Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 126:1
When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion - Margin, as in Hebrew, “returned the returning of Zion.” The Hebrew word which is rendered in the text captivity means properly return; and then, those returning. The ancient versions render it captivity. The reference clearly is to those who were returning to Zion, and the psalmist fixes his eye on them as returning, and immediately says that it was the Lord who had thus restored them. The whole was to be traced to God.We were like them that... read more
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 126
This psalm is entitled simply “A Song of Degrees.” See the Introduction to Psalms 120:1-7. There can be no reasonable doubt as to the occasion on which it was composed, for it bears internal evidence of having been composed with reference to the return from Babylon. It may have been designed to be sung as the returning captives went up to Jerusalem, but was more probably composed subsequently to that event, as designed to keep it in remembrance. It was evidently, however, written not long after... read more