CORPUS-PSALTERIUMVol. VI
Corpus Psalterium Vol. VI cover

Corpus Psalterium · Vol. VI

Psalm CXXVI (126)

Cantillated — Communal Lament Turning

Paul Whitehorn

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Psalm 126 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.

A Song of Ascents.

1

When Yahweh brought back those who returned to Zion, we were like those who dream.

שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת בְּשׁ֣וּב יְ֭הוָה אֶת־שִׁיבַ֣ת צִיּ֑וֹן הָ֝יִ֗ינוּ כְּחֹלְמִֽים׃

2

Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, “Yahweh has done great things for them.”

אָ֤ז יִמָּלֵ֪א שְׂח֡וֹק פִּינוּ֮ וּלְשׁוֹנֵ֪נוּ רִ֫נָּ֥ה אָ֭ז יֹאמְר֣וּ בַגּוֹיִ֑ם הִגְדִּ֥יל יְ֝הוָ֗ה לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת עִם־אֵֽלֶּה׃

3

Yahweh has done great things for us, and we are glad.

הִגְדִּ֣יל יְ֭הוָה לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת עִמָּ֗נוּ הָיִ֥ינוּ שְׂמֵחִֽים׃

4

Restore our fortunes again, Yahweh, like the streams in the Negev.

שׁוּבָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה אֶת־שבותנו כַּאֲפִיקִ֥ים בַּנֶּֽגֶב׃

5

Those who sow in tears will reap in joy.

הַזֹּרְעִ֥ים בְּדִמְעָ֗ה בְּרִנָּ֥ה יִקְצֹֽרוּ׃

6

He who goes out weeping, carrying seed for sowing, will certainly come again with joy, carrying his sheaves.

הָ֘ל֤וֹךְ יֵלֵ֨ךְ ׀ וּבָכֹה֮ נֹשֵׂ֪א מֶֽשֶׁךְ־הַ֫זָּ֥רַע בֹּֽ֬א־יָב֥וֹא בְרִנָּ֑ה נֹ֝שֵׂ֗א אֲלֻמֹּתָֽיו׃

Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.

When the LORD brought

Zion's exiles home

we were

like dreamers

Our mouths were full

of laughter

our tongues

rang out with joy

The LORD has worked wonders

with these

The LORD has worked wonders

with us

and we are glad

Turn us back, LORD

turn our fortunes

like streams

running in the desert south

Turn us back, LORD

turn our fortunes

like streams

running in the desert south

Whoever plants with tears

will harvest with a ringing shout

He goes out, goes out weeping

carrying the bag of seed

He comes home, comes home singing

arms full of the grain

The LORD has worked wonders

with us

and we are glad

Whoever plants with tears

will harvest with a ringing shout

will harvest

with a ringing shout

Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.

Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 150 psalms free.

About these songs. They are a summary and a commentary on the Psalms, not a word-for-word translation. Read what these songs are →

What These Songs Are, and What They Are Not

These songs are not a word-for-word translation of the Psalms. They were never meant to be. Nor do they try to capture every idea in every psalm. In a song, that would be impossible.

What we have done is capture the essence of each psalm: what matters most in it. Think of each song as a summary. Think of it as a cheat sheet. The purpose of the psalm is still being met. God's word to mankind is still being heard.

Behind many of these lines is word research: deep study of the meaning of the Hebrew. So where a line sounds different from your translation, and you think it is wrong, study it. We believe you will find that the essence of what we sing is true.

The truth is that no one can set the Psalms to music without also becoming a commentator. That is what this is. It is a modern commentary on the Psalms: not only the Psalms themselves, and not only the Psalms being sung. So do not think that every word of the psalm is here. It is not. Read the psalm itself, in full.

Why do this at all? Because we believe God intended humanity to be surrounded by His word. This was always the entertainment He wanted us to have: not hours of television, not a day lost in a phone looking at nonsense. The blessed man of Psalm 1 meditates on God's word day and night. How can we meditate on His word if we do not surround ourselves with it?

As ministers, our first responsibility is to share God's word with people. That is what these songs are for.

Paul Whitehorn