Psalm 126–127

PSALM 126

Thanksgiving for Return from Captivity.

A Song of Ascents.

¹When the Lord ^abrought back ¹the captive ones of Zion,

We were ^blike those who dream.

²Then our ^amouth was filled with laughter

And our ^btongue with joyful shouting;

Then they said among the nations,

“The Lord has ^cdone great things for them.”

³The Lord has done great things for us;

We are ^aglad.

⁴Restore our captivity, O Lord,

As the ^1astreams in the ²South.

⁵Those who sow in ^atears shall reap with ^bjoyful shouting.

⁶He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed,

Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

PSALM 127

Prosperity Comes from the Lord.

A Song of Ascents, of Solomon.

¹Unless the Lord ^abuilds the house,

They labor in vain who build it;

Unless the Lord ^bguards the city,

The watchman keeps awake in vain.

²It is vain for you to rise up early,

To ¹retire late,

To ^aeat the bread of ²painful labors;

For He gives to His ^bbeloved ^ceven in his sleep.

³Behold, ^achildren are a ¹gift of the Lord,

The ^bfruit of the womb is a reward.

⁴Like arrows in the hand of a ^awarrior,

So are the children of one’s youth.

⁵How ^ablessed is the man whose quiver is full of them;

^bThey will not be ashamed

When they ^cspeak with their enemies ^din the gate.