Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 126:4
Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south.
4. Turn again our captivity ] Or, Restore our fortunes.
as the streams in the South] The Negeb, or ‘South’ country, literally ‘the dry region,’ was the arid waterless district to the south of Judah (Jdg 1:15), where in summer all the brooks dry up, and are only filled by the autumn rains. Thus far the restoration of Israel has been only as it were a scanty thread of water trickling among the stones, but as in the due season Jehovah refills those stony stream-beds with abundance of sparkling rushing water, so He can re-animate the feeble community of Israel with fresh and vigorous life, and multiply its scanty numbers into the crowds which the prophet’s vision saw streaming to Jerusalem (Isa 49:18).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
4 6. Prayer for fuller blessing, and the expression of confident faith that efforts however feeble must bear fruit. These verses evidently imply a background of disappointed hopes and anxious struggles.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Turn again our captivity, O Lord – literally, Turn our captivity. The word again is inserted by the translators, and conveys an idea which is not necessarily in the original. It is simply a prayer that God would turn their captivity; that is, looking upon the captivity as not wholly ended, or as, in some sense, still continuing, that it might please him wholly to turn it, or to end it. The language would be applicable, if there was a new captivity similar to the one from which they had been delivered, or if the one mainly referred to was not complete; that is, if a part of the people still remained in bondage. The latter is probably the idea, that while a considerable part of the nation had been restored, and while an order had been issued for the restoration of all the captives to their native land, it was still true that a portion of them remained in exile; and the prayer is, that God would interfere in their behalf, and complete the work. A portion of the exiles, in fact, returned under Cyrus; a part under Darius; a part under Xerxes and his successors. The return was by no means accomplished at once, but occupied a succession of years.
As the streams in the south – In the southern parts of Palestine, or in the regions bordering it on the south – Idumea and Arabia. That is, As those streams when dried up by the summer heat are swelled by autumnal and winter rains, so let the streams of the returning people, which seem now to be diminished, be swelled by augmenting numbers coming again to their own land. Let the companies of returning emigrants be kept full, like swollen streams, until all shall have been brought back.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 126:4
Turn again our captivity, O Lord.
The thankful pray
For they have proved the use of prayer. As prayer found cause for praise, gratitude sees reason for renewed supplication. The Lord turned Himself to the turning of Zion. God returns to His people when they return to Him (Deu 4:30-31; Deu 30:1-3; Deu 30:9-10; Neh 1:9; Job 42:10; Psa 145:18-19; Isa 10:21-22; Isa 55:7; Isa 59:20; Jer 31:8-9; Jam 4:8). He liberated the exiles when they repented and offered supplication. If they have reached Mount Zion, there is still need for them to pray. Jehovahs gracious hand has so lifted them a degree higher on the footsteps of His throne, that they may be nearer His inclined ear with their petitions. Let them say to Him, in the language of humble dependence, Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south. Thou art to the soul like rain and fountains to the fields. Drought disappears before Thy breath; and the touch of Thy merciful feet clothes earth with beauty and plenty. And, from their past experience, from the constancy with which God has kept His word, from His demonstrated and eternal unchangeableness, they expect that for which they pray. Faith pleads the promises of Him who cannot lie (Gen 8:22; Psa 85:1-13.). Thou art the same Lord, whose property is always to have mercy. Thy sure mercy we look for. A praying and praising heart is ready for showers of blessing (Joe 2:21). (E. J. Robinson.)
