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Psalm 126 Bible study: Those who sow in tears

Psalm 126 remembers the LORD bringing back those who returned to Zion, then prays with the same Hebrew verb, "Restore our fortunes again, LORD" (126:4). "The LORD has done great things" was said first among the nations, and the psalm took up the words (126:2-3). And one Hebrew word is both the singing of 126:2 and the joy of 126:5-6.

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“Those who sow in tears will reap in joy.”
Psalm 126:5 · World English Bible

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“In Psalm 126, "The LORD has done great things for them" is said among the nations before the psalm says it for us.”

Is that in Psalm 126, or not? Make your call.

What's really going on

It has happened, and it is asked for again

In the text

The psalm's title is "A Song of Ascents" (126:1) (tap Ascents); Psalm 120's notes set out what the lexicons say about it (Psalm 120:1). Then the psalm remembers: "When the LORD brought back those who returned to Zion, we were like those who dream" (126:1) (tap returned, dream). Brought back is shuv, a verb Brown-Driver-Briggs gives as "turn back, return". Three verses later the same verb opens a prayer: "Restore our fortunes again, LORD" (126:4) (tap Restore, fortunes). Here is what almost everyone misses: the psalm doesn't stop at a return it can celebrate. It remembers one, with laughter and singing (126:2) and "The LORD has done great things for us, and we are glad" (126:3), and then it asks the LORD, with the same verb, to do it again. In Hebrew 126:4 has no separate word for again: the line's one verb is shuvah, spoken to the LORD. The psalm doesn't say what the first bringing back was, or why it asks again.

Honest questions

Questions people ask about Psalm 126

That was a taste

The rest of Psalm 126 is waiting in Favor

  • Said first among the nations
  • One word for singing and for joy
  • Streams in a dry land
  • Going, and coming back
  • A dream and sheaves
  • Return, and come with singing to Zion
  • 7 questions as you read
  • 14 more Hebrew words
  • A short check at the end
  • Your notes, saved as you go
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The Hebrew word behind it

שׁוּבshuvsay SHOOV

Brown-Driver-Briggs: "turn back, return". Strong's gives it as "often adverbial, again". The psalm has it twice. It remembers: "When the LORD brought back those who returned to Zion" (126:1), where brought back is beshuv. Then it prays: "Restore our fortunes again, LORD" (126:4), where Restore is shuvah, spoken to the LORD, and there is no separate Hebrew word for again. Psalm 85 has the same verb in the same two ways, done and then asked for: "You have restored the fortunes of Jacob" (Psalm 85:1), and "Turn us, God of our salvation" (Psalm 85:4).

For your group

Psalm 126 Bible study questions

  1. 1The psalm remembers that "The LORD has done great things for us" (126:3), and then asks him to do it again (126:4). What has God already done for you that you lean on when you pray now?
  2. 2Others said it first: "The LORD has done great things for them" (126:2). Has someone ever seen God at work in your life before you did? Whose story of God's help could you tell this week?
  3. 3"Those who sow in tears will reap in joy" (126:5). What are you still doing faithfully through tears right now, and how can the group stand with you in it?

Leading a group? In Favor, everyone reads Psalm 126 during the week and answers these questions privately. Answers stay sealed until you meet, then appear together, and you can print the week's sheet.

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Questions

What is Favor?

Favor is a Bible study app that explains every chapter as you read: the Hebrew and Greek behind the words, the details most readers miss, and how each part of the Bible leads to Jesus. Read on your own, or start a Bible study with friends, family or your church.

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Hebrew and Greek words are checked against the original-language texts and public-domain lexicons. What we believe · Favor home