In convertendo. The people of God rejoice at their delivery from captivity. A gradual canticle.
Isralites released from captiuitie of Babylon, much more the blessed both of the old and new testament deliuered by Christ from captiuitie of sinne, de reioyce: 5. Who neuertheles must passe through tribulation to eternal felicitie.
1When the Lord brought back the captivity of Sion, we became like men comforted.Cantico dei gradi. Quando il Signore fe' tornare quelli di Sion dalla cattività, noi fummo come uomini ricolmi di consolazione:A gradual Canticle. VVHEN our Lord turned the captiuitie of Sion: we were made as men comforted.Canticum graduum. In convertendo Dominus captivitatem Sion, / facti sumus sicut consolati. 2Then was our mouth filled with gladness; and our tongue with joy. Then shall they say among the Gentiles: The Lord hath done great things for them.Allora fu ripiena di gaudio la nostra bocca, e la nostra lingua di giubilo. Allora dirassi tralle nazioni: Il Signore ha fatte cose grandi per essi.Then was our mouth replenished with ioy: and our tongue with exultation. Then shal they say among the Gentiles: Our Lord hath done magnifically with them.Tunc repletum est gaudio os nostrum, / et lingua nostra exsultatione. / Tunc dicent inter gentes: / Magnificavit Dominus facere cum eis. 3The Lord hath done great things for us: we are become joyful.Il Signore ha fatto cose grandi per noi: siamo inondati di letizia.Our Lord hath done magnifically with vs: we are made ioyful.Magnificavit Dominus facere nobiscum; / facti sumus lætantes. 4Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as a stream in the south.Riconduci, o Signore, i nostri dalla cattività, quasi torrente al soffio dell'austro.Turne our captiuitie ô Lord, as a torrent in the South.Converte, Domine, captivitatem nostram, / sicut torrens in austro. 5They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.Quei, che seminano tralle lagrime, mieteranno con giubilo.They that sow in teares, shal reape in ioyfulnesse.Qui seminant in lacrimis, / in exsultatione metent. 6Going they went and wept, casting their seeds.Camminavano, e andavan piangendo a spargere la loro semenza. Ma al ritorno verranno con festa grande, portando i loro manipoli.Going they went and wept, casting their seedes.Euntes ibant et flebant, / mittentes semina sua. / Venientes autem venient cum exsultatione, / portantes manipulos suos. 7But coming they shall come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves.But coming they shal come with exultation, carying their sheaues.
125:1
Berthier
Sion. It cannot be doubted but this regards the captives of Babylon: but still David might compose it, as he was a prophet; and herein the redemption of mankind may also be described. (Berthier)
Calmet
The captives pray for the return of the rest of their brethren. (Calmet)
Calmet
Comforted. Hebrew, "dreaming." (Calmet)
Worthington
They could hardly believe their own eyes, like St. Peter, Acts 12:9. This extraordinary joy is felt by devout souls, when freed from sin. (Worthington)
Livy xxxiii
The Greek cities which the Romans declared free, could scarcely believe that they had understood the herald. Majus gaudium fuit, etc. (Livy xxxiii.)
Thus were the Jews affected. (Calmet) (Psalm 13:2.)
Berthier
Chaldean, "we were like convalescents," which comes nearer to the sense of the Septuagint. (Berthier)
125:2
Berthier
Shall. Or "did;" (Calmet) though the future is here well employed. (Berthier)
Worthington
The prophet uses both tenses, shewing the certainty of the event. (Worthington)
Berthier
It would require some time before the Gentiles would become sufficiently acquainted with the concerns of the Jews. (Berthier)
St. Chrysostom
As soon as they did, they expressed their admiration, while the former were careful not to imitate the conduct of those who murmured at leaving Egypt. (St. Chrysostom)
125:4
Theodoret
South. As the Egyptians hope for the overflowing of the Nile; (Hammond) or as the south wind melts the snow, so as to make the Jordan overflow its banks. (Theodoret)
Muis
The return of our brethren will be as agreeable to us as water to a thirsty soil. (Chaldean) (Muis)
Calmet
Make them come quickly, and in great numbers, Isaias 60:3., and 66:12. (Calmet)
Berthier
Esdras brought back some, and Nehemias others, from Babylon. (Berthier)
Berthier
The ten tribes returned from Assyria later, and by degrees, (Calmet, Diss.) if at all. Those who arrived first at Jerusalem pray for the rest. (Berthier)
Worthington
The prophet foreseeing this event, desireth its perfect and speedy accomplishment, (Worthington) though it were scarcely to be expected, no more than (Haydock) a copious torrent in the south. (Worthington)
125:5
Calmet
Joy. This was the case of the martyrs, etc., (Luke 6:21., and John 16:20.) as well as of the captives, Jeremias 31:9., Isaias 66:10., and Baruch 5:6. (Calmet)
Worthington
Tribulation commonly attends the virtuous in this life. Their reward is reserved for the next. (St. Augustine) (Worthington)
Haydock
Sowing, we know not whether we shall ever reap. (Haydock)
Berthier
This is a sort of proverb, which is applied to the captives. (Berthier)
125:6
Berthier
They. Hebrew, "he," which must be taken distributively for all. (Berthier)
125:1
The Ievves released from captiuitie, vvere excedingly, and almost incredibly comforted, as men for great, and vnexpected sundaine ioy thinke it rather a dreame, then a truth that they are deliuered from miseries. So S. Peter vvhen he vvas deliuered out of prison by an Angel, thought it rather a vision, then a true deliuerie. Such spiritual ioy deuoute soules haue vvhen they are deliuered from sinne.
Concordance Act. 1•.