As the streams in the south.—
The streams in the south
In the East the rivers in the dry seasons are little more than fleeting streams, and sometimes they are entirely evaporated by the powerful action of the suns rays. The rainy season comes, and the beds, forsaken of the ancient river, begin to receive their annual tribute from the fruitful clouds, and the mountain-torrent, rolling in its accustomed channel, causes the streams to return again, changing the sandy waste into the majestic river, raising the sewers hopes, replenishing this parched land with the long-desired verdure, and man and beast again rejoice in the earths abundance. Thus prayed the pious psalmist:–Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south: that as the inhabitants of these sultry regions rejoice in the return of the reviving streams, so we, restored to our beloved country and temple, may rejoice in the long-expected deliverance. (W. Brown.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 4. Turn again our captivity] This is either a recital of the prayer they had used before their deliverance; or it is a prayer for those who still remained in the provinces beyond the Euphrates. The Jewish captives did not all return at once; they came back at different times, and under different leaders, Ezra, Nehemiah, Zerubbabel, c.
As the streams in the south.] Probably the Nile is meant. It is now pretty well known that the Nile has its origin in the kingdom of Damot and runs from south to north through different countries, till, passing through Egypt, it empties itself into the Mediterranean Sea. It is possible, however, that they might have had in view some rapid rivers that either rose in the south, or had a southern direction; and they desired that their return might be as rapid and as abundant as the waters of those rivers. But we know that the Nile proceeds from the south, divides itself into several streams as it passes through Egypt, and falls by seven mouths into the Mediterranean.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Turn again our captivity; as thou hast brought us home, bring home also the rest of our brethren, who, are dispersed and yet remain captives in Babylon, or in any other parts oft he world. As the streams in the south; as thou art eased sometimes to send floods of water into dry and barren grounds, such as the southern parts of Canaan and the parts adjacent were; which is an act of thy great power and goodness; and no less will this reduction of thy people be, and no less shall we rejoice in it, and bless God for it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. All did not return at once;hence the prayer for repeated favors.
as the streams in thesouthor, the torrents in the desert south of Judea, dependenton rain (Jos 15:9), reappearingafter dry seasons (compare Job 6:15;Psa 68:9). The point ofcomparison is joy at the reappearing of what has been so painfullymissed.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Turn again our captivity, O Lord,…. This prayer for the return of the captivity shows that it was not as yet: though some think that this is a petition of those that were returned from captivity, for those of their brethren that stayed behind; who, enjoying the sweets of their liberty, pray for their brethren to come and share with them, that so the mercy and blessing might be completed. This may very well be considered as a petition; either for the coming of the Redeemer, and redemption by him from the captivity of sin and Satan, and the law; or for the conversion of the Jews in the latter day. Either of which would be
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 Isa 41:18. 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.”
The allusion seems to be to Judea, lying south of Babylon; and to the southern parts of Judea, which were dry; see Jos 15:19.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
But still the work so mightily and graciously begun is not completed. Those who up to the present time have returned, out of whose heart this Psalm is, as it were, composed, are only like a small vanguard in relation to the whole nation. Instead of the Ker here reads , from , Num 21:29, after the form in Gen 50:4. As we read elsewhere that Jerusalem yearns after her children, and Jahve solemnly assures her, “thou shalt put them all on as jewels and gird thyself like a bride” (Isa 49:18), so here the poet proceeds from the idea that the holy land yearns after an abundant, reanimating influx of population, as the Negeb (i.e., the Judaean south country, Gen 20:1, and in general the south country lying towards the desert of Sinai) thirsts for the rain-water streams, which disappear in the summer season and regularly return in the winter season. Concerning , “a water-holding channel,” vid., on Psa 18:16. If we translate converte captivitatem nostram (as Jerome does, following the lxx), we shall not know what to do with the figure, whereas in connection with the rendering reduc captivos nostros it is just as beautifully adapted to the object as to the governing verb. If we have rightly referred