When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion He brought His people out of Babylon by the decree of Cyrus to return and rebuild the temple in answer to prayer, and the restoration was so astonishing that it seemed like a dream and broke out in overwhelming joy and singing that even the nations recognized as the great work of God. It also foretells the final turning of the captivity of the righteous at the end of the time of trouble, when God speaks from His holy habitation amid thunder and earthquake and commotion of earth and sea while His people cry day and night for deliverance. At that voice their captivity is ended in holy joy with lighted faces reflecting the image of Jesus, while the wicked hear without understanding and fall in fear and Satan's power to annoy is gone forever. It is God's freeing of the sinner from the bondage of dark despair, when pardon turns deep sorrow into peace and hope and rejoicing with grateful testimony to Jesus' love. That same turning is seen whenever He changes hardship into relief and heals body and soul in answer to prayer when all other means have failed, giving renewed strength for labor, freedom from debt and distress, and joy that cannot sleep.
Words and Historical Setting
The turning of Zion's captivity was fulfilled when Cyrus issued his decree for the Jews in Babylon to return and rebuild the temple at Jerusalem. It was God's promised intervention in behalf of Zion in answer to the prayers of those who had been studying the prophecies and seeking God, like Daniel.
To be like dreamers means the restoration came so astonishingly and seemed so unreal after long captivity that it filled hearts with overwhelming joy, laughter and singing and wonder. Even the nations around recognized that the Lord had done great things for His people. For that reason the psalm celebrating the Lord's restoration of Zion is fitting to be sung in worship.
Final Deliverance at God's Voice
The turning of Zion's captivity also foretells the future turning of the captivity of the righteous at the end of the time of trouble, when God in a wonderful manner preserves His people who refuse to disregard the Sabbath of the fourth commandment to honor the first day even at the cost of life, who will not yield and trample the Sabbath of the Lord to honor an institution of Papacy. Like Jesus pouring out His soul in agony in the garden, they cry and agonize day and night for deliverance while Satan's host and wicked men surround them and exult over them as if there is no way of escape.
That turning comes when, in the midst of revelry and triumph, God utters His voice from His holy habitation and speaks from heaven, with peal upon peal of loudest thunder, the heavens gathered in blackness illuminated only by blazing light and terrible glory, the foundations of the earth shaking, buildings tottering and falling, the sea boiling like a pot, and the whole earth in terrible commotion. At that voice their captivity is turned.
The delivered say to each other with sweet and solemn whisperings that they are delivered and it is the voice of God, listening to the words of the voice with solemn awe. The saints rejoice, beholding glory conferred on those who honored the holy law of God, with faces lighted up reflecting the image of Jesus. All the saints will have holy joy at that ending of captivity, of which David felt only a small share when he laid aside his royal garments, sang in an inspired manner, played the harp, and danced before the ark with all his might.
The wicked hear the same voice but do not understand its words, and fear and tremble while the saints rejoice. Those eager to destroy the saints, who exulted that the people of God were in their power, cannot endure the glory resting on the delivered ones and fall like dead men to the earth. Satan and evil angels flee from the presence of the glorified saints, with their power to annoy them gone forever.
That freeing by God's voice at the close of the great conflict of life brings a terrible awakening for those who have lost everything, who during probation were blinded by Satan's deceptions and justified their sinful course. The rich had prided themselves on superiority, yet had gained riches by breaking God's law, neglecting to feed the hungry, clothing the naked, acting justly and loving mercy, seeking self-exaltation and the homage of others, trading their souls for earthly riches and pleasures instead of becoming rich toward God. At that freeing they are stripped of all that made them great and left destitute and defenseless, looking in terror on the destruction of the idols they preferred above their Maker. Their lives are a failure, their pleasures become gall, their treasures become corruption, and a lifetime's gain is swept away in a moment, and the rich mourn their ruined houses and scattered gold and silver, but their mourning is silenced by fear that they themselves will perish with their idols.
