Psalms 126:1
A Canticle in steps: of Solomon. Unless the Lord has built the house, those who build it have labored in vain. Unless the Lord has guarded the city, he who guards it watches in vain.
Catholic Public Domain Version
In The King James Version
When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
In Context
Cross References
Deuteronomy 30:3then the Lord your God will lead you away from your captivity, and he will take pity on you, and he will gather you again from all the nations to which he had dispersed you before.
Ezra 1:11All the vessels of gold and silver were five thousand four hundred. Sheshbazzar brought all these, with those who ascended from the transmigration of Babylon, into Jerusalem.
Job 42:10Likewise, the Lord was moved by the repentance of Job, when he prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave to Job twice as much as he had before.
Psalms 53:6For behold, God is my helper, and the Lord is the protector of my soul.
Psalms 85:2Preserve my soul, for I am holy. My God, bring salvation to your servant who hopes in you.
Psalms 121:1A Canticle in steps. I rejoiced in the things that were said to me: “We shall go into the house of the Lord.”
Matthew Henry on Psalms 126:1
It was with reference to some great and surprising deliverance of the people of God out of bondage and distress that this psalm was penned, most likely their return out of Babylon in Ezra's time. Though Babylon be not mentioned here (as it is, Ps. cxxxvii. ) yet their captivity there was the most remarkable captivity both in itself and as their return out of it was typical of our redemption by Christ. Probably this psalm was penned by Ezra, or some of the prophets that came up with the first. We read of singers of… Read the whole commentary →