Psalms 126:1

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

A song of ascents. When the LORD restored the well-being of Zion, we thought we were dreaming.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת בְּשׁ֣וּב יְ֭הוָה אֶת־שִׁיבַ֣ת צִיּ֑וֹן הָ֝יִ֗ינוּ כְּחֹלְמִֽים׃

Transliteration

šîr the maʿălôt in šûb YHWH ʾet-šîbat ṣiyyôn hāyînû as-ḥōlǝmîm

Grammar Details

• *šîr*: construct noun, masculine singular - song of
• *maʿălôt*: plural feminine noun with definite article - the ascents/steps/pilgrimages
• *šûb*: infinitive construct of verb - return of/when returned
• *YHWH*: proper noun - divine name
• *ʾet*: direct object marker
• *šîbat*: construct noun, feminine singular - return/captivity of
• *ṣiyyôn*: proper noun - Zion
• *hāyînû*: qal perfect, 1st person plural - we were
• *ḥōlǝmîm*: masculine plural participle - dreamers/dreaming ones

Word Meanings

• *šîbat*: captivity/fortunes/restoration
• *šûb*: to return/restore/bring back
• *maʿălôt*: ascents/steps/degrees/pilgrimages

Referenced Verses

• Hos 6:11 : 11 I have appointed a time to reap judgment for you also, O Judah!If Israel Would Repent of Sin, God Would Relent of Judgment Whenever I want to restore the fortunes of my people,
• Ps 85:1 : 1 For the music director; written by the Korahites, a psalm. O LORD, you showed favor to your land; you restored the well-being of Jacob.
• Jer 31:8-9 : 8 Then I will reply,‘I will bring them back from the land of the north. I will gather them in from the distant parts of the earth. Blind and lame people will come with them, so will pregnant women and women about to give birth. A vast throng of people will come back here. 9 They will come back shedding tears of contrition. I will bring them back praying prayers of repentance. I will lead them besides streams of water, along smooth paths where they will never stumble. I will do this because I am Israel’s father; Ephraim is my firstborn son.’” 10 Listen to the LORD’s message, O nations. Proclaim it in the faraway lands along the sea. Say,“The one who scattered Israel will regather them. He will watch over his people like a shepherd watches over his flock.”
• Ps 120:1 : 1 A song of ascents. In my distress I cried out to the LORD and he answered me.
• Joel 3:1 : 1 The LORD Plans to Judge the Nations(4:1) For look! In those days and at that time I will return the exiles to Judah and Jerusalem.
• Acts 12:9 : 9 Peter went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening through the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
• Ps 121:1 : 1 A song of ascents. I look up toward the hills. From where does my help come?
• Ps 122:1 : 1 A song of ascents, by David. I was glad because they said to me,“We will go to the LORD’s temple.”
• Ps 123:1 : 1 A song of ascents. I look up toward you, the one enthroned in heaven.
• Ps 124:1 : 1 A song of ascents, by David.“If the LORD had not been on our side”– let Israel say this!–
• Ps 125:1 : 1 A song of ascents. Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved and will endure forever.
• Ps 53:6 : 6 I wish the deliverance of Israel would come from Zion! When God restores the well-being of his people, may Jacob rejoice, may Israel be happy!
• Ezra 1:1-9 : 1 ¶ The Decree of Cyrus In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in fulfillment of the LORD’s message spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD motivated King Cyrus of Persia to issue a proclamation throughout his kingdom and also to put it in writing. It read: 2 “This is what King Cyrus of Persia says:“‘The LORD God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build a temple for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Anyone of his people among you(may his God be with him!) may go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and may build the temple of the LORD God of Israel– he is the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 Anyone who survives in any of those places where he is a resident foreigner must be helped by his neighbors with silver, gold, equipment, and animals, along with voluntary offerings for the temple of God which is in Jerusalem.’” 5 The Exiles Prepare to Return to Jerusalem Then the leaders of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and the Levites– all those whose mind God had stirred– got ready to go up in order to build the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem. 6 All their neighbors assisted them with silver utensils, gold, equipment, animals, and expensive gifts, not to mention all the voluntary offerings. 7 Then King Cyrus brought out the vessels of the LORD’s temple which Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Jerusalem and had displayed in the temple of his gods. 8 King Cyrus of Persia entrusted them to Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the leader of the Judahite exiles. 9 The inventory of these items was as follows: 30 gold basins, 1,000 silver basins, 29 silver utensils, 10 30 gold bowls, 410 other silver bowls, and 1,000 other vessels. 11 All these gold and silver vessels totaled 5,400. Sheshbazzar brought them all along when the captives were brought up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
• Job 9:16 : 16 If I summoned him, and he answered me, I would not believe that he would be listening to my voice–
• Job 42:10 : 10 So the LORD restored what Job had lost after he prayed for his friends, and the LORD doubled all that had belonged to Job.
• Acts 12:14-16 : 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she did not open the gate, but ran back in and told them that Peter was standing at the gate. 15 But they said to her,“You’ve lost your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was Peter, and they kept saying,“It is his angel!” 16 Now Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were greatly astonished.
• Mark 16:11 : 11 And when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.
• Luke 24:11 : 11 But these words seemed like pure nonsense to them, and they did not believe them.
• Luke 24:41 : 41 And while they still could not believe it(because of their joy) and were amazed, he said to them,“Do you have anything here to eat?”