Psalm 126

Modern

Literal

Zion’s Captives Restored

¹A song of ascents.

When the LORD restored the captives of Zion,^a

we were like dreamers.^b

¹A Song of the Ascents. In YHWH turning back the captivity of Zion, we were like those dreaming.

²Then our mouths were filled with laughter,

our tongues with shouts of joy.

Then it was said among the nations,

“The LORD has done great things for them.”

²Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with a shout of joy. Then they said among the nations, “YHWH, has done great things for these.”

³The LORD has done great things for us;

we are filled with joy.

³YHWH has done great things for us; and we came to be glad.

⁴Restore our captives,^a O LORD,

like streams in the Negev.

⁴Bring back, O YHWH, our captives, like streams in the Negev!

⁵Those who sow in tears

will reap with shouts of joy.

⁵Those sowing in tears will reap with a shout of joy.

⁶He who goes out weeping,

bearing a trail of seed,

will surely return with shouts of joy,

carrying sheaves of grain.

⁶Going forth, he who goes and weeps, bearing the basket of seed, coming in, he comes with a shout, bearing his sheaves.