Psalm 126

Psalm 126
"When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion"
Song of Ascents
Psalm 126 in the Parma Psalter
Other name	Psalm 125 "In convertendo Dominus"
Text	by David
Language	Hebrew (original)

Psalm 126 is the 126th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream". In Latin, it is known as In convertendo Dominus.^[1] It is one of the fifteen Songs of Ascent in the Book of Psalms whose opening words in Hebrew are "Shir HaMaalot" (שיר המעלות בשוב ה’, a Song of Ascents). In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint version of the Bible and in the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 125.

This six-verse psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies. It is well known in Judaism as the preliminary psalm recited before the Birkat Hamazon (Grace After Meals) on Shabbat and Jewish holidays, and as such is sung to a wide variety of melodies. It has also inspired hymns based on it, and has often been set to music, such as Jean-Philippe Rameau and Jules Van Nuffel who set the psalm in Latin.

Parts of this psalm have been singled out, for example They that sow in tears shall reap in joy is included in Ein deutsches Requiem by Johannes Brahms.