negeb not to the land of the Exile but to the Land of Promise, whose appearance at this time is still so unlike the promise, we shall now also understand by those who sow in tears not the exiles, but those who have already returned home, who are again sowing the old soil of their native land, and that with tears, because the ground is so parched that there is little hope of the seed springing up. But this tearful sowing will be followed by a joyful harvest. One is reminded here of the drought and failure of the crops with which the new colony was visited in the time of Haggai, and of the coming blessing promised by the prophet with a view to the work of the building of the Temple being vigorously carried forward. Here, however, the tearful sowing is only an emblem of the new foundation-laying, which really took place not without many tears (Ezr 3:12), amidst sorrowful and depressed circumstances; but in its general sense the language of the Psalm coincides with the language of the Preacher on the Mount, Mat 5:4: Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. The subject to Psa 126:6 is the husbandman, and without a figure, every member of the ecclesia pressa. The gerundial construction in Psa 126:6 (as in 2Sa 3:16; Jer 50:4, cf. the more Indo-Germanic style of expression in 2Sa 15:30) depicts the continual passing along, here the going to and fro of the sorrowfully pensive man; and Psa 126:6 the undoubted coming and sure appearing of him who is highly blessed beyond expectation. The former bears , the seed-draught, i.e., the handful of seed taken from the rest for casting out (for in Amo 9:13 signifies to cast forth the seed along the furrows); the latter his sheaves, the produce ( ), such as puts him to the blush, of his, as it appeared to him, forlorn sowing. As by the sowing we are to understand everything that each individual contributes towards the building up of the kingdom of God, so by the sheaves, the wholesome fruit which, by God bestowing His blessing upon it beyond our prayer and comprehension, springs up from it.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| Hope for the Sorrowful. | |
4 Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south. 5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
These verses look forward to the mercies that were yet wanted. Those that had come out of captivity were still in distress, even in their own land (Neh. i. 3), and many yet remained in Babylon; and therefore they rejoiced with trembling, and bore upon their hearts the grievances that were yet to be redressed. We have here, 1. A prayer for the perfecting of their deliverance (v. 4): “Turn again our captivity. Let those that have returned to their own land be eased of the burdens which they are yet groaning under. Let those that remain in Babylon have their hearts stirred up, as ours were, to take the benefit of the liberty granted.” The beginnings of mercy are encouragements to us to pray for the completing of it. And while we are here in this world there will still be matter for prayer, even when we are most furnished with matter for praise. And, when we are free and in prosperity ourselves, we must not be unmindful of our brethren that are in trouble and under restraint. The bringing of those that were yet in captivity to join with their brethren that had returned would be as welcome to both sides as streams of water in those countries, which, lying far south, were parched and dry. As cold water to a thirsty soul, so would this good news be from that far country, Prov. xxv. 25. 2. A promise for their encouragement to wait for it, assuring them that, though they had now a sorrowful time, yet it would end well. But the promise is expressed generally, that all the saints may comfort themselves with this confidence, that their seedness of tears will certainly end in a harvest of joy at last, Psa 126:5; Psa 126:6. (1.) Suffering saints have a seedness of tears. They are in tears often; they share in the calamities of human life, and commonly have a greater share in them than others. But they sow in tears; they do the duty of an afflicted state and so answer the intentions of the providences they are under. Weeping must not hinder sowing; when we suffer ill we must be doing well. Nay, as the ground is by the rain prepared for the seed, and the husbandman sometimes chooses to sow in the wet, so we must improve times of affliction, as disposing us to repentance, and prayer, and humiliation. Nay, there are tears which are themselves the seed that we must sow, tears of sorrow for sin, our own and others, tears of sympathy with the afflicted church, and the tears of tenderness in prayer and under the word. These are precious seed, such as the husbandman sows when corn is dear and he has but little for his family, and therefore weeps to part with it, yet buries it under ground, in expectation of receiving it again with advantage. Thus does a good man sow in tears. (2.) They shall have a harvest of joy. The troubles of the saints will not last always, but, when they have done their work, shall have a happy period. The captives in Babylon were long sowing in tears, but at length they were brought forth with joy, and then they reaped the benefit of their patient suffering, and brought their sheaves with them to their own land, in their experiences of the goodness of God to them. Job, and Joseph, and David, and many others, had harvests of joy after a sorrowful seedness. Those that sow in the tears of godly sorrow shall reap in the joy of a sealed pardon and a settled peace. Those that sow to the spirit, in this vale of tears, shall of the spirit reap life everlasting, and that will be a joyful harvest indeed. Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be for ever comforted.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