At that future turning God makes a covenant of peace with everyone who has kept His commandments. The distressed and oppressed people are freed, their enemies fall, and their weariness gives way to glory, when God's voice shakes the earth. That deliverance leads to the faithful being changed and caught up to meet Jesus.
Present Deliverance and Renewal
The turning of captivity is God's freeing of a sinner from the bondage of dark despair. When He pardons sin, deep sorrow and despair give way to peace, happiness, hope and rejoicing. The heart is liberated to grateful testimony, and the simple story of Jesus' love flows with freedom amid tears of gratitude. Those who saw the former despair weep aloud rejoicing and praise God for His tender mercy and loving-kindness.
That same turning is relief from hardship into renewed hope and joy after the move to Battle Creek. It comes through sympathetic, old tried friends who share burdens and supply wants in distress. New life and success attend preaching and the cause, with publications that are just what the cause demands. The Messenger of Truth goes down with its discordant spirits scattered, all debts are paid, and health is restored.
The ending of affliction, burden and distress was wrought at the conference there in November 1856. It included gradual healing of cough with pain and soreness in lungs and throat unto ability to preach three times on Sabbath and first day with ease, a wonderful work for which God alone should have the glory. More generally it was the end of enforced inactivity with recovery and renewed strength for labor among the churches as God's restoring hand.
The turning is also God's healing deliverance in answer to prayer after severe affliction when all other means have failed. He answers graciously, bringing health of body and soul and a decided change from doubt and distress to joy, gladness, praise and renewed consecration so joyful that sleep seems impossible. The deliverance raises the afflicted to live on, endure trials, watch and wait for Christ's appearing, and glorify God. It fixes trembling faith upon His sure promises, trusting His love and mercy amid clouds and darkness as well as sunshine when poverty and care press heavily and no way is seen open. The verse also expresses prayerful hope that God would turn His people's captivity and change their troubled circumstances into deliverance at the gathering of the Conference.
When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion He brought His people out of Babylon by the decree of Cyrus to return and rebuild the temple in answer to prayer, and the restoration was so astonishing that it seemed like a dream and broke out in overwhelming joy and singing that even the nations recognized as the great work of God. It also foretells the final turning of the captivity of the righteous at the end of the time of trouble, when God speaks from His holy habitation amid thunder and earthquake and commotion of earth and sea while His people cry day and night for deliverance. At that voice their captivity is ended in holy joy with lighted faces reflecting the image of Jesus, while the wicked hear without understanding and fall in fear and Satan's power to annoy is gone forever. It is God's freeing of the sinner from the bondage of dark despair, when pardon turns deep sorrow into peace and hope and rejoicing with grateful testimony to Jesus' love. That same turning is seen whenever He changes hardship into relief and heals body and soul in answer to prayer when all other means have failed, giving renewed strength for labor, freedom from debt and distress, and joy that cannot sleep.
Words and Historical Setting
The turning of Zion's captivity was fulfilled when Cyrus issued his decree for the Jews in Babylon to return and rebuild the temple at Jerusalem. It was God's promised intervention in behalf of Zion in answer to the prayers of those who had been studying the prophecies and seeking God, like Daniel.
To be like dreamers means the restoration came so astonishingly and seemed so unreal after long captivity that it filled hearts with overwhelming joy, laughter and singing and wonder. Even the nations around recognized that the Lord had done great things for His people. For that reason the psalm celebrating the Lord's restoration of Zion is fitting to be sung in worship.
Final Deliverance at God's Voice
The turning of Zion's captivity also foretells the future turning of the captivity of the righteous at the end of the time of trouble, when God in a wonderful manner preserves His people who refuse to disregard the Sabbath of the fourth commandment to honor the first day even at the cost of life, who will not yield and trample the Sabbath of the Lord to honor an institution of Papacy. Like Jesus pouring out His soul in agony in the garden, they cry and agonize day and night for deliverance while Satan's host and wicked men surround them and exult over them as if there is no way of escape.
That turning comes when, in the midst of revelry and triumph, God utters His voice from His holy habitation and speaks from heaven, with peal upon peal of loudest thunder, the heavens gathered in blackness illuminated only by blazing light and terrible glory, the foundations of the earth shaking, buildings tottering and falling, the sea boiling like a pot, and the whole earth in terrible commotion. At that voice their captivity is turned.
The delivered say to each other with sweet and solemn whisperings that they are delivered and it is the voice of God, listening to the words of the voice with solemn awe. The saints rejoice, beholding glory conferred on those who honored the holy law of God, with faces lighted up reflecting the image of Jesus. All the saints will have holy joy at that ending of captivity, of which David felt only a small share when he laid aside his royal garments, sang in an inspired manner, played the harp, and danced before the ark with all his might.
The wicked hear the same voice but do not understand its words, and fear and tremble while the saints rejoice. Those eager to destroy the saints, who exulted that the people of God were in their power, cannot endure the glory resting on the delivered ones and fall like dead men to the earth. Satan and evil angels flee from the presence of the glorified saints, with their power to annoy them gone forever.
That freeing by God's voice at the close of the great conflict of life brings a terrible awakening for those who have lost everything, who during probation were blinded by Satan's deceptions and justified their sinful course. The rich had prided themselves on superiority, yet had gained riches by breaking God's law, neglecting to feed the hungry, clothing the naked, acting justly and loving mercy, seeking self-exaltation and the homage of others, trading their souls for earthly riches and pleasures instead of becoming rich toward God. At that freeing they are stripped of all that made them great and left destitute and defenseless, looking in terror on the destruction of the idols they preferred above their Maker. Their lives are a failure, their pleasures become gall, their treasures become corruption, and a lifetime's gain is swept away in a moment, and the rich mourn their ruined houses and scattered gold and silver, but their mourning is silenced by fear that they themselves will perish with their idols.
At that future turning God makes a covenant of peace with everyone who has kept His commandments. The distressed and oppressed people are freed, their enemies fall, and their weariness gives way to glory, when God's voice shakes the earth. That deliverance leads to the faithful being changed and caught up to meet Jesus.
Present Deliverance and Renewal
The turning of captivity is God's freeing of a sinner from the bondage of dark despair. When He pardons sin, deep sorrow and despair give way to peace, happiness, hope and rejoicing. The heart is liberated to grateful testimony, and the simple story of Jesus' love flows with freedom amid tears of gratitude. Those who saw the former despair weep aloud rejoicing and praise God for His tender mercy and loving-kindness.
That same turning is relief from hardship into renewed hope and joy after the move to Battle Creek. It comes through sympathetic, old tried friends who share burdens and supply wants in distress. New life and success attend preaching and the cause, with publications that are just what the cause demands. The Messenger of Truth goes down with its discordant spirits scattered, all debts are paid, and health is restored.
The ending of affliction, burden and distress was wrought at the conference there in November 1856. It included gradual healing of cough with pain and soreness in lungs and throat unto ability to preach three times on Sabbath and first day with ease, a wonderful work for which God alone should have the glory. More generally it was the end of enforced inactivity with recovery and renewed strength for labor among the churches as God's restoring hand.
The turning is also God's healing deliverance in answer to prayer after severe affliction when all other means have failed. He answers graciously, bringing health of body and soul and a decided change from doubt and distress to joy, gladness, praise and renewed consecration so joyful that sleep seems impossible. The deliverance raises the afflicted to live on, endure trials, watch and wait for Christ's appearing, and glorify God. It fixes trembling faith upon His sure promises, trusting His love and mercy amid clouds and darkness as well as sunshine when poverty and care press heavily and no way is seen open. The verse also expresses prayerful hope that God would turn His people's captivity and change their troubled circumstances into deliverance at the gathering of the Conference.