Psalm 126 (125):1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Those who capture individuals in accordance with wartime regulations may occasionally show leniency towards their captives; they may require them to perform arduous tasks without stripping them of their dignity. In contrast, one who is ensnared by sin yields to a ruthless and relentless master, who compels them to engage in the most disgraceful actions. This tyrant is devoid of pity or compassion. For instance, consider how the unfortunate Judas fell under his influence; he was not treated gently but was transformed into a treacherous betrayer. Once he succumbed to sin, he was presented to the Jews, exposed for his wrongdoing, deprived of the opportunity to repent, and ultimately led to his own demise. Sin acts as a merciless sovereign, issuing wicked orders and bringing disgrace to its followers. Therefore, I urge you to energetically escape its grasp, to resist it, and never to make peace with it. Having been liberated from its chains, let us dwell in that freedom. Just as the Jews took solace upon being freed from their oppressors, we too should experience greater joy and satisfaction upon our release from sin. Let us cherish this joy and guard it against being tarnished by a return to past misdeeds. "How we were comforted." Some translations express it as akin to “dreaming in a dream” (ένυπνιαζόμενοι), in Hebrew, it signifies the same sentiment (haolemim). What does "comforted" imply? It indicates that we are enveloped in rest, joy, and delight.

Through His despising, He instructed us on the value of bearing shame, on perseverance through suffering, and entrusted us with the promise of resurrection, reflecting His own victory over death.

If the prophets of old, our ancestors, longed for salvation before the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in the flesh, before His death, resurrection, and ascension, how much more fervently should we strive for that same destination where He leads us and where He still abides? The Lord didn’t abandon the angels in coming to us; He maintained His divine presence with them while manifesting in human form for our sake. But what did it mean that He is our Redeemer? Were we not captives? Who held us in chains that demanded His rescuing intervention? Perhaps it was the Gentiles? Yet, even worse than them are the devil and his legions, the true captors of humanity. Our Redeemer brought us not material wealth, but His very blood as the price for our freedom.

The Apostle Paul weeps in his expression of this bondage and fervently longs for the eternal Jerusalem while guiding us to yearn for the same Spirit he himself sought after. He writes, “The whole creation groans and travails even to this day,” and, “For the creature was subjected to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him who subjected it in hope” (Romans 8:21-25). The phrase “every creature” encompasses all souls, including those who have yet to believe, capturing the essence of creation’s labor. Does the groaning cease among believers? Does the struggle vanish for those who have faith? The Apostle affirms this with, "Not only they," indicating that we too, who have begun to embrace the Spirit—servants of God by faith and thought—also groan within ourselves, eagerly awaiting the adoption and redemption of our bodies.

Where is this anguish felt? Within our mortality. What redemption do we anticipate? The restoration of our bodies, which Christ achieved before us through His resurrection. Until our own redemption is fully realized, we will continue to experience this inner yearning. The Apostle assures us, while we groan and wait for the renewal of our bodies, as if in response to the question of what benefit Christ's sacrifice has been if we still endure sorrow. He counters that “we are saved in hope; for hope that is seen is not hope; for what a man sees, why does he yet hope for?” Yet, we remain patient, fully trusting in what we cannot yet see, continuing our longing because our salvation derives from hope.

Our bodies have been truly redeemed in the Lord, manifestly saved even as we endure the challenges of life. Though our bodies are still on the way to full salvation, our spirits rejoice in hope, confidently knowing we are supported by our Head. Christ reassured His weary followers with, “Behold, I am with you to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Our hope now aligns toward God rather than this fleeting age. We were once adrift, yet the Lord redirected our paths, allowing us to face homeward. While navigating our trials, we maintain our course, propelled forward, with even the strongest winds serving as our ally.

Though we lamented our captivity, we have seemingly forgotten how we were made captives. Let us inquire of the Apostle Paul, who shared, “We know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin” (Romans 7:14). This is how we found ourselves imprisoned—sold due to our own decisions, having consented to temptation. Though we might willingly sell ourselves out, we cannot redeem ourselves. We agreed to sin, and thus need righteousness for our redemption. The blood given for our release was not the blood of sinners, but rather the precious blood of the Innocent.

To whom was this innocent blood offered? It acted as the ransom for those enslaved. Upon returning from our captivity, we are moved to sing this Psalm. When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we felt like those who are comforted. What does it mean to be comforted? It signifies joy for those who mourn, specifically for those in anguish. While we still endure groans of sorrow, we hope for the deeper comfort that will come when our afflictions cease, replaced by eternal joy.

The phrase "as comforted" conveys not merely a similarity but hints at inherent qualities of this joy. The joy of those “comforted” is immense. Mortals can rejoice in the Savior, who tasted death to conquer it, providing hope for our own resurrection. Through His triumph over death, He has given us encouragement amid tribulation; thus, we experience joy rooted in hope. The Lord's restoration allows us to secure our path to our eternal homeland.

Let us not fear those who might ambush us along the way; He redeemed us precisely so that such fears need not haunt us unless we stray from His path. “I am the way,” Christ promises (John 14:6). Do you wish to be spared from danger? He declares, “I have paved a path towards your homeland; do not falter. My way is secure against all threats.” Follow Christ’s guiding light, rejoice in His providence, for He has sanctified the way ahead, leading us home.

He noted, "And, WHILE my feet wavered, THEY WERE GREAT over me" (Psalms 37:17), for they were quick to insult and belittle him, preparing to boast of their own superiority at a moment when his steps were merely unstable. In another interpretation, while he experienced uncertainty, they, anticipating his downfall, leveled proud and lofty words against him.

However, in another psalm, David acknowledged that his feet had only narrowly slipped, highlighting the importance of recognizing the nuances of repentance while dismissing the gossip surrounding his sins, as the fortunes of the disgraced are not our concern. This pattern of expression can be observed throughout the Divine Scriptures. In another instance, we find, "When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, we were greatly comforted" (Ps. 125:1), though the saint desires to be esteemed not for mere words, but for the integrity of his spirit. Therefore, we must continuously seek the deeper meaning, which is often obscured by translations from Hebrew to Greek and then to Latin.

However, many who were unrighteous, opposing God’s commandments, refused this return; conversely, those devoted to their ancestral faith and committed to rightful worship embraced the call to return with eagerness. In this Psalm, upon witnessing their liberation, they express joy and pray for the freedom of all their brethren. Captivity, according to Chrysostom, manifests in four forms: one that is good, as in the words: we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ; another that is evil, as indicated by the seduction of women; a third is sensual, as David describes here; and a fourth is mental, as in the proclamation of liberty to the captives. Yet, more perilous than sensual captivity is mental bondage. For those who capture according to the laws of warfare often spare their captives and harm them not. But a captive enslaved by sin endures an unrelenting and ruthless master who compels them to the most absurd actions, as this cruel lord knows neither compassion nor mercy. Therefore, let us earnestly flee from his tyranny, resist him, and never broker peace with him; for in our liberation from him, we shall dwell in true freedom.

The essence of verse 1 reflects that when Zion’s captivity was restored to the Lord, a profound sense of comfort enveloped us. The implication of these words reveals that the Jewish community, upon hearing the announcement of their release and imminent return to their homeland, experienced overwhelming joy and disbelief, perceiving the news as a mere dream rather than reality. A parallel can be drawn to the patriarch Jacob, who, upon learning that his son Joseph—whom he had mourned as lost—was alive, struggled to believe the news, as if emerging from a deep slumber (Genesis 45:26). Similarly, the apostle Peter, after an unexpected release from prison, initially thought he was seeing a vision (Acts 12:9).

The Hebrew expresses this sentiment as “we were like those dreaming,” signifying their disbelief and joy at their newfound freedom, as it seemed too good to be true; they remembered the triumph they witnessed, as even the nations surrounding them were astonished by Israel's unexpected liberation (v. 2). The returnees humbly acknowledged that their deliverance was a remarkable act of God, which brought them immense joy (v. 3). However, their delight was somewhat diminished because the number of those who returned was still relatively small, as though the captivity had not entirely ended; hence their prayer for the return of the larger group of those still in exile (v. 4). Just as the dry southern landscapes long for the return of the rains, so too did they implore God to bring back the captive Israelites to the land of promise, where they were sorely missed. Just as the land eagerly awaits the annual rains that rejuvenate it, so too would the returning captives revitalize the still barren lands. If “νότος” symbolizes the south wind, the implication is that, like the wind that brings rain and thus sustains streams of water, the prayer seeks the return of the captives. This supplication is coupled with the certainty that God will transform the current suffering of His people into joy, for, just as sowing is soon followed by reaping (vv. 5-6). Verses 5 and 6 possess an axiomatic quality yet are connected to Israel's circumstances (the failed harvest inducing sorrow at subsequent sowings; see Haggai 2ff.). The imagery is drawn from the farmer who, while sowing, anxiously hopes for a fruitful yield. When the time for harvest arrives, he returns from the field rejoicing, laden with sheaves, grateful for his diligent efforts. “Πορευόμενοι επαρευοντο” (a Hebraism) indicates a slow, deliberate pace in sowing, while “ερκόμενοι υξουσιν” suggests a lively return.

Onlookers marveled at the abundant grace revealed by Christ the Lord; some of them converted to the holy faith and proudly shared their experiences, having received the Most Blessed Sacrament, inspiring others to join in the faith of Christ, the true God. Under the phrase "tongues" lies the profound significance of demons. The ascetic comprehends his liberation from demonical bondage when his thoughts are no longer swayed by them, forgotten in dreams and distractions (Chrysostom, Ignatius). The flow of holy baptism signifies the grace of the Holy Spirit, through which those baptized into Christ are liberated from the original sin's captivity. Blessed are those who mourn for their transgressions, for they shall receive comfort in eternal life—a precious reward of their tears. Just as land requires plowing and tilling, the soul, too, needs work and prayer in its battle against temptations and trials to soften its hardness and guard against pride. The faithful's attributes are virtues, which, accompanied by the fear of God and tears, yield fruit for salvation.