4. O Jehovah! bring back our captivity. The second part of the Psalm, as I have said, contains a prayer that God would gather together the residue of the captives. The Holy Spirit endited this form of prayer for the Jews who were already come home to their own country, that they might not forget their poor brethren who were still in exile. All the Jews, no doubt, had a door opened to them, and perfect liberty granted them, to come out of the land of their captivity, but the number of those who partook of this benefit was small when compared with the vast multitude of the people. Some were kept from returning by fear, and others by sloth and want of courage, on seeing such perils at hand as they apprehended they had not power to overcome, choosing rather to lie torpid in their own filthiness, than to undertake the hardship of the journey. It is probable also that many of them preferred their present ease and comfort to eternal salvation. What the Prophet Isaiah had foretold was no doubt fulfilled, (Isa 10:22,). That although the people were in number as the sand of the sea, yet only a remnant of them should be saved. Since, then, many openly refused the benefit when it was offered them, and as there were not; wanting many difficulties and impediments to be encountered by those who availed themselves of this liberty granted them by the good pleasure of the king, (92) so that it was only a few of sounder judgment and of a more intrepid heart, who dared to move a foot — and even they with reluctance, — it is no wonder that the Prophet requires the Church still to make supplication to God for the bringing back of the captivity. Along with this, the state of those who had already returned is also to be noted; for their land being in the possession of strangers, who were all their inveterate and sworn enemies, they were no less captives in their own country than among the Babylonians. It was therefore necessary, on a twofold account, that the Church should earnestly beseech God to gather together such as were dispersed; first, that he would give courage to the timid, awaken the torpid, cause the besotted to forget their pleasures, and stretch forth his hand to be a guide to all; and, secondly, that he would settle the body of the people who had returned in liberty and ease.
As to the similitude which follows, many think the sense to be, that the bringing back of their captivity prayed for would be as grateful to them as if water should flow through a desert. (93) We know how grievous and painful a thing it is to travel in a hot country through and sands. The south, is taken for the wilderness, because the region on the south of Judea was waste and almost uninhabitable. Yet it seems to me more just to say, that the grace of God is here magnified, and still more enlarged by the Prophet’s comparing it to a miracle. “Although it is a difficult matter,” he substantially says, “for the dispersed remnant to be again united into one body, yet God, if he please, can do this, just as he can cause rivers of water to flow through a parched desert.” He, at the same time, alludes to the road intervening between Judea and Babylon, as appears from the situation of the two countries. Thus the words will not require any supplement, the meaning being simply this, that the bringing back of their captivity would be as if a river should run through a barren and and country. And, certainly, to open up a way for the people who, so to speak, were swallowed up in a deep gulf, was as if a course had been opened up for irrigating waters to flow through a desert.
(92) “ Precaria libertas.” — Lat. “ Ceste liberte obtenue d’eux par le bon plaisir du Roy.” — Fr.
(93) Walford reads, “like the streams of the south.” — “In the southern districts of Palestine and Arabia,” says he, “the heat is so vehement during some seasons as to dry up the rivers completely, and parch the soil. When rains come, the torrents again flow, and the soil is refreshed and verdant; — a delightful image of the joy experienced by captives on returning to their native land.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(4) Captivity.Here there is a change. The joy of the great Return was too great not to last on through many vicissitudes. But the poet now thinks of the many exiles still dispersed among the nations, and prays for another manifestation of Divine favour and power.
