God’s Word Translation
Psalms 126:1
1When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, it was as if we were dreaming.
Psalms 126:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
- New International Version (NIV)When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed.
- English Standard Version (ESV)When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.
- New King James Version (NKJV)When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, We were like those who dream.
Context of Psalms 126:1
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, it was as if we were dreaming. 2Then our mouths were filled with laughter and our tongues with joyful songs. Then the nations said, “The Lord has done spectacular things for them.” 3The Lord has done spectacular things for us. We are overjoyed.
Read all of Psalms 126Psalms 126:1 word by word
בְּשׁ֣וּב יְ֭הוָה אֶת־שִׁיבַ֣ת צִיּ֑וֹן הָ֝יִ֗ינוּ כְּחֹלְמִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 126:1
- Psalms 120:1When I was in trouble, I cried out to the Lord, and he answered me.
- Psalms 121:1I look up toward the mountains. Where can I find help?
- Psalms 122:1I was glad when they said to me, “Let’s go to the house of the Lord.”
- Psalms 123:1I look up to you, to the one who sits enthroned in heaven.
- Psalms 124:1“If the Lord had not been on our side …” (Israel should repeat this.)
- Psalms 125:1Those who trust the Lord are like Mount Zion, which can never be shaken. It remains firm forever.
- Psalms 53:6If only salvation for Israel would come from Zion! When God restores the fortunes of his people, Jacob will rejoice. Israel will be glad.
- Psalms 85:1You favored your land, O Lord. You restored the fortunes of Jacob.
- Ezra 1:1The promise the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah was about to come true in Cyrus’ first year as king of Persia. The Lord inspired the king to make this announcement throughout his whole kingdom and then to put it in writing.
- Job 42:10After Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored Job’s prosperity and gave him twice as much ⌞as he had before⌟.
- Jeremiah 31:8“I will bring them from the land of the north. I will gather them from the farthest parts of the earth. Blind people and lame people will return together with pregnant women and those in labor. A large crowd will return here.
- Hosea 6:11“Yet, Judah, I have set a harvest time for you when I bring my people back from captivity.
- Joel 3:1“In those days and at that time, I will bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem.
- Job 9:16If I cried out and he answered me, I do not believe that he would listen to me.
- Mark 16:11They didn’t believe her when they heard that he was alive and that she had seen him.
- Luke 24:11The apostles thought that the women’s story didn’t make any sense, and they didn’t believe them.
Commentaries on Psalms 126:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1When the Lord turned again the captivity - When Cyrus published his decree in favor of the Jews, giving them liberty to return to their own land, and rebuild their city and temple. We were like them that dream - The news was so unexpected that we doubted for a time the truth of it. We believed it was too good news to be true, and thought ourselves in a dream or illusion. When the Romans had vanquished Philip, king of Macedon, they restored liberty to the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion - Margin, as in Hebrew, “returned the returning of Zion.” The Hebrew word which is rendered in the text captivity means properly return; and then, those returning. The ancient versions render it captivity. The reference clearly is to those who were returning to Zion, and the psalmist fixes his eye on them as returning, and immediately says that it was the Lord who had thus restored them. The whole was to be…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Those returned out of captivity are to be thankful. (1-3) Those yet in captivity are encouraged. (4-6) Verses 1-3 It is good to observe how God's deliverances of the church are for us, that we may rejoice in them. And how ought redemption from the wrath to come, from the power of sin and of Satan, to be valued! The sinner convinced of his guilt and danger, when by looking to a crucified Saviour he receives peace to his conscience, and power to break off…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-3The Lord brought about Israel’s restoration from exile, just as he had brought Israel out of Egypt (Psalm 114:1). The restoration transformed the weeping of the Lord’s people into laughter and showed the Lord’s character to the nations (Psalm 9:11; 64:9; Isaiah 12:4).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-61-3. 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; Psa 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).Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 126:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 126
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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