New English Translation
Psalms 126:1
1When the Lord restored the well-being of Zion, we thought 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 well-being of Zion, we thought we were dreaming. 2At that time we laughed loudly and shouted for joy. At that time the nations said, “The Lord has accomplished great things for these people.” 3The Lord did indeed accomplish great things for us. We were happy.
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 120:1In my distress I cried out to the Lord and he answered me.
- Psalms 121:1I look up toward the hills. From where does my help come?
- Psalms 122:1I was glad because they said to me, “We will go to the Lord’s temple.”
- Psalms 123:1I look up toward you, the one enthroned in heaven.
- Psalms 124:1“If the Lord had not been on our side” – let Israel say this! –
- Psalms 125:1Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion; it cannot be upended and will endure forever.
- Psalms 53:6I wish the deliverance of Israel would come from Zion! When God restores the well-being of his people, may Jacob rejoice, may Israel be happy!
- Psalms 85:1O Lord, you showed favor to your land; you restored the well-being of Jacob.
- Ezra 1:1In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order to fulfill the Lord’s message spoken through Jeremiah, the Lord stirred the mind of King Cyrus of Persia. He disseminated a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom, announcing in a written edict the following:
- Job 42:10So the Lord restored what Job had lost after he prayed for his friends, and the Lord doubled all that had belonged to Job.
- Jeremiah 31:8Then I will reply, ‘I will bring them back from the land of the north. I will gather them in from the distant parts of the earth. Blind and lame people will come with them, so will pregnant women and women about to give birth. A vast throng of people will come back here.
- Hosea 6:11I have appointed a time to reap judgment for you also, O Judah! Whenever I want to restore the fortunes of my people,
- Joel 3:1(4:1) For look! In those days and at that time I will return the exiles to Judah and Jerusalem.
- Job 9:16If I summoned him, and he answered me, I would not believe that he would be listening to my voice –
- Mark 16:11And when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.
- Luke 24:11But these words seemed like pure nonsense to them, and they did not 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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries