| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
| 1 A Song of the Ascents. |
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| In Jehovah's turning back [to] the captivity of Zion, We have been as dreamers. |
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| 2 Then filled [with] laughter is our mouth, And our tongue [with] singing, Then do they say among nations, 'Jehovah did great things with these.' |
Tongue with singing – While the whole creation groans, the saintly few may sing, may rejoice. R4892:5
As Israel left Babylon with great joy, so we who have gotten free from mystic Babylon rejoice exceedingly and would not go back under any consideration. R3643:4
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| 3 Jehovah did great things with us, We have been joyful. |
For us – For natural Israel upon her return from literal Babylon; for spiritual Israel upon her return from mystic Babylon. R3643:1, R4892:2
We are glad – Those not thus stirred in spirit may as well stay in Babylon, as they would only prove snares and stumbling blocks to others. R2510:5
These have joy and peace because he grants to them a knowledge of his divine purposes and of things to come. R4892:5
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| 4 Turn again, O Jehovah, [to] our captivity, As streams in the south. |
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| 5 Those sowing in tears, with singing do reap, |
They that sow – The work of seed sowing was to be one of the main features of the Church's work until the Harvest, but the work of the harvest time is altogether different. R885:2*
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| 6 Whoso goeth on and weepeth, Bearing the basket of seed, Surely cometh in with singing, bearing his sheaves! |
And weepeth – Feeling the importance and cost of the work in self-sacrifice. R785:1
Touched with sympathy for the blinded and suffering. R935:5*
Doubtless come again – We "know that our labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Cor. 15:58); we will see some of the fruit. R785:1
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