The streams in the south.Rather, the channels in the south. The allusion is to the sudden filling of the dry torrent-beds of the southern district of Palestine in the rainy season. So the poet prays that torrents of the returned may pour into the desolate and deserted country. (Comp. Isa. 49:18 for the same feeling, but under a different figure.) The LXX. have in the south wind, evidently thinking of the melting of a frozen stream, instead of the filling of a dry river-bed.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Turn again our captivity The work of returning to their native land from all the parts whither they had been scattered was not accomplished at once. It had now begun gloriously, but was not completed. It was nearly a hundred years from the return of the first caravan, under Zerubbabel, (Ezr 2:1-2,) till that under Nehemiah. Neh 2:5-11.
As the streams in the south As the brooks in the Negeb, or parched country the country of Arabia Petrea, called also “the South,” (Isa 21:1,) and often. Here the streams, which dry up in summer, (Job 6:15-20,) rise rapidly in the rainy season. In the region of Sinai, says Palmer, “a single thunderstorm, with a heavy shower of rain falling on the naked granite mountains, will be sufficient to convert a dry and level valley into a roaring river in a few short hours.” Thus the pious Jew prayed that the return of the exiles might be immediate, copious, and refreshing. “The poet proceeds from the idea that the Holy Land yearns after an abundant, re-animating influx of population, as the Negeb thirsts for the rain-water streams.” Delitzsch.
Psa 126:4-6. Turn again our captivity, O Lord This prayer seems to be, “We beseech thee to perfect this good work which thou hast begun, and turn our captivity, that we may refresh and cultivate thy holy land, as thou turnest the rivers of the south, the rivers of Egypt, to gladden, fructify, and replenish their dry and thirsty soil.” For the understanding of this verse, which, taken by itself, is a little obscure, we should observe, says Dr. Hammond, that the queen of Sheba, or Meroe in Ethiopia, is called, Mat 12:42 the queen of the South; and that the original word negeb, here rendered the South, signifies a dry and parched soil; and by a figure is very well used to signify the south, as the soil of the southern countries is very hot, dry, and burnt up with the sun. This, particularly, is the case in Egypt, where they would never have any crops at all, were it not for the annual overflowing of their rivers: so that the Psalmist here prays, that God would turn their captivity, as he doth the rivers of the south, or of Egypt, to gladden and replenish the otherwise parched and barren earth. Houbigant renders it in the past tense, thus, Our captivity, O Lord, is restored, as a river into a dry place. It seems to be agreeable to the context to render the verb in the perfect tense; and accordingly he renders the verbs in the next verses, in the same manner, They that had sown in tears, shall reap in joy. He went forth weeping, who sowed his seed: he shall return exulting, bearing his sheaves with him. Instead of precious seed, Mudge reads a cast of seed. The original words, says he, mean no more than the seed corn, which the sower carries with him, which is to be taken out, and with extended arm thrown into the earth. The sense and application of the allusion appears to be this: “As the poor husbandman, who, with a heavy heart, throws his seed into the ground in a time of scarcity, and in an unkind season, expecting little or no crop from it, yet frequently finds his corn springing up plentifully, and far beyond his expectation, and at the time of harvest goes home loaded with sheaves;so shall this small handful of people, who are come to plant themselves here again, and have laid the foundation of the temple with a great mixture of sadness and tears, (see Ezr 3:12.) then shout for joy, to see so great an increase of their brethren, and this pious work, by their means, brought to perfection.” See Neh 4:7-8.
REFLECTIONS.Great was the joy when, loosed from the Babylonish yoke, the captive Jews returned to Zion; greater will it be, when from their present dispersion they shall turn unto the Lord; but greatest will be the joy of God’s faithful Israel, when, by the redemption of Jesus finally and eternally delivered from sin and the grave, they shall meet at the heavenly hill, and all become one fold, under one shepherd. We have,
1. The pleasing surprise which seized them, on hearing liberty proclaimed by Cyrus, the instrument that God employed to execute his purposes. Scarce could they believe the glad tidings true; and, like men awaking from some pleasing dream: hesitated whether it were fancy or reality; but, soon convinced that God had remembered them, and turned their captivity, with songs of exultation they hailed the happy day. Thus when the awakened conscience, that poring over its guilt and misery has been ready to sink into despair, hears the good news of pardon, grace, and glory, richly and eternally bestowed on the vilest of sinners who will believe and obey, scarcely can the heart receive the message, it appears so much too great and good to be true, till, by divine faith assured of the veracity of the promises, the soul triumphs in God our Saviour, and is filled with joy and peace in believing. 3. The church’s prayer. Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south, which may be considered as their prayer for their expected deliverance, or as the request of those who were returned, and desired to have their brethren come up, who remained in Babylon: or as the request of the church of Christ, for deliverance from the antichristian yoke; or of the spiritual believer for himself, desiring deliverance from his indwelling corruptions, which would be more welcome than rivers of water in the parched deserts of Arabia to the fainting traveller.
