while we are in this world there will be matter for prayer, even when we are most furnished with matter for praise. It sends them to the throne of grace for the accomplishment of what was so marvellously begun. When the Lord returns the returnees to Zion, we shall be like dreamers. And like the psalmist in the Psalms of Ascent… So, the prayer is, let thy people return joyfully to their fatherland. This song likely was composed after the exile, in wondrous gratitude for God’s restoration, and in prayer for a furtherance of that work. We'll send you an email with steps on how to reset your password. 1. --J. W. Burgon, in "A Plain Commentary", 1859. This psalm is similar to Psalm 85, which rejoices over Israel’s return from Egypt (but contrasts with Psalm 137), which laments the pain of the Babylonian Captivity. Home × Home; Bible. A prayer for the perfecting of their deliverance. We use to say of things beyond our supply, Have we a spring of them? Whether ye understand here the Red Sea, or else the river of Jordan, it matters little. Believers, rejoicing in their own deliverance, solicitous for a flood of prosperity to overflow the church. Let the companies of returning emigrants be kept full, like swollen streams, until all shall have been brought back. 4 Turn again H7725 our captivity, H7622 H7622 O LORD, H3068 as the streams H650 in the south. Psalm 126:4, NASB: "Restore our captivity, O LORD, As the streams in the South." --William Gumall, 1617-1679. The streams in the south.—Rather, the channels in the south. Let those that remain in Babylon have their hearts stirred up, as ours were, to take the benefit of the liberty granted. It is the normal word used for "repentance" (see Special Topic: Repentance in … password Restore our captives, O LORD, like streams in the Negev. Psalm 125 Psalm 127 ... An integrated digital Bible study library - including complete notes from the Believer's Bible Commentary and the Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible (NIV and NRSV) - is just a step away! 6 He who goes out weeping, carrying seed for sowing, will certainly come again with joy, carrying his sheaves. Verse 4. As when Elijah sent his servant toward the sea, in the time of Ahab, he went and looked, and said, "there is nothing"; that is, no show of rain, not the least cloud to be seen; yet presently the heavens grew black, and there was a great rain: 1 Kings 18:44 . We wish it were, but its not. Who can turn again our captivity but he who turned it before? Verse 4. 126:4-6 The beginnings of mercies encourage us to pray for the completion of them. PSALM 126 PRAYERS: If you are in any of the situations listed above or more, then these powerful psalm 126 prayers are for you: Dear Lord turns exile into ecstasy, and banishment into bliss., Lord, Let our hearts gratefully remember all your former loving kindnesses; Dear Lord, strengthen my faith, I believe in you. All rights reserved. Thus let our captivity be turned thus speedily and suddenly, though there be no appearance of salvation, no more than there is of a fountain in the sandy desert, or of rain in the clearest of heavens, yet bring salvation for us. The notes explain some of the words with a *star by them. This Negeb, or South Country, the region stretching below Hebron, being comparatively dry and without water, was doubtless irrigated by a system of small artificial channels. The LXX. 5 Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. 126:4 126:1 "brought back" This verbal (BDB 996, KB 1427, Qal infinitive construct ) has a wide semantic field. Verse 4. Part 2: Psalm 128 Let’s suppose you wanted to build a house. The joyful can appreciate more fully the contrast of their condition to that of the undelivered, and for their sake cannot fail to be anxious for the church through whose ministry their deliverance comes. 3. a past act, Ps. Then shall our captivity be perfectly changed, even as the rivers or waters in the south, which by the mighty work of God were dried up and utterly consumed. Psalms 126 Commentary, One of over 110 Bible commentaries freely available, this commentary, by the leading authority in the Church of Christ, presents a verse level look at the Bible. Commentary on Psalm 126:4-6 (Read Psalm 126:4-6) The beginnings of mercies encourage us to pray for the completion of them. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Do not let us forget the past, but in the presence of our present difficulty let us resort unto the Lord, and beseech him to do that for us which we cannot possibly do for ourselves, -- that which no other power can perform on our behalf. Turn again our captivity, O Lord": Psalms 126:3-4 . RESTORE OUR FORTUNES AGAIN, YAHWEH. Joyful believers, other things being equal, know more of the constraining power of Christ's love, which makes them anxious for his glory and the success of his cause. A. Joy beyond expression at the return from exile. The time which God chose and the instrument he used to give the captive Jews their gaol delivery and liberty to return home were so incredible to them when it came to pass (like Peter whom the angel had carried out of prison, Acts 12:1-25 ), it was some time before they could come to themselves and resolve whether it was a real truth, or but a pleasing dream. We laughed, we sang, we couldn’t believe our good fortune. Isaiah 49:18 for the same feeling, but under a different figure.) Wherefore we take this Psalm to be a prophecy of the redemption that should come by Jesus Christ, and the publishing of the gospel, whereby the kingdom of Christ is advanced, and death and the devil with all the powers of darkness are vanquished. Copyright © 2020, Bible Study Tools. When the Lord restored the fortunes of#:1 Or Lord brought back the captives to Zion,we were like those who dreamed.