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Psalm 126 · a question people ask

"Restore our fortunes again, LORD" (126:4). Fortunes, or captivity?

In the text

Our fortunes is shevut with our on the end (tap fortunes). Strong's gives the word as "exile, concretely, prisoners; figuratively, a former state of prosperity", and Brown-Driver-Briggs gives it in the phrase "restore the captivity of". The same pairing, the verb shuv with shevut, comes in other places, and the WEB gives it different English: "When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people" (Psalm 14:7), "When God brings back his people from captivity" (Psalm 53:6), "The LORD restored Job’s prosperity" (Job 42:10), and "the LORD your God will release you from captivity" (Deuteronomy 30:3). In 126:4 the Hebrew text is written one way and marked to be read another: written with the letters of shevut, and read shevitenu. Both are this word, and Brown-Driver-Briggs heads its entry with both spellings. The psalm doesn't say whether it asks for captives brought home or good days given back, and these notes don't say either.

The verses

“Restore our fortunes again, LORD, like the streams in the Negev.”
Psalm 126:4 · World English Bible
“Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.”
Psalm 14:7 · World English Bible
“Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God brings back his people from captivity, then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.”
Psalm 53:6 · World English Bible
“The LORD restored Job’s prosperity when he prayed for his friends. The LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.”
Job 42:10 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Psalm 126

Psalm 126: 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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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions