Psalms 126:4

¶ Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south.

Turn again {H7725} our captivity {H7622}{H7622}, O LORD {H3068}, as the streams {H650} in the south {H5045}.

Return our people from exile, ADONAI, as streams fill vadis in the Negev.

Restore our captives, O LORD, like streams in the Negev.

Turn again our captivity, O Jehovah, As the streams in the South.

Commentary

Psalm 126:4 is a heartfelt prayer for continued and complete restoration, following the initial joy of the return from Babylonian captivity described at the beginning of this psalm. While the first verses celebrate a miraculous deliverance, verse 4 reveals that the restoration was not yet total or fully realized for everyone. It's a plea for God to bring back those still in exile or to fully restore their fortunes.

Context

This verse is part of the "Songs of Ascents" (Psalms 120-134), sung by pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem for festivals. Psalm 126 specifically reflects the experience of the Jewish people after their seventy-year exile in Babylon. The initial return was a dream come true, but the reality was often challenging, with many still dispersed and the land needing significant rebuilding. Therefore, this prayer acknowledges God's past faithfulness while earnestly seeking further intervention for a full and complete return of prosperity and presence for the entire community.

Key Themes

  • Prayer for Full Restoration: The core message is a desperate yet hopeful cry to God for complete deliverance and renewal, both individually and nationally. It's a recognition that only divine power can bring about such a profound change.
  • Divine Intervention: The psalmist appeals directly to the "LORD" (Yahweh), indicating a deep trust in God's sovereign ability to act powerfully on behalf of His people.
  • Hope Amidst Incomplete Deliverance: Even after a significant event like the return from exile, challenges remained. This verse teaches us to persist in prayer for God's full work to be accomplished, holding onto hope for future blessings and God's good plans for His people.

Linguistic and Figurative Insights

The powerful imagery of "as the streams in the south" is central to understanding this verse. The "south" (Hebrew: Negev) refers to the arid, semi-desert region south of Judah. In this dry land, riverbeds (wadis) often remain parched for most of the year. However, when the seasonal rains come, these dry riverbeds suddenly and dramatically fill with torrents of life-giving water, transforming the landscape. The prayer, therefore, is for a restoration that is:

  • Sudden and Abundant: Like the sudden rush of water, a swift and overwhelming restoration.
  • Life-Giving: Bringing renewal and fertility to what was barren.
  • Divinely Initiated: The filling of the wadis is entirely dependent on God sending the rain, just as their full restoration depends on Him.

Practical Application

Psalm 126:4 offers profound encouragement for believers today. It reminds us to:

  • Persist in Prayer: Even when we have experienced partial blessings or breakthroughs, we are called to continue praying for complete spiritual, emotional, or physical restoration in our lives, communities, or nations.
  • Trust God's Timing and Method: Just as the streams in the Negev fill suddenly and powerfully, God can bring about unexpected and abundant restoration in His own perfect timing.
  • Maintain Hope: In times of waiting or struggle, this verse anchors our hope in God's ability to turn around seemingly impossible situations, bringing life and joy where there was barrenness and sorrow. It encourages us to look forward to the day when God will fully make a way in the wilderness for us.
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Cross-References

  • Psalms 85:4 (7 votes)

    Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease.

  • Psalms 126:1 (5 votes)

    ¶ A Song of degrees. When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

  • Joshua 3:16 (5 votes)

    That the waters which came down from above stood [and] rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that [is] beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, [even] the salt sea, failed, [and] were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.

  • Isaiah 43:19 (5 votes)

    Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, [and] rivers in the desert.

  • Isaiah 35:6 (5 votes)

    Then shall the lame [man] leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.

  • Isaiah 41:18 (5 votes)

    I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.

  • Hosea 1:11 (5 votes)

    Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great [shall be] the day of Jezreel.