4. The promise in answer to their prayer. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy, which may be applied, 1. To every true penitent, who, with tears of penitential sorrow, returns unto God, a precious seed which God regards, and upon which he will give his blessing, causing to spring up a plenteous harvest of peace and joy. 2. To every faithful minister who goes forth, bearing the precious seed of the gospel word, and weeps over poor sinners, who continue disobedient, for whose immortal souls he prays and labours, and God gives him to see the travail of his soul in many seals given to his ministry, his joy now, and to be his crown of rejoicing in the day of the appearing of the great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.
This forms a very suitable prayer, after the experience of such unlooked for mercies. The streams in the south most probably refer to those subterraneous waters that empty themselves, and are seen no more. Babylon no more retains her captives. The spiritual Babylon hath a period also, when it shall be known no more. Rev_18:2; Rev_18:20-21 .
Psa 126:4 Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south.
Ver. 4. Turn again our captivity, O Lord ] Perfect what thou hast so happily begun for us.
As the streams in the south NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psa 126:4-6
4Restore our captivity, O Lord,
As the streams in the South.
5Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting.
6He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed,
Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
Psa 126:4 a This imperative (like the infinitive construct of Psa 126:1 a) is difficult to understand. If Psa 126:1 asserts the return of the captives, why is Psa 126:4 a prayer for their return? This is why JPSOA uses the model of Psa 85:1 to assert that it is referring to the return of prosperity.
Psa 126:4 b This is a geographical metaphor related to water channels in the desert (i.e., Negev) called wadis. These being filled with water was imagery of a great blessing of future agricultural abundance (cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-30).
Psa 126:5-6 The promise of abundant water in Psa 126:4 b is extended to other agricultural idioms. The tears (BDB 199) would refer to
1. tears of joy at the restoration of the covenant (i.e., Israel back in the land flowing with milk and honey)
2. the results of Israel’s repentance
Psa 126:6 There are two examples of a grammatical form of intensification in this verse. Twice the infinitive absolute and imperfect verb of one Hebrew root are used.
1. he who goes to and fro – BDB 229, KB 246
2. shall indeed come again – BDB 9, KB 112
Those who plant in faith/repentance will reap in certainty (cf. Deu 30:1-10)!
NASBbag of seed
NKJV, NRSVbearing seed
REV, NJB,
LXXcarrying the seed
JPSOAseed-bag
This word (BDB 604 I) is used in Job 28:18 in the sense of drawing up and here possibly in the sense of a bag with draw strings. The verb form means to drag or draw (cf. Amo 9:13).
The Tyndale OT Commentary Series (vol. 16, p. 476) says the verb refers to a trail (i.e., drawing out) of seed (i.e., one row at a time, not sowing broadly).
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.
1. Why is it difficult to know the historical setting of this Psalm?
2. How does Psa 126:1 seem to contradict Psa 126:4?
3. What is the theological implication of Psa 126:2 -d?
4. Define Negev.
5. What does the weeping of Psa 126:5 imply?
streams = torrents. Hebrew. ‘aphikim. See 2Sa 22:16. Supply the Ellipsis, “as the streams [are turned] in the Negeb”.
in the south = in the Negeb, where, in the hill-country of Judaea the ‘aphikim are turned about in their beds between the rocks and in the gorges.
south. Hebrew Negeb; the hill-country of Judaea. See note on Gen 13:1, and Deu 1:7.
