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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Psalms CXXVI].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1710)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>P S A L M S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>PSALM CXXVI.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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<P>
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It was with reference to some great and surprising deliverance of the
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people of God out of bondage and distress that this psalm was penned,
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most likely their return out of Babylon in Ezra's time. Though Babylon
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be not mentioned here (as it is,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+137:1-9">Ps. cxxxvii.</A>)
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yet their captivity there was the most remarkable captivity both in
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itself and as their return out of it was typical of our redemption by
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Christ. Probably this psalm was penned by Ezra, or some of the prophets
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that came up with the first. We read of singers of the children of
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Asaph, that famous psalmist, who returned then,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+2:41">Ezra ii. 41</A>.
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It being a song of ascents, in which the same things are twice repeated
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with advancement
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+126:2,3,4,5">ver. 2, 3,
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and ver. 4, 5</A>),
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it is put here among the rest of the psalms that bear that title.
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I. Those that had returned out of captivity are here called upon to be
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thankful,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+126:1-3">ver. 1-3</A>.
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II. Those that were yet remaining in captivity are here prayed for
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+126:4">ver. 4</A>)
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and encouraged,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+126:5,6">ver. 5, 6</A>.
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It will be easy, in singing this psalm, to apply it either to any
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particular deliverance wrought for the church or our own land or to the
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great work of our salvation by Christ.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Ps126_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps126_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps126_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Deliverance from Captivity.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<CENTER>
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<P>A song of degrees.</P>
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</CENTER>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 When the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> turned again the
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captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
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2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with
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singing: then said they among the heathen, The L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> hath done
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great things for them.
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3 The L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> hath done great things for us; <I>whereof</I> we are
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glad.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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While the people of Israel were captives in Babylon their harps were
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hung upon the willow-trees, for then God called to weeping and
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mourning, then he mourned unto them and they lamented; but now that
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their captivity is turned they resume their harps; Providence pipes to
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them, and they dance. Thus must we accommodate ourselves to all the
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dispensations of Providence and be suitably affected with them. And the
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harps are never more melodiously tunable than after such a melancholy
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disuse. The long want of mercies greatly sweetens their return. Here
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is,
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1. The deliverance God has wrought for them: He <I>turned again the
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captivity of Zion.</I> It is possible that Zion may be in captivity for
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the punishment of her degeneracy, but her captivity shall be turned
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again when the end is answered and the work designed by it is effected.
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Cyrus, for reasons of state, proclaimed liberty to God's captives, and
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yet it was <I>the Lord's doing,</I> according to his word many years
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before. God sent them into captivity, not as dross is put into the fire
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to be consumed, but as gold to be refined. Observe, The release of
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Israel is called <I>the turning again of the captivity of Zion,</I> the
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holy hill, where God's tabernacle and dwelling-place were; for the
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restoring of their sacred interests, and the reviving of the public
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exercise of their religion, were the most valuable advantages of their
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return out of captivity.
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2. The pleasing surprise that this was to them. They were amazed at it;
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it came so suddenly that at first they were in confusion, not knowing
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what to make of it, nor what it was tending to: "We thought ourselves
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<I>like men that dream;</I> we thought it too good news to be true, and
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began to question whether we were well awake or no, and whether it was
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not still" (as sometimes it had been to the prophets) "only a
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representation of it in vision," as St. Peter for a while thought his
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deliverance was,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ac+12:9">Acts xii. 9</A>.
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Sometimes the people of God are thus prevented with the blessings of
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his goodness before they are aware. <I>We were like those that are
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recovered to health</I> (so Dr. Hammond reads it); "such a comfortable
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happy change it was to us, as life from the dead or sudden ease from
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exquisite pain; we thought ourselves in a new world." And the surprise
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of it put them into such an ecstasy and transport of joy that they
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could scarcely contain themselves within the bounds of decency in the
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expressions of it: <I>Our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue
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with singing.</I> Thus they gave vent to their joy, gave glory to their
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God, and gave notice to all about them what wonders God had wrought for
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them. Those that were laughed at now laugh and a <I>new song is put
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into their mouths.</I> It was a laughter of joy in God, not scorn of
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their enemies.
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3. The notice which their neighbours took of it: <I>They said among the
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heathen,</I> Jehovah, the God of Israel, <I>has done great things</I>
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for that people, such as our gods cannot do for us. The heathen had
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observed their calamity and had triumphed in it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+22:8,9,Ps+137:7">Jer. xxii. 8, 9; Ps. cxxxvii. 7</A>.
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Now they could not but observe their deliverance and admire that. It
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put a reputation upon those that had been scorned and despised, and
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made them look considerable; besides, it turned greatly to the honour
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of God, and extorted from those that set up other gods in competition
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with him an acknowledgment of his wisdom, power, and providence.
