Notes on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 126
The cxxvi. PSALM.
This Psalm shews the excess of joy the Iews, specially the Godly, had at Gods wonderfull infranchising them after their long captivitie in Babylon, which the heathen themselves admired God for, but much more his people, who pray for accomplishment of those happy beginnings, and promise out of their own experience and …aith, that all Gods people that undergo afflictions patiently, shall have them end happily.
See the title of the cxx. Psalm.Psalm cxxvi. A song of degrees.
1 AFter we had endured a long and grievous captivitie in Babylon,1WHen the Lord turned again the captivitie of Sion; we were like them that dream. (the figure of Satan and Antichrist) exiled out of our own countrey, and from the priviledges we there enjoyed of worshiping God in Jerusalem, at last when the set time was come, prefixed long before by Jeremiah's prophesie, and that according thereunto, the Lord so miraculously moved the heart of Cyrus, a heathen Potentate, to proclaim our libertie with so much unexpected favour and accommodation for our journey, and entertainment at our journeys end when we came into Canaan, with leave there to dwell, and to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple, and there to worship God as formerly. It was so great a mercy after so long a miserie, so unexpected and improbable, considering the disproportion of our abject condition, and Cyrus his greatness, not worth his taking notice of, and so strange to come of himself, an Infidel and Pagan, together with the suddenness of it, and the over-joy we conceived at it, that we know not whether we apprehended it sleeping or waking; we could scarce believe our own ears, what we heard of it, or our own hearts what we thought of it to be real, fearing the certainty, and yet hoping the truth.
2Then was our mouth filled with laughter, & our tōgue with singing: then said they among the heathen▪ the Lord hath done great things for them.2 But when we had over-come our amazement, and were come to our selves, and had digested the certainty and wonderfulness of the thing; O the unexpressable joy that we were in, like men besides our selves, not knowing how to vent our passions, sometimes congratulating it amongst our selves, with inarticulate laughter, and hands lifted up to heaven in stupified admiration, other-sometimes, more soberly resolving our joy into articulate expressions of thanks and praises, expressed in Psalms and Hymns. And as God over-powered the King to grant it, so he convinced the very heathens in their kind to magnifie him for it; those with whom we were captive, could not but see and admire the finger of God in this their own very act of our deliverance, so much against their nature and interest, and to acknowledge both the transcendencie of the King, and of the power that wrought it to the glory of our God, whom they were forced to magnifie in our behalfs, that formerly had contemned both him and us.
3The Lord hath done great things for us: whereof we are glad.3 Surely we can say no less of it, than they; that the Lord hath wrought wonders for us; yea, let us at least go one step beyond them, as we have cause: If they that are blind Idolaters, and bare spectatours, are yet so far enlightened by it, as to have the sight of God in it, and to magnifie (though not gratifie) him for it; let us do more, every way indear it, that are the immediate subjects of so rich merciemercy, not onelyonly see his power and greatness, (as they do) but admire his love and goodness, thank him for it as a benefit inestimable, as well as praise him for it as a miracle, and with a holy avarice take the praises out of their mouthes that are no sharers in it, and appropriate both him and it wholly to our selves, by a joyfull welcom of God again amongst us in his declarative goodness, and thankfull acknowledgement of his favour.
4 O Lord,4Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south. go on to shew thine omnipotencie, as in begetting and beginning, so in the progression, and perfecting this great work of our return from captivitie, and re-establishment in Canaan, that as the sun in its season, makes streams like rivers to run in the droughtie desarts of southern countries, where naturally there are none to the refreshing of the thirstie traveller, by dissolving snow and ice from high hils, and remote parts; so, O Lord, let thy favour, now it is returned upon us, go on to move and melt the heathenish hearts of Cyrus, his Princes and people on our behalfs, & to our infinite rejoycing, to forward us homeward to Judah out of this our Babylonish captivity under them, which with so much hardship we have long endured, as also the frozen and carnal hearts of thine own very Israel, to accept this opportunity, and offer themselves willingly (as thy people shall do in the day of thy power, and Gospel-jubilee,) in one joynt compleat bodie, universally, and unanimously to return (as rivers by instinct run towards the sea from whence they came) to repossess and replenish our desolate countrey, that as a wilderness is uninhabited, except by barbarous and savage people, without form or beautie of Church or Common-wealth, and neither for fear or sloth, in respect of difficulties, or dangers in the journey or at the journeys end, faithlesly draw back, chuse to stay and refuse to go, as carnal Christians will the tender of grace, imbracing rather this present world.
5They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy.5 The Lord will never quite forsake his people, we are a perfect emblem of his faithfulness to the faithful, that submit to him and wait upon him; O the sad hearts that we left our countrey withall at the command of God, by his prophet Jeremiah, to put our necks into this long Babylonish yoak, but our sins and Gods decree had so destined it, either so or worse, therefore though with great renitencie, as the needie husbandman in time of dearth, casts his corn which should stustain him, for seed into the ground, in hope of future gain by present loss, so we with a willing willingness, for obedience sake, put our selves into thraldom, loth to displease, and as loth to leave our libertie and countrey, in hope and expectation of a joyfull return and deliverance as the Church and people of God shall ever have out of their sufferings) from out this bondage, as now it is made good unto us, our joy surpassing our sorrow a hundred fold.
6He that goeth forth and weepeth, hearing pretious seed, shall doubtless …ome again wi…h reioycing, bringing his sheaves with him.6 We are set for the incouragement of the Church in whole, and in every part, for what is true in the general, is applicable to each particular, the members singly sharing the promise among them that is made to the bodie joyntly, therefore may all and every one that is godly, be confident that what precious faith and patience in obedience to God they sow in affliction, they shall at last reap it again in reward and consolation: God will wipe all tears from their eyes, let them not fear it how improbable soever, as he hath done from us; Jeremiahs good sighs that went out of Canaan submittingly, carrying along with us the faithfull hope and expectation of Gods engagement, though loth to depart from that good land which God had given us to worship him in, but yet did put our selves upon adventure, and have out-lived our sorrows, and at last enjoy those promises in their accomplishment, though after so many years, in all which time God hath preserved us, and his promise sustained us in hope, and now at the appointed period, delivered us by an Almighty hand, and strange providence, to our admiration, and joy unspeakable, and should encourage us to take the opportunity God hath now put into our hands, not consulting with flesh and bloud to break through all difficulties, and discommodities, either in the journey, or at the journeys end, which fear and faithlesness may represent to deter us, in confidence, that as they that obedientially came; do live to go, so they that in this imperfect condition adventures upon God, obey his call, and rely upon his grace, shall in like sort be enabled to undergo, and survive all imaginable evils, and have their faith and patience abundantly rewarded with grace and peace, and themselves at last established again in quiet in the holy Land and Citie.