Psa 126:4
Psa 126:4
A PRAYER
“Turn again our captivity, O Jehovah,
As the streams in the South (the Negeb).”
This cannot mean, “Bring us back from Babylon again”! Therefore, the RSV would appear to be correct in reading the expression, “Restore our fortunes, O Lord.” Some scholars would apply it to the captives who yet remained in Babylon, preferring to live there, because they were “Unwilling to leave their possessions,” as Josephus said. However, we cannot accept such a view as a legitimate meaning of what is written here.
This is a prayer for a refreshing season of God’s blessings, as Briggs thought, “Probably a desire for good crops.” If the occasion was what it here seems to be, Malachi has the explanation of why the people might have been praying for prosperity. “They were robbing God”! (Mal 3:8-10).
This passage is an appeal to the evidence of God’s power in nature. The water courses in the Negeb (desert) all dry up during the dry season, but spring to life when the rains come. Israel is here praying that a similar refreshing may come to them. The Christian Hymn entitled “There shall be Showers of Blessing” is based upon these precious words.
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 126:4. This verse is in the form of a request, but it is actually a prophecy of the return of the nation of Israel from the Babylonian captivity.
Turn again: Psa 126:1, Psa 85:4, Hos 1:11
as the streams: Jos 3:16, Isa 41:18
Reciprocal: Job 42:10 – turned Jer 29:14 – and I will turn Jer 33:7 – will cause Jer 50:4 – going
Psa 126:4. Turn again our captivity, O Lord Perfect what thou hast begun, and as thou hast brought us home, bring home also the rest of our brethren, who still remain captives in Babylon, or are dispersed in that country, or in any other parts of the world; as the streams in the south Which would be as welcome to this desolate country as streams of water to the dry and thirsty grounds. Or, that we may refresh and cultivate thy holy land, as the rivers of the south gladden, fructify, and replenish their dry and thirsty soil. The Hebrew word , negeb, here rendered, the south, signifies, says Dr. Hammond, a dry and parched soil; and, by a figure, is very well used to signify the south, as the soil of the southern countries is very hot, dry, and burned up with the sun. This particularly is the case in Egypt, where they would never have any crops at all, were it not for the annual overflowing of their rivers; so that the psalmist here prays that he would turn their captivity, as he doth the rivers of the south, or of Egypt, to gladden and replenish the otherwise parched and barren earth. Bishop Lowth, however, and some others, think the image is taken from the torrents in the deserts to the south of Judea; in Idumea, Arabia Petra, &c., a mountainous country; which torrents were constantly dried up in the summer, and as constantly returned after the rainy season, and filled again their deserted channels: see Job 6:17-18. Thus the Jews had left their country desolate, but now flowed into it again.
126:4 Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the {d} streams in the south.
(d) It is no more impossible for God to deliver his people than to cause the rivers to run in the wilderness and barren places.
2. Petition for complete restoration 126:4
The streams in the south of Israel, the Negev, dry up in the parched summer months-but they become raging torrents during the rainy season. The psalmist used these streams as a figure of what the highways from Babylon could become with God’s further blessing. They could become flooded with travelers moving back into the land that God wanted His chosen people to occupy.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2. Their neighbours’ admiration, and their own acknowledgments. Then said they among the heathen, the Lord hath done great things for them; they who had before despised them, Psa 137:7 beheld with wonder and conviction God’s peculiar care over his people: and when divine grace converts the sinner’s heart, the blessed change will often extort conviction even from the enemies of the truth, and force them to acknowledge that it is the finger of God. The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad; gladly they echo back the confession of the heathens, and ascribe to their dear Lord, the praise of his wondrous work, the gracious instance of his love, the glorious matter of their joy.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)