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4. The acknowledgments which they themselves made of it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+126:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>.
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The heathen were but spectators, and spoke of it only as matter of
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news; they had no part nor lot in the matter; but the people of God
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spoke of it as sharers in it,
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(1.) With application: "He has <I>done great things for us,</I> things
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that we are interested in and have advantage by." Thus it is
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comfortable speaking of the redemption Christ has wrought out as
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wrought out for us. <I>Who loved me, and gave himself for me.</I>
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(2.) With affection: "<I>Whereof we are glad.</I> The heathen are
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amazed at it, and some of them angry, but we are glad." While Israel
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went a whoring from their God joy was forbidden them
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ho+9:1">Hos. ix. 1</A>);
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but now that the iniquity of Jacob was purged by the captivity, and
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their sin taken away, now God makes them to rejoice. It is the
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repenting reforming people that are, and shall be, the rejoicing
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people. Observe here,
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[1.] God's appearances for his people are to be looked upon as great
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things.
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[2.] God is to be eyed as the author of all the great things done for
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the church.
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[3.] It is good to observe how the church's deliverances are for us,
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that we may rejoice in them.</P>
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<A NAME="Ps126_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps126_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps126_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Hope for the Sorrowful.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>4 Turn again our captivity, O L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, as the streams in the
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south.
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5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
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6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall
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doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves <I>with
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him.</I>
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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These verses look forward to the mercies that were yet wanted. Those
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that had come out of captivity were still in distress, even in their
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own land
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ne+1:3">Neh. i. 3</A>),
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and many yet remained in Babylon; and therefore they rejoiced with
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trembling, and bore upon their hearts the grievances that were yet to
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be redressed. We have here,
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1. A prayer for the perfecting of their deliverance
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+126:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>):
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"<I>Turn again our captivity.</I> Let those that have returned to their
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own land be eased of the burdens which they are yet groaning under. Let
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those that remain in Babylon have their hearts stirred up, as ours
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were, to take the benefit of the liberty granted." The beginnings of
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mercy are encouragements to us to pray for the completing of it. And
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while we are here in this world there will still be matter for prayer,
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even when we are most furnished with matter for praise. And, when we
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are free and in prosperity ourselves, we must not be unmindful of our
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brethren that are in trouble and under restraint. The bringing of those
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that were yet in captivity to join with their brethren that had
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returned would be as welcome to both sides as streams of water in those
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countries, which, lying far south, were parched and dry. As cold water
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to a thirsty soul, so would this good news be from that far country,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Pr+25:25">Prov. xxv. 25</A>.
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2. A promise for their encouragement to wait for it, assuring them
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that, though they had now a sorrowful time, yet it would end well. But
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the promise is expressed generally, that all the saints may comfort
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themselves with this confidence, that their seedness of tears will
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certainly end in a harvest of joy at last,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+126:5,6"><I>v.</I> 5, 6</A>.
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(1.) Suffering saints have a seedness of tears. They are in tears
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often; they share in the calamities of human life, and commonly have a
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greater share in them than others. But they <I>sow in tears;</I> they
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do the duty of an afflicted state and so answer the intentions of the
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providences they are under. Weeping must not hinder sowing; when we
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suffer ill we must be doing well. Nay, as the ground is by the rain
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prepared for the seed, and the husbandman sometimes chooses to sow in
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the wet, so we must improve times of affliction, as disposing us to
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repentance, and prayer, and humiliation. Nay, there are tears which are
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themselves the seed that we must sow, tears of sorrow for sin, our own
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and others, tears of sympathy with the afflicted church, and the tears
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of tenderness in prayer and under the word. These are precious seed,
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such as the husbandman sows when corn is dear and he has but little for
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his family, and therefore weeps to part with it, yet buries it under
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ground, in expectation of receiving it again with advantage. Thus does
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a good man sow in tears.
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(2.) They shall have a harvest of joy. The troubles of the saints will
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not last always, but, when they have done their work, shall have a
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happy period. The captives in Babylon were long sowing in tears, but at
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length they were brought forth with joy, and then they reaped the
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benefit of their patient suffering, and brought their sheaves with them
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to their own land, in their experiences of the goodness of God to them.
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Job, and Joseph, and David, and many others, had harvests of joy after
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a sorrowful seedness. Those that sow in the tears of godly sorrow shall
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reap in the joy of a sealed pardon and a settled peace. Those that
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<I>sow to the spirit,</I> in this vale of tears, <I>shall of the spirit
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reap life everlasting,</I> and that will be a joyful harvest indeed.
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<I>Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be</I> for ever
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<I>comforted.</I></P>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1710)
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