125:2
VVheras in the tvvo former verses (and very commonly) the Prophet speaketh in the preter tense, for the assurance of that he foreshevveth, as if it vvere already donne, yet here he vt ezech his prophecie in the future tense, that the Gentiles wil confesse that God dealeth magnifically vvith his people.
125:3
The people also themselues gratfully confesse that God dealeth magnifically vvith them.
125:4
The Prophet forseing al this in spirite, prayeth for the performance hereof.
And that it may spedely be done, as a torrent that runneth in the south part of the vvorld, is commonly very great, much desired, but scarse expected.
125:5
This is the ordinarie disposition of God, that his seruants shal make their seeding, vvhich is, doe good vvorkes (saith S. Augustin) vvith teares, in tribulation vpon earth:
and reape a plentiful haruest, the revvard of their suffering and vvel vvorking, in the next life. In assured hope vvherof the Psalmist, and the vvhole Church joyfully conclude this Psalme vvith the tvvo verses folovving.
125:1
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 2.15
… For “they went astray in the wilderness in a thirsty land,” says the Psalmist, and he adds, “So He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to the city where they dwelt :” and, “when the Lord turned again the captivity of Sion
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 41
1. “Our mouth is filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 15.19
… because, as he says elsewhere, “Are all apostles? are all prophets?” etc.) And here he has added, “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ.” This is the house which, as the Psalm sings, is built up after the captivity;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 126.2
2. “When the Lord turned back the captivity of Sion, we became as those that are comforted” (
125:2
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 126.3
3. “Then was our mouth filled with joy, and our tongue with exultation” (
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Letters 98
“Our mouth was filled with joy and our tongue with exultation
125:3
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 9.3
… For “ then ” and “ when ” have a sense which specially and properly refers to the denoting of time, according to the common use of men who speak soundly, and according to their signification in Scripture. One may take “ then shall they say among the heathen
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 126.6
6. “Yea, the Lord hath done great things for us already, whereof we rejoice” (
125:4
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 126.7
7. “Turn our captivity, O Lord, as the torrents in the south” (
125:5
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.14
… behold, my servants shall be glad, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart.” And recognise these oppositions also in the dispensation of Christ. Surely gladness and joyous exultation is promised to those who are in an opposite condition—to the sorrowful, and sad, and anxious. Just as it is said in the 125th Psalm: “They who sow in tears shall reap in joy.”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.15
… “Behold, my servants shall be full, but ye shall be hungry”—even because ye have been filled; “behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed” —even ye who shall mourn, who now are laughing. For as it is written in the psalm, “They who sow in tears shall reap in joy,”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Exhortation to Martyrdom, Addressed to Fortunatus 12
… “They who sow,” it says, “in tears, shall reap in joy. As they walked, they walked and wept, casting their seeds; but as they come again, they shall come in exultation, bearing their sheaves.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 3.17
… All these things have passed away as a shadow.” Of this same thing in the cxvth Psalm: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” Also in the cxxvth Psalm: “They who sow in tears shall reap in joy. Walking they walked, and wept as they cast their seeds; but coming they shall come in joy, raising up their laps.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 3.4
4. Bonosus, your friend, or, to speak more truly, mine as well as yours, is now climbing the ladder foreshown in Jacob’s dream. He is bearing his cross, neither taking thought for the morrow nor looking back at what he has left. He is sowing in tears that he may reap in joy.
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 53.8
… for all the people of Canaan are undone; all they that were laden with silver are cut off.” Haggai, that is he who is glad or joyful, who has sown in tears to reap in joy,
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 122.1
… He it was who hedged up and enclosed my evil ways that I might find Him the true way who says in the gospel, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Hear the words of the prophet: “they that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 15.32
… Verily the harvest was ripe. What was made of it? Of that harvest a few grains were thrown out, and sowed the whole world; and another harvest is rising which is to be reaped in the end of the world. Of that harvest it is said, “They that sow in tears shall reap with joy.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 6.11
… For they that rejoice are wont so to speak, as that it is not enough for them to declare once for all the object of their joy. This is the fruit of that groaning in which there is labour, and those tears with which the couch is washed, and bed drenched: for, “he that sows in tears, shall reap in joy:”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 84.10
… He goes on to say: “He hath placed steps in his heart.”…Where does it place steps? “In his heart, in the valley of weeping” ( ver. 6 ). So here thou hast for a winepress the valley of weeping, the very pious tears in tribulation are the new wine of those that love.…They went forth “weeping,” he says, “casting their seed.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 126.8
8. For the next words are, “They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy” (
125:6
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 52.5
… Wherefore dost thou not trust God? Our harvest will come. Think, that we are busy in travail now, are working in travail now, but sure to receive, as it is written, “They went on and wept as they cast their seed; but they shall surely come with exultation, bringing their sheaves with them.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 126.10
… Put not off, my brethren; sow in wintry weather, sow good works, even while ye weep; for, “They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy.” They sow their seed, good will, and good works. “They went on their way and wept, casting their seed” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 128.3
… If therefore our toil has been what could be eaten, and could also delight us; what will be the fruit of our labour when eaten? “They who went weeping on their way, scattering their seed,”
125:6
… many, form one bread, one body, because we partake of one bread." This ecclesiological point is widely used by the Didaché, by St. Cyprian, by St. Hilary of Poitiers ("Christus... per sacramentum corporis sui in se universam Ecclesiam continens": In Ps. 125, 6; PL 9, 688), by St. John Chrysostom ("nobis corpus suum inseruit, ut unum quid simus corpus iunctum capiti": Hom. 46 in Io. n. 3; PG 59, 261), and above all by St. Augustine, who in …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.