#:1 Or those restored to health Our mouths were filled Commentary by Clyde M. Miller Questions by John C. Sewell countered in the reconstruction era following the return from captivity, as reflected in Ezra and Nehemiah. 5 Those who sow in tears will reap in joy. 4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like the watercourses in the Negeb. Verse 4. Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! We have seen how these Psalms operate in groups of three a psalm of trouble, followed by a psalm of trust, followed by a psalm of triumph. Psalm 126:5-6 can be tough scriptures to hold on to in hope, when faced with joblessness, or sickness, or unthinkable tragedies, or depression. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. 1 ¶ <> When the LORD turned again the captivity of … --Matthew Henry. Proud member as the streams in the south; as great and wonderful a work as causing rivers to be in dry places, and as grateful and acceptable as brooks and streams of water in southern countries: or like streams produced by the south wind, which brings rain, and melts the snow from the hills; which, running into the valleys, cause flows of water in great abundance: and so may denote the abundance of those that should share in the blessings of conversion, redemption, and salvation; as well as the wonderfulness and acceptableness of them; see Isaiah 41:18. Verse 4-6. "The Lord hath done" harmonizes well with the prayer, "Turn again." As Israel of old prayed that he would bring all their brethren scattered abroad in captivity back to their own land in one full stream, multitudinous, joyous, mighty, like the waters of Nile or Euphrates pouring over the parching fields of the south in the hot, dry summertime; so now should the members of Christ's church ever pray that all that profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Rivers come suddenly in the south: where no spring appears, nor any sign of a river, yet in an hour the water is up and the streams overflow. Turn again our captivity, O LORD. The point of comparison is joy at the reappearing of what has been so painfully missed. --Martin Luther. 6 Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves. 4 Restore our fortunes again, Yahweh, like the streams in the Negev. Psalm 126:4 Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south. As the streams in the south. 126:4 126:1 "brought back" This verbal (BDB 996, KB 1427, Qal infinitive construct ) has a wide semantic field. Chapter 126. 22 selected service outlines, 5 children's sermons, and 4 sermon illustrations based on Psalm 126:4 and about Psalms Psalms 126:4 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG) - Read this chapter. Verse 4. 5 May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy. But hold on to them, we must, for they are truth. Some do interpret this verse otherwise; that is, Turn our captivity, O Lord, as the rivers in the south, which in the summer are dried up in the desert places by the heat of the sun, but in the winter are filled up again with plenty of water. Some render it, As the mighty waters in the south. of Streams. Study the bible online using commentary on Psalm 126:4 and more! Rashi 's Commentary: Show Hide. Remark. Turn again our captivity, O LORD. Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south. So the poet prays that torrents of the returned may pour into the desolate and deserted country. Article Images Copyright © 2020 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. ... John Trapp Complete Commentary. Suffering saints are often in tears; they share the calamities of human life, and commonly have a greater share than others. Psalm 126:4, ESV: "Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negeb!" In streams they shall also in the latter days return to their own land, and replenish it yet again. They have got a handhold by this experiment of his power and mercy, and they will not now let him go till they have more; yea, their hope is raised to such a pitch of confidence, that they draw a general conclusion from this particular experience for the comfort of themselves or others in any future distress: "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy", etc., Psalms 126:5-6 . When we pray for the turning of our captivity, it is wise to recall former instances thereof: nothing strengthens faith more effectually than the memory of a previous experience. Psalm 126:4, KJV: "Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south." The allusion seems to be to Judea, lying south of Babylon; and to the southern parts of Judea, which were dry; see Joshua 15:19. The saints are oft feeding their hopes on the carcases of their slain fears. This psalm is titled A Song of Ascents. The words of the Psalmist imply that it is as easy for God to turn Israel back from Babylonian bondage to their own land, as for the horticulturist to direct the waters of the spring to any part of the land he chooses along the channels of the aqueducts. --J. F. --Thomos Stint, in An Exposition on Psalms 124-126, 1621. The Hebrew word for "streams" means strictly a river's bed, the channel which holds water when water is there, but is often dry. 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