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A songשִׁירof the ascents.הַמַּעֲלוֹתWhen YHWHבְּ יְהוָהbrought backשׁוּבthe captivesאֶת שִׁיבַתof Zion,צִיּוֹןwe wereהָיִינוּlike those who dream.כְּחֹלְמִים
Psalms 126:1
Study it in the app“A song of the ascents. When YHWH brought back the captives of Zion, we were like those who dream.”
A people back from exile remember laughter; those who sow in tears reap with joyJoy and thanks
With the Hebrew beneath
Psalms 126:1, word by word
- A songשִׁירshir
song
A composition sung with words and melody, to praise or celebrate.
Where else “shir” appears- of the ascentsמַּעֲלוֹתmaalot
ascent
"Song of ascents", the title of psalms sung on the way up to Jerusalem.
Where else “maalot” appears- When YHWHיְהוָהyehva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yehva” appears- brought backשׁוּבshuv
bring back
To return something, restore.
Where else “shuv” appears- the captivesשִׁיבַתshivat
return, restoration
A return. Psalm 126:1 speaks of "the return of Zion": the return of the captives or the turning of their fortunes.
Where else “shivat” appears- of Zionצִיּוֹןtsiyon
Zion
See it on the mapWhere else “tsiyon” appears- we wereהָיִינוּhayinu
be
To be: "I will be their Elohim".
Where else “hayinu” appears- like those who dreamחֹלְמִיםcholmim
dream
To see images and scenes while asleep.
Where else “cholmim” appears
Translation note
The Hebrew says literally “brought back the return of Zion.” It can be understood as the return of the captives, as in verse 4, or as the change of their fortune.
Places in this verse
Zion
Today: Mount Zion hill, Jerusalem
A hill in Jerusalem; it first named the fortress David captured, and later sometimes the whole city.
David captured the stronghold of Zion and called it the city of David (2 Sam 5:7). The Psalms and prophets call it the place where God lives among his people (Ps 48:2).
The context
1 · This verse (above)
2Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “YHWH